Afrika Exprez, the collective that featured the likes of Damon Albarn, The Magic Numbers and Fatboy Slim alongside some of Africa's most feted musicians for a performance at the Park Stage at Glastonbury 2007, will perform again at the Liverpool Olympia venue on March 6.  Source

Jools Holland took to the stage (um some stage?) in London this morning to announce the shortlist nominees for this year's Mercury Music Prize. As I'm sure you all know, this is one of the most prestigous awards to be given out in the UK music world... as well as the fabulous cash prize of £20,000. Personally it lost a little prestige in my eyes the year they overlooked Pulp's "His n Hers" in lieu of giving the prize to M People. Upon reflection I'm sure they now agree with me... anyhoo...We'll find out September 6th exactly who won but for now we can all argue about the list below to suss out who deserves it most...

Oh thank goodness The Magic Numbers are finally gaining a bit of momentum. Their debut single 'Forever Lost' has been getting airplay on Radio 1, Radio 2, XFM and 6Music... with a live session in the works for next week's Zane Lowe show on Radio 1. They new single will be hitting UK store shelves soon (May 23) with the album shortly after on June 13. If you still haven't gotten a grip on the harmonious love that's about to overtake the UK with the release of this record (oh yeah... I am so unbiased) you can take a peek at their new video for Forever Lost illustrated, directed and all around loved by Pete Fowler. (For different video feed see the band's website.)

The NME has a tracklisting for the forthcoming debut record:

Mornings Eleven, Forever Lost, The Mule, Long Legs, Love Me Like You, Which Way To Happy, I See You, You See Me, This Love, Wheels On Fire, Love Is A Game, Try

London, March 2004: You have just seen an entirely too screechy Welsh band whose name you can't be bothered to remember at a hole-in-the-wall London club and have hopped on a Double Decker to a new (and you're praying better) venue. You live for these rare excursions to foreign countries and seeking out of new music. Your bus comes to a roll at Kings Cross and you hop out... look about until you find it... Water Rats. You've heard there's something vaguely poppish going on tonight. You pay the cover, grab a cider and head for the music room in the back. You slowly, politely push people out the way and shove open the door....

The Magic Numbers are slowly becoming London's hottest tip of the year. After sold out headlining shows and opening slots for bands like The Doves, Athlete, Travis and Ed Harcourt they're coming to the front of the It-Bands-Of-The-Moment-Clique to the adoring the attention of British music fans and the press alike. We hear the hype on a daily basis. We ignore it or feed into it as bands like Bloc Party, Kasabian and The Kaiser Chiefs become the next big thing to throngs of indiekids. What we haven't really heard about is The Magic Numbers. Despite the sold out shows and fans who sing along at a polite volume at sold out clubs around England... they haven't hit "It" yet. Yet.