It has been decades since my distinct musical tastes in any way aligned with those occurring at the much-maligned Mercury Prize. However, in September, I found myself in a very bizarre situation where an album that I adored was picked to hold aloof this year's Mercury. “This could be Texas” is a absolutely brilliant, faultless and peerless album. For the sake of this write up, I will describe it as indie, but it sounds like no other indie album that I’ve ever heard before.

This is an unconditionally quirky album counterbalanced with some of the most assured songwriting I have come across. It wears its social ineptness on its sleeve and the last time I heard the pains of not fitting in described so well was back with prime-time Pulp. This is an album packed full of intelligent off-kilter pop. It blissfully plays with form and tempo and whilst it does bring with it commerciality you have to work to find it accessible. The songs within are not immediate but they are immaculate bundles of nerd angst and misfit chic.

It is one of those albums that reveals another level to you every time you hear it. It is just so you typically rendered, it may feel in places slight and minimal but actually, it has eons of sumptuous hidden depths. A brilliant testimony to the power of the margins and, in my eyes, the best indie album in decades.

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