So I'm currently very excited about the Choice Music Prize, which takes place in Dublin tomorrow evening. In a nutshell, it's the Irish version of the Mercury Music Prize. It's also an annual shortlist to remind us just how wonderfully messed up the music scene is on this island. The three previous winners illustrate this very well - a (then unknown) female singer from Galway, the greatest songwriter Ireland has ever produced and an utterly barmy indie/electronic/hip-hop collective from Dublin City.

It's a little hard to call, needless to say.

This year, Choice founder Jim Carroll, has asked me to be a judge. It's strange to have one twelth of the final say in this, given the kudos. And the cash prize (ten grand!). But it's exciting, because this year's short list is certainly something worth enthusing about.

The plan for tomorrow looks interesting, if a little intimidating.

Myself and my fellow judges will meet for dinner at 5ish, somewhere in Temple Bar. A direct quote from Jim's mass email - "The condemned men and women should always at least get a hearty meal into them".

The opportunity to hang out is appreciated. At the moment, I only really know Ian Wilson from 2FM, as ATL works alongside Ian every summer at Oxegen and Electric Picnic. I also know the lovely Sinead Ni Mhorda, having contributed to her show on Phantom FM. The other nine judges I am aware of, but don't know particularly well. It should make for some fiesty debating, that's for sure, especially with the likes of Niall Byrne, who's Nialler9 site won Best Music Blog the last three years running. I'm aware of his work.

Then, at 7.30, we're whisked off to the legendary Vicar Street venue. We don't get to enjoy the celebratory gig though, which is a real shame. I hosted it the last two years and it was an absolute treat. Instead we're going to be locked up in a room somewhere else in the building, or maybe even across the road.

For two hours, we will talk about ten records deemed the best produced on this island in 2008.

I'm not sure what to expect. I'm assuming we will each start by picking a few albums we reckon are worthy of the award. Assuming a few get only a couple of votes, we'll hopefully end up with a handful of front runners. Then the fun will really start.

Anyone who listens to Across the Line on an even semi-regular basis will know exactly who I'll be rooting for. The nordies - for a start - I'd be chuffed if either David Holmes or Oppenheimer won. Not just because they are friends of the show - but because their albums both featured in my top ten records of the year by anyone.

After that - well Fight Like Apes's record is so insane, so remarkably daft that it's given me a lot of fun in the last twelve months. What an incredibly creative bunch of very lovely people. Lisa Hannigan's record is gorgeous as well, and the Halfset album seems pretty sweet - though I need to give it a proper listen once again, probably this evening. Messiah J's album contains two of my favourite singles of the last wee while and Jape's is also a deserved nominee, at least.

But I need to focus. I can't just walk in and rave about everything, I need to pick three absolute favorites and do battle on their behalf.

Should those three records end up fighting on the podium?

Well that, dear readers, is when it becomes The Sophie's Choice Music Prize.

Though apparently that phrase suggests the outcomes are all equally negative, so it doesn't really work. Never mind.

I'll let you know how I get on!