Elbow grabs twin Ivors

By Nick Vinocur

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Alternative rock band Elbow took home two of Britain's most coveted music prizes on Thursday, winning the 2009 Ivor Novello awards for Best Song Musically and Lyrically and Best Contemporary Song.

The respective wins for singles "One Day Like This" and "Grounds For Divorce" confirmed the Manchester-based band's entry into the mainstream after a Brit Award for Best British Group in February and a Mercury Music Prize last September.

The Ivors are among Britain's most sought-after prizes as they are judged and presented by practicing songwriters.

Elbow guitarist Mark Potter told Reuters he was astonished by the wins since he had expected them to go to little-known musician Nicholas Hemming and London rapper Dizzee Rascal.

"We didn't think we were going to win," he said in an interview after the ceremony. "I'm astonished, I thought it was going to be Dizzee and The Leisure Society."

Scoring a prize at the Ivor Novello Awards was "the big one" for songwriting bands like Elbow, which has kept its original line-up for nearly 20 years, drummer Rick Jupp said.

British rock duo The Ting Tings won the Album Award for "We Started Nothing," and pop singer Duffy won Most Performed Song for her breakthrough single "Mercy," written with Steve Booker.

Songwriter of the Year went to Eg White, who co-wrote the lead track to Pop Idol winner Will Young's fourth album, while Best Original Film Score went to songwriter Jonny Greenwood for his soundtrack to "There Will Be Blood."