James' 'Yummy' tops UK album chart race

James takes the lead in UK album Chart Race with Deliciousalthough Mark Knopfler may have a say in the outcome.

Based on mid-week sales and streaming data recorded by Official Charts, James is on track for their second UK leader and 12th top 10 appearance with Delicious (via Nothing But Love Music), their 18th studio LP. The Manchester indie-rock veterans previously topped the national chart in 1998 with the career retrospective, The best of James.

Close behind at No.2 on the Official Chart Update is former Dire Straits frontman and guitarist Mark Knopfler's A deep river (EMI), currently less than 3,000 chart units behind James' Yummy.

If it continues its flow, A deep river it would become the Englishman's highest charting solo album in the UK and his ninth solo top 10 LP. As a member of Dire Straits, Knopfler released four No. 1 albums.

The guitar great returned to the top 40 of the UK singles chart last month with the all-star, charity re-recording of “Going Home (Theme from Local Hero)”, which opened at No. 18, surpassing its original peak position. No. 56 in 1983.

Beyoncé's former manager Cowboy Carter (Columbia/Parkwood Ent) leads to a No. 3 spot.

Meanwhile, British rock band Kris Barras Band are aiming high Halo effect. (Earache) It's new at No. 4 on the blast chart, and if it stays there, it'll be the band's first top 10 appearance.

Nu-metal favorites Linkin Park score ninth UK top 10 appearance Papercuts – Singles Collection (2000-2023) (via Warner Records), new at No. 5 on the chart explosion.

The new arrivals keep on coming with Leeds English Teacher's quartet reaching No.6 with This could be Texas (Island); Scottish rock act Gun with Hombres (Cooking Vinyl), on track for the No. 7 arc; American indie-folk singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers Do not forget me (Polydor), aiming for a No. 8 arrival and Future and Metro Boomin's second collaborative LP We Still Don't Trust You (Epic/Freebandz/Republic), is expected to open his account at No. 10. It is the follow-up to the US hip-hop artists' first collaborative effort, We Don't Trust Youwhich reached No. 2 earlier this month.

Further down the list, new releases from the Nia Archives (Silence is powerful at No. 13 via Island), Girl in Red (I'm doing it again baby! at No. 23 via Columbia), and Feeling (San Vito at No. 36 via Little World) are eyeing top 40 berths.

All will be revealed when the Official UK Albums Chart is released on Friday 19 April.