I’m really excited about the upcoming New Pantheon awards (formerly the Shortlist Music Prize). Large scale music awards rarely support/inspire independent artists, and it’s always the same names over and over. So I feel really flattered to be part of the nominating committee narrowing down last year’s talent into a worthy set of finalists (which were just announced last week). I think prizes like this one, festivals like Arthurball, radio stations like KEXP, KUSF, and WFMU and independent publications and record stores are helping keep the national music landscape interesting by promoting underpromoted artists…for every American Idol-winner-turned-cover-girl, there’s a growing force recognizing, supporting, and furthering experimentation with the old pop and rock structures. It’s already feeling like 2006 is going to be another inspiring year in music.