MERCURY: HELPING THE HOMEGROWN.

The Technics Mercury Music Prize shortlist has already attracted its usual mixed write-ups in the national press, spiced up by the Gorillaz' neat publicity stunt. Is it a good list? Certainly it is from the perspective of fans of slightly worthy, middle-class guitar-based alternative music -- including clearly most of the jury panel. It also seems to have gone down well in the mainstream record industry, thanks to the inclusion of industry favourites such as Elbow and Turin Brakes.

But there is one aspect of the list -- and possibly the prize's role -- that has largely gone unremarked. That is the way in which it provides a much-needed spotlight for baby acts who have already started to build a healthy profile abroad but who have been struggling to sell at home. The most obvious examples are Mute's Goldfrapp (who have sold around 300,000 units in continental Europe), db's Tom McRae (100,000) and even Susheela Raman (20,000 in a few weeks).

That such artists are able to build ...