Music?

It's the dark ages of alternative rock music. With the hype of the Arctic Monkeys just wearing off, and the realisation that most of the other hyped-up bands are pretty much going the one-hit-wonder route, audiences have been left disillusioned.

Peter Bjorn and John doesn't seem likely to put anything as catchy as Young Folks. As for the everly-so-unpredictable Foo Fighters, their new album Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace is nothing to write home about.

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Oh yes we do have The Wombats, but that's sorta old news.

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Emerging bands like Young Galaxy? I'd pine for them, but they're still a rather long way to international mainstream-dom.

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The Hoosiers aren't too shabby at all, pelting out 3 radio-friendly hits in a row, but I wouldn't call them alternative rock anyway. Too poppy.

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And that's all from the alt rock scene that I can recommend you while keeping a straight face without guffawing at my own lies. One look at the UK Top 40 charts and you'd see that this is indeed a rather dull lull for the scene.

Instead, you get a rather talented crooner who goes by the name Newton Faulkner. This guy's got talent and a great voice. He makes Damien Rice look like a part-time bar singer to be honest.

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Some time ago, we had this hit, which confirms what we'd thought all along - that Mutya Buena was indeed both the heart and soul of the Sugababes back when she was in the group.

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Leona Lewis, of course, is a perennial favourite.

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Speaking of female chanteuses, hot in the UK is Adele.

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And as for movies, I'm totally looking forward to Sweeney Todd and Kite Runner. Now, who's gonna watch those with me?