Come Around Sundown

For me, 'Come Around Sundown' was a huge chance for Kings of Leon to push themselves back into the heart of their die-hard fans, the ones that have been there from the start. So let's start off simple. I don't really like this album. It's not awful by any stretch of the imagination, and I could probably listen to it in full again, but it's not "Kings of Leon" good. Tracks like Beach Side and The End are decent tracks when all's said and done, but there's not much soul there anymore. They seem to have given in to this "stadium rock" image that they were branded with on their last album, despite the fact that they obviously hate the idea of it! Ever since 'Only By The Night' was released, and Sex On Fire & Use Somebody got the musically-challenged strains of society gawping along like idiotic fishes in a bowl, the Followills have openly been trying to push themselves away from the scene, claiming that the next album would be different and edgier, openly annoyed by how fickle their new audience was.

But 'Come Around Sundown' is neither different, nor edgy. Radioactive, the lead single, hums with gospel-backed mediocrity, and this tends to be the situation for most of the following songs. The 4-piece seem to have lost the raw, rock ethics that spawned their first 3 albums, and have stuck with the ethereal production that turned a lot of their fans away from them on the 4th. Caleb claims that 'Only By The Night' was the "party album", fuelled by drink, drugs and sex... And if that's the case, then 'Come Around Sundown' sounds like a full-on orgy! But in reality, the only image I get from it is 4 guys who don't really party as hard as they used to, but like to tell everyone they do.

Verdict: Bland stars out of potentially awesome.

Are you laughing yet?

You know those moments, where you turn off the TV and think "I've just wasted half an hour of my life"? Well I've just had one. And surprisingly, it isn't because of anything to do with Big Brother or the X Factor. No, today's obscenity comes courtesy of E4.

I can't find a single good thing to say about the 30 minute train-wreck that is Phone Shop. From it's hilarious opening gag (turns out that... wait for it... main character Chris (Tom Bennett) can't open the door to get in the room!!!) to it's amazingly charismatic ending (Chris is totally embarrassed in front of all his colleagues... CRINGE!) Phone Shop is a never-ending cycle of rubbish gags and inane dialogue, being slowly torn apart by the fact that all but 3 characters seem to have exactly the same voice - which is basically a "comedic" interpretation of a London "gangsta". Because, apparently, if your character talks like that, then they don't have to say ANYTHING funny at all.

This show is idiotic humour at it's worst. It's not even stupidly funny. It's not even one of those "so crap, it's funny" shows. It's just. Not. Funny.

I will, however, be watching next week, as I can't wait to see where the writers actually go with this script. Maybe someone will make a jovial statement about the state of Afghanistan, but in a South-London gangsta accent!! Ohhh just imagine the hilarity that could ensue. Or perhaps someone will try and make a satirical comment about the Tory-Lib Dem leadership, but in a South-London gangsta accent!! Ohhh just imagine... You see where I'm going with this?

Possibly the worst show I've seen all year. And the Inbetweeners is still on...

Intelligent Debate

This is the entity of brilliance that is Mr. Stephen Fry debating the idea that the Catholic Church is not a force for good in the world.

I urge you to watch the rest of this debate (also featuring Christopher Hitchens on the side of Fry, with John Onaiyekan and Ann Widdecombe arguing for the other side), as it really does raise a number of important issues that we have similarly faced over the past few weeks with the visit of The Pope. The passion that flows behind Fry's eloquent portrayal of an anti-patriarchal viewpoint is plain to see, while the opposing side offer an insight into their world, which I must admit, doesn't get enough exposure.