I've been listening to Ken Bruce this morning. Among the good stuff (Steve Winwood, Poco) was a dreary, would-be heartwrenching ballad (for want of a more pejorative word) called Haunted, by one Ben Montague. Now I long ago gave up any pretension to being au courant with the latest sounds; nevertheless, I read the music sections of two national newspapers, alongside Word, and when some newly anointed next big thing arrives on Radio 2, I've usually at least heard of them. But Ben Montague? Nope, not if you held a gun to my head. Who is this guy, and where did he pop up from? And why his song so bowel-churningly vapid?

Another instance of this was a few years ago, when I was watching something on telly, possibly Top Of The Pops, at my mother's, and Kristian Leontiou (below) was thrust on stage to sing his uber-drippy ditty Story Of My Life. I remember wondering then, and over the next few weeks, where the hell did this man apparate from. Then, shortly afterwards, he was gone, never to be heard from again.

I reckon there's a factory somewhere, possibly on a different planet, knocking out these saccharine balladeers, for sinister reasons that have yet to be revealed. Let's be watchful.

About 5 or 6 years ago I went to visit a farm with my then girlfriend. Among the livestock were some very handsome hens, bustling about as nature intended. I looked hard and couldn't see a rooster anywhere. "So," I remarked to my girlfriend, "I suppose they get a rooster in from somewhere..." "What do you mean?" "Well," I continued haplessly, "there are eggs here, so they're going to need a rooster to fertilise the hens, aren't they?" By now she was regarding me with a mixture of incredulity and pity. She explained, kindly, as to a slightly simple child, that hens lay eggs anyway, rooster or no rooster, and the rooster's intervention determines whether the eggs develop chicks.

So, there I was, in my late 30s, well-educated, not aware of this basic piece of biology. Shows how much of a townie I am.

Anyone else care to share some spectacular example of ignorance?

It's a Sky promo, a slow and slightly spooky song, with a singer who sounds quite a lot like Willie Nelson, and the song goes something like "Come with me, and you'll see a world of imagination..."

Who is it??

I've had something of a renaissance in my love for Sandy Denny recently, mainly through discovering that the second Fotheringay album [this being the band she formed after leaving Fairport Convention], which hadn't been released in her lifetime, has now been issued, and furthermore is on Emusic. Long story short: get the songs with odd numbers, on which she sings; skip the even-numbered songs, which Trevor Lucas sings. Six songs ranging from very nice (Silver Threads And Golden Needles) to stunning (John The Gun, Late November). The latter is one of my favourite of her songs and has been since I bought the four LP box set Who Knows Where The Time Goes as a student about 25 years ago. It's been remarked on these boards that the fate of box sets is generally to be listened to once, then put away neatly for ever. With Sandy it was different: those records were played a lot, including on student radio. They were songs with legs.

The other thing that made me think about her again was seeing her name mentioned in the Musical Truisms thread, the gist being simply "Sandy Denny is vastly overrated." Well, I'm not having that, I thought. And now I've found something beautiful which I'd never thought to look for on youtube, which is footage of Sandy singing and playing, live and solo. The clip below is a lovely introduction to her, containing three songs, the last of which is the aforementioned Late November. I watched and listened to it with goose pimples, realising when the song ended that I'd been holding my breath, and also was feeling very emotional.

If you only have the time/inclination for one song, skip to Late November. It's a gorgeous song, with a wonderful melody and chord changes, and a lyric that keeps you riveted. And her voice! Utterly English, crisp, brisk, fresh, autumnal; extraordinary timbre, lovely timing; non-sentimental, with very little vibrato, but with some of that exquisite folky melisma. It's a thing of rare beauty. Please give it a try!

I've always enjoyed Young Mr Rascal on the sporadic occasions I've seen him on telly or heard the odd song somewhere. A couple of days ago I downloaded his latest album Tongue 'n' Cheek from Emusic (a bloody bargain), and I'm staggered by just how good it is. I'm not much of a rap afficionado, but I'm already scratching my head to think of a more witty, pungent and articulate wordsmith around today in the UK (perhaps anywhere). He comments on hard urban lives without being preachy or patronising; he celebrates male friendship in a way that's quite touching; he's seriously filthy and lascivious without being even slightly misogynist; and he sends up his own fame and wealth without coming across like a knob.

The music's pretty good too, certainly good and inventive enough to hold the attention as you try to keep up with his lyrical pyrotechnics.

Call me a convert. Any of the Massive similarly impressed, and if so which would be the next purchase you'd recommend? Any rap sceptics been won over by his ebullience and sheer likeability?

I've seen every episode. I know it went off the rails after series 3, but there was still enough to keep me watching, not least the wonderful characters. I was just about willing to believe that the makers knew where it was going. Suspension of disbelief and all that. But having watched the first two episodes of the new (and final) series, I'm, well, the opposite of Found. Really, can anyone cast any light on What Just Happened?

I think I need a lie-down.

With thanks to nicktf for his great thread on the Massive's own music truisms, how about we do a film-based one. I'm sure you all have plenty of pearls of wisdom to impart. Here are some to kick it off:

Anthony Hopkins is a Great Big Ham - who is nevertheless capable of some stunning performances, the best being The Remains Of The Day.

The most enjoyable Robert De Niro film is Midnight Run.

Andie Macdowell has given one truly great performance (Sex Lies & Videotape); this is one more than many actors manage in their careers.

The Godfather Part II is not as good as part I.

Speaking of which, Sofia Coppola wasn't the worst actor in part III - that honour goes to Al Pacino, who after all was supposed to know what he was doing.

Crash will soon be regarded as easily the worst film ever to win the Best Film Oscar.

Quite a lot of Titanic was actually pretty good - but the film was really sunk by those silly special effects.

Every Tom Cruise film has at least one steadicam shot of him sprinting down a road or corridor.

One of the funniest lines in recent film is Tom Cruise in Valkyrie intoning solemnly "We have to kill Hitler" -honestly, it's enough to make a dog laugh.

Amanda Donohoe is the Great Lost Superstar.

Tough guys being tender can be truly touching - see Michael Madsen in Thelma and Louise and Harvey Keitel in Smoke.

I'm sure there's more, but I have to go shopping now. Let's hear yours...

I have Word to thank for having heard of Jenny Lewis (and Rilo Kiley too, of course) in the first place. However, I almost wrote off her first solo album on the strength of the selection from it that was featured on Now Hear This a year or two ago: a dull and pointless version of the Travelling Wilburys' Handle With Care. I moved swiftly on, and sort of forgot about her. Recently, through Spotify, I reacqainted myself with that album, Rabbit Fur Coat, and found that it's packed to the gunwales with terrific songs, and that Handle With Care is not only rubbish, but unrepresentative too. It made me wonder why that track was chosen.

Anyway, Rabbit Fur Coat has been on constant play in the last few days, and I thought I'd give it a plug here in case anyone is vaguely interested. The first song, Big Guns, is bloody perfect - check out those beautiful chord changes. Here it is:

I recently watched and enjoyed greatly the DVD of Let The Right One In. Last night, in a rare slack hour on my own, I started watching it again with the commentary (in this case, the director and writer). It was very good: it cast some light on the idiosyncracies of Swedish society in the 70s; had some interesting tidbits on casting, especially of the two young leads; and was enlivened by some droll humour, which I dare say is also typically Scandinavian.

I've watched/listened to quite a few over the years, varying in quality enormously, no less than films can vary. I've no idea how many people listen to them, but I bet a few of the massive do. Care to share? I'll name some of the best and worst:

Lord Of The Rings - As with everything else about the special edition DVD versions, they really did it right. No fewer than 4 commentaries for each film - I've heard the Writer/Director/Producer ones and the actor ones, and enjoyed them enormously.

The Tao Of Steve - an unsung gem, a romantic comedy that is both romantic and comic. The commentary is almost as entertaining as the film.

Bound - The Wachowski Brothers along with the main actors, having a laugh and being very irreverent.

One Hour Photo - outstanding example, with the writer/director and Robin Williams talking in some depth and with great intelligence about the film, without detracting from the magic of cinema - which is, of course, the key.

Worst? Collateral, with Michael Mann droning on interminably, a deadly mix of flatulence and self-aggrandisement.

And Thelma and Louise fits into both camps: the one with Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon is terrific, the one with Ridley Scott the very definition of tedium.

Tell me I'm not alone!

I look at the Grauniad most days, and occasionally buy it on a Friday. The app looks as if it might be worth £2.39, although it is merely offering what's already available free. So the question is whether its user-friendliness warrants shelling out. So, can any of you offer an opinion?

The support act have just finished playing. Alberta Cross were pretty good, one of the best opening acts I've heard actually. The show started bang on time, to the second! Now some early Pink Floyd is playing on the PA as we gird our loins for The Hazards Of Love in full. I'm genuinely excited. I'm sure Mark Ellen is here, but there must be more of us. Review to follow, probably.

The Massive never seems to be found wanting in this regard, so here's a desperate appeal for help. A while ago I sent the enquiry copied below to Acer; they replied saying it was a software issue (erm, thanks for that - even I could have figured that out), and referred me to their 50p per minute help line, helpfully adding that it has no queueing system. Bugger that, thought. So I turn to you - can anyone advise me?

We have an Acer Aspire 5633WLMi. If the laptop is idle for more than a few minutes, an automatic screen saver kicks in, with music (it sounds like Enya, if that helps you know what I'm talking about). It starts even if there is music playing, for example through Spotify, so is very annoying. I've looked everywhere and cannot find a way to stop this happening.

* with apologies to Beck

I just heard a new song by Michel Buble on the radio. I'm not exaggerating here, it actually made me feel slightly queasy - not figuratively, literally. The song is inoffensive enough; it's the vocal that is so nauseating. It's been heavily treated, and one of the treatments is autotune (at least I'm 99% sure that's what it is). It has a weirdly horrible effect, far, far worse than someone singing out of tune. And as I type this, another heavily autotuned song is playing - turns out it's Beyonce.

I can't be alone in wishing that someone could come along in the middle of the night and wipe every single goddam autotune application from every computer in the world. Apart from a very small number of records on which autotune is used creatively (Imogen Heap, Supper Furry Animals' Juxtaposed With U), it's a blight. It makes any singer sound inhuman and robotic; it removes nuance, elision, the very soul of the singer. It's EVIL!!

So, here we are. My favourite singer in the world, one I've introduced many friends to, nearly all of whom have been hugely impressed. I haven't listened to all the clips on youtube, and it's a bit disappointing that there are very few of her performing her own songs, some of which are very good indeed. But for a pure and sweet rendition of a lovely song, we could do a lot verse than Time In A Bottle.

Any other acolytes?

Yet another variation on the favourite-bit-on-the-record threads, prompted by listening to Walk Away From Love, David Ruffin's greatest record (and I'm including the Temptations in that). It's a desolate song, and Ruffin sings it with the utmost conviction, elan and technique. What makes it fly even higher is the soaring falsetto note he reaches, seemingly effortlessly, at the end of each chorus. It gives me goose pimples every time. And on the final chorus he picks an even higher note, to spine-tingling effect. For evidence listen below.

So, any of you have other examples of songs that are elevated (erm, pun...) by the judicious deployment of a sudden leap up the scale. I'm not talking about Mariah Carey style bat-worrying, and it doesn't have to be an incredibly high note per se - it's about the effect of a well-judged interval that's greater than the listener has anticipated