The Brits: Is this the best we really have to offer?

In this age where the internet has the capacity to keep us all young beyond our years, I've found that music still has the capacity to age you in an instant. How? The Brits.

I've always considered myself relatively open to all types of music, even hoping that I might retain a John Peel-like willingness to try things new.

Although I'm limited to any real knowledge of music to indie/pop - well I can name bands and songs in these genres - I think I can admit to having the likes of MGMT, Fleet Foxes and the Last of the Shadow Puppets on my iPod, and not think of myself as a fogey.

But this year's musical awards bash that is The Brits shook that my confidence of retaining my musical mojo to its foundations.

Why? Because is it me, or was there nothing to really praise this year?

Duffy won three awards, yet listen to her album and I defy you to hear anything that comes close to Amy Whitehouse? Or indeed any of the 60s divas that she apes.

The Kings of Leon scooped International Group, but surely this was as much recognition of what they've done for the past umpteen albums as the latest - although it's good.

Paul Weller - best male, eh? Latest album is alright, but not a patch on Wild Wood (let's not go back further).

The only award winner that I have to admit deserved its credit as best band was Elbow. I've loved them from the outset although for me it was only The Leaders Of The Free World that started to truly mark the turning point for this band.

The one at which the band went from indie darlings/underdogs to one which started to find a voice that was realised in the latest album.

British Live Act went to Iron Maiden. I can't tell whether this is a victory for the internet rousing people to vote for a band whose members who are physically past their performing prime, or whether the fact that the young 'uns can't cope anymore.

Kanye West? Saw him at V two years ago. Crap.

Girls Aloud: best single? Okay, I can live with that. After all, here's a band that demands the best writers deliver the best pop songs or they will die without trace.

Hmm.

That said, in spite of the lacklustre lineup of winners, I'm glad that Coldplay were served up with sod-all despite their four nominations.

Why? Because I saw them at the Sugarmill in Hanley back in 2000, and although I admired their second album, nothing they have ever done has matched the sublime brilliance of Yellow, before or since.

So the crap they pumped out last year deserved the critical recognition they got: nowt.