Depp Gives Singer/songwriter Babybird A 2010 Boost

The movie star was asked to list his 'Essentials' for U.S. magazine Entertainment Weekly and admits he already can't live without his friend's new album.

Depp says, "He's a national treasure, if you're British. For everyone else, he's a diamond waiting to be found. Lyrically, he's black as night, brilliant and sharp as a razor."

The Pirates of the Caribbean star also listed longtime partner Vanessa Paradis' latest album, Divinidylle, among his favourites, calling it "the most beautiful soundtrack to our life en famille".

And there's also mention of his onscreen Pirates father Keith Richards' Unknown Dreams and Rum, Sodomy & The Lash by The Pogues.

Depp also namechecks Emir Kusturica's Time of The Gypsies and Underground among his favourite films, calling the Serbian filmmaker, "one of the last true auteurs". The actor is in talks to play Mexican bandit revolutionary Pancho Villa in Kusturica's next film.

Also on the star's top film list: his own Ed Wood, Jim Jarmusch's Down By Law and cult British movie Withnail & I, which he can freely quote.

He adds, "(That's) probably the funniest f**king film I've ever seen."