I like it when people put nice things in my ears

For a variety of different reasons I've found myself 'headphoning-up' (as Yazzle Dazzle and I refer to it) at work a fair amount recently. The Brucie-bonus of this is that a) I get to listen to the George Lamb show on 6Music in the morning without straining to hear over inter-office chit-chat or noisy printers mangling pieces of paper or the occasional hand, and b) I get to listen to whatever the hell I want in the afternoon.

'Whatever the hell I want' generally consists, as you'd expect, of some of my favourite artists - The Walkmen, Patrick Watson, Cold War Kids, The Rolling Stones, and the recently-announced "we're taking a break" hopefully-in-a-Ross-and-Rachel-fashion/splitting-up/on hiatus Phantom Planet (the news of which I greeted by balling my hands into fists, sinking to my knees, and screaming "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" towards the heavens). More than any other, though, I've found myself turning to Sufjan Stevens - there's something about his music that lends itself particularly well to the colder months of the year, I find - and one song in particular.

I found this while pootling around YouTube, and I'm pretty sure I've generated a significant proportion of the 207,122 views it's had at the time of writing.

I know I've babbled on about Sufjan loads in the past, but really, he's an exceptionally talented chap. I'd never heard his speaking voice before watching this video, and to hear him segue from what sounds like a normal, everyday voice into the angelic tones of his singing voice is kind of bizarrely magical and a little bit unearthly. And how the hell does one man generate such an awesomely intricate sound from a banjo!? It makes me want to learn banjo! The worst thing about this clip, though, is that this is a cover version of a song by The Innocence Mission and you can't buy Sufjan's version *anywhere!*

First Phantom Planet breaking up, now not being able to buy an astonishing song for love nor money! ARRRRGH!

*relax*

In a related matter, I had the opportunity to go see him in concert a few years back but I already had tickets to a different gig on the same night. The fact that I can't remember who the other performers were and am still kicking myself over not going kind of suggests that I made the wrong decision. I'm hoping I get the chance to rectify that mistake sometime soon.

----------------------------------------

An aside:

Please allow me to introduce another in my occasional series 'famous people who look like something else.'

Number 2: Gail Platt from Coronation Street and a hamster.

Well I'm damned if I can tell which is which.

----------------------------------------

I heard the best joke EVAH today. Brace yourselves:

Q: How do you find Will Smith in the snow?

A: Look for the fresh prints!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!! That is *never* going to stop me from creasing up.