Anne Sofie Von Otter & Elvis Costello - "Go Leave". Okay, let's review: world-famous Swedish operatic mezzo-soprano joins up with American rock legend Elvis Costello on the piano and a couple of Scandinavians on a solo cello and classical guitar, in a lieder-like take on the original tune by Rufus Wainwright's mother, French-Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle.

This is only one of the several standout tracks on the Von Otter/Costello album For the Stars, which includes reworkings of a few Costello numbers and ones by Brian Wilson, Lennon and McCartney, and hell… even Tom Waits. Give this song a try. It's probably the most spare of the all the tracks on the album, but whoa. If you're not even a tad misty by the time Von Otter gives a perfect humming mordent, doubling the cello solo at 2:14, then really, you have no heart and deserve to be stewed in a broth of needles.

And since I've left the props-giving to the sidebar links, I really feel I ought to take the opportunity to say: last night an mp3 blog saved my life. Tofu Hut, Gabba.Pod, Fluxblog, Tyrone Shoelaces… y'all my boys.