Cheesy post title aside, it's fair to say that I'm excited. The anticipation of attending tomorrow night's (Friday 3rd) Sufjan Stevens gig at the Barbican here in London is almost too much to endure. The reviews from Dublin only serve to heighten it.

And it's not the gee-whizz, "he's bringing a full band and wings and giant Santas" that's getting me worked up. It's the army of sweeping songs that he is going to perform for me that's causing this ebullience. He will have to try his hardest to knock Tapes 'n Tapes off the top spot of gigs I've attended this year.

Containing ridiculously long track titles, his albums to date have been numerous and long. There's an argument to be made that the best bits should really be put together in fewer records, but the concept of making albums as opposed to collections of singles is part and parcel of his songwriting philosophy.

Hell, he's even releasing festive 42 songs in time for Christmas on five discs which can be streamed in entirety on the Asthmatic Kitty site. No fireside stocking should be without.

Isn't it strange that blogs are not ashamed to big up a singer-songwriter these days? The fear that your friends will consider you boring because you listen to a guy play banjo on Christian songs is non-existent. Hurrah!

tags:sufjan

Published by Colm.