So early last year I stumbled upon Damien Rice – the ‘O’ album – and really, really enjoyed it. And when I had listened to it a few times all the way through, I realized it was quite possibly Lisa Hannigan that I was enjoying the most – her voice is just amazing. Then I saw them both perform on one of the late shows, and I was spell-bound by Lisa. There was just something about the way she sang – not just her voice but her entire presence, so earnest and simply sweet (or painfully sweet, depending on the song). Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m not infatuated with the girl or anything – it’s not a physical thing. It’s just something about the way she sings, and it goes beyond just the sound of her voice. I figured at the time it was just that – that album, with that voice, at that time in my life – it all just fit. Without all of the pieces, I wouldn’t have been as impressed or intrigued by her. Turns out, that’s not the case!

Mr. Rice and Ms. Hannigan have a new single available (I’m a couple weeks behind, I know) called “Unplayed Piano”, and here’s the kicker: if you buy it on iTunes (for $.99), you get a video version as well. I grabbed it, listened to the song (good – not great, but good), and then watched the video. It wasn’t just the album+voice+time-in-my-life, ’cause I was mesmerized yet again by Lisa Hannigan. The girl is just amazing! Check out the song and the video if you get it from iTunes – it’s definitely worth a buck.