i didn't expect to like this. but i did. track one, two, three... long melancholy unrolling songs, like talk talk c. laughing stock. all rather wonderful despite the fact that one appears to be about a sexual relationship with a snowman. then track 6, the title track. and stephen fry is on it. stephen fry. being stephen fry. sounding like stephen fry. as in, snape fixed harry with his steely glare. as in hermione span on her heels and marched off in high dudgeon and so forth. reciting various words for snow in the background. i cannot imagine a more catastrophic error of judgement. except perhaps having a song about flatulence or the crisis in the eurozone (though if anyone could pull those off it would be kate bush). not that it's stephen fry's fault. he is an excellent thing in the right context. chairing qi for example, or being general melchett. but here? it's like finding fondue in your bed. or a dog in your fridge.