Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People EP

I know literally nothing about this album other than that it is long overdue. Stevens' last 2 efforts - 2009's Run Rabbit Run and The BQE were somewhat disappointing. Neither were what we have come to want and expect from the same guy that gave us Seven Swans, Michigan, and Illinoise! (though I'm inclined to think that this may be the reason behind the shift in musical focus). Even the tracks that Stevens contributed to the Dark Was The Night Compilation were sub par. All that I can say is that I have high expectations for this new EP and I certainly hope that the album that he is currently working on is good. I could care less, at this point, if he does another "state" album or not, I just want something that is similar to what made me fall in love with Illinoise! and Seven Swans.

Tracklisting:
1. All Delighted People (Original)
2. Enchanting Ghost
3. Heirloom
4. From The Mouth Of Gabriel
5. The Owl and the Tanager
6. All Delighted People (Classic Rock Version)
7. Arnika
8. Djohariah

Autumn Mixtape

Whenever the air gets a little crisper and the leaves begin their change, I always find myself in the mood for music that is introspective and beautiful, sometimes folk in nature, but always atmospheric. Here is a mix that I made for my good friend Devin a few weeks ago that I have been listening to myself ever since. Do enjoy this, it is perfect for driving or sitting alone or whatever situation you may find yourself in.

Tracklisting:
1. Roscoe (Acoustic) - Midlake [from the album "Oak & Julian"]
2. Carry Me Ohio - Sun Kil Moon [from the album "Ghosts Of The Great Highway"]
3. Size Too Small - Sufjan Stevens [from the album "Seven Swans"]
4. Landslide - Fleetwood Mac [from the album "Fleetwood Mac"]
5. Jezebel - Iron & Wine [from the album "Woman King"]
6. I Was Young When I Left Home - Antony Hagerty & Bryce Dessener [from the album "Dark Was The Night Compilation", originally by Bob Dylan]
7. Ohio - Damien Jurado [from the album "Rehearsals For Departure"]
8. Left & Leaving - The Weakerthans [from the album "Left & Leaving"]
9. Majesty Snowbird - Sufjan Stevens [unreleased live track]
10. Tripped - Neva Dinova/Bright Eyes [from the album "One Jug Of Wine, Two Vessels"]
11. Steel On Steel - J. Tillman [from the album "Vacilando Territory Blues"]
12. Don't Be Shy - Cat Stevens [from the album "Harold and Maude OST"]
13. To Be Alone WIth You - Sufjan Stevens [from the album "Seven Swans"]
14. The Great Invitation - The Apprentice [from the album "An American Portrait"]

Sufjan Stevens - Run Rabbit Run

And here we have yet another new Sufjan Stevens album that nobody cares about. Maybe that's a little harsh, but as far as I'm concerned, no number of "newly imagined revisited albums" can hold me over until the next State album comes out. This makes the second album to come out within the last month, and still I feel cheated.

That's all I have to say about it.

Tracklisting:
1. Year Of The Ox
2. Enjoy Your Rabbit
3. Year Of The Monkey
4. Year Of The Tiger
5. Year Of The Dragon
6. Year Of The Snake
7. Year Of The Horse
8. Year Of The Sheep
9. Year Of The Rat
10. Year Of The Rooster
11. Year Of The Dog
12. Year Of The Boar
12. Year Of Our Lord

Sufjan Stevens - The BQE

Well what do you think? About time, eh? I'd say so. Even if The BQE is completely devoid of Sufjan's signature voice and at-times tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Even if it is an accompaniment to a project that few of us have heard of, and fewer still have seen, still, it's good to hear something.

While the rumor well has been pretty dry concerning Mr. Stevens, we do know that his next effort is a re-imagining of his debut album, Enjoy Your Rabbit [which isn't very enjoyable]. But there has been no news on which state is next to be featured in his "50 States" venture, if there even is one. Forgive me if I sound somewhat bitter, but I have been waiting patiently since 2005 for a proper album, and all we have gotten is a b-sides album, a collection of Christmas songs, a film soundtrack, and now a reworked version of an album that wasn't that great to start with. When, oh when will we finally have a new album to enjoy and obsess over? This is getting a little ridiculous.

Tracklisting:
1. Prelude On The Esplanade
2. Introductory Fanfare For The Hooper Heroes
3. Movement I: In The Countenance Of Kings
4. Movement II: Sleeping Invader
5. Interlude I: Dream Sequence In Subi Circumnavigation
6. Movement III: Linear Tableau With Intersecting Surprise
7. Movement IV: Traffic Shock
8. Movement V: Self-Organizing Emergent Patterns
9. Interlude II: Subi Power Waltz
10. Interlude III: Invisible Accidents
11. Movement VI: Isorhythmic Night Dance With Interchanges
12. Movement VII (Finale): The Emperor Of Centrifuge
13. Postlude: Critical Mass

Sufjan Stevens - Songs For Christmas

Beginning in 2001, Mr. Stevens began recording both original and re-imagined Christmas songs, and releasing one EP per year for 5 years. In the spirit of the impending holidays, I present you with all five EP's.

Songs For Christmas, Vol. 1: Noel

1. Silent Night
2. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
3. We're Goin' To The Country!
4. Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming
5. It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad!
6. Holy, Holy, etc.
7. Amazing Grace



Songs For Christmas, Vol. 2: Hark!

1. Angels We Have Heard On High
2. Put The Lights On The Tree
3. Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing
4. I Saw Three Ships
5. Only At Christmas Time
6. Once In David's Royal City
7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!
8. What Child Is This Anyway?
9. Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella



Songs For Christmas, Vol. 3: Ding! Dong!

1. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
2. Come On! Let's Boogey To The Elf Dance!
3. We Three Kings
4. O Holy Night
5. That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!
6. All The King's Horns
7. Ding! Dong!
8. The Friendly Beasts



Songs For Christmas, Vol. 4: Joy

1. The Little Drummer Boy
2. Away In A Manger
3. Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!
4. The First Noel
5. Did I Make You Cry On Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)
6. The Incarnation
7. Joy To The World



Songs For Christmas, Vol. 5: Peace

1. Once In David's Royal City
2. Get Behind Me, Santa!
3. Jingle Bells
4. Christmas In July
5. Lo! How A Rose E'er Blooming
6. Jupiter Winter
7. Sister Winter
8. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
9. Star Of Wonder
10. Holy, Holy, Holy
11. The Winter Solstice

Sufjan Stevens - Come On Feel The Illinoise

Inconceivable as it may be, I'm sure there are some people who have never heard of Sufjan Stevens, much less own this album.

"Illinoise" is the latest offering from Michigan native and former Danielson Famile contributer, and it is brilliant. Stevens' has an uncanny ability to use any instrument he can get his hands on and craft brilliant songs. For those who don't know, "Illinoise" is the second in his series of "States Albums", where he researches the history of a state and then creates a concept album. His first was his home state of Michigan and it's rumored that his third will be New York.

Never too shy to share his beliefs, Stevens included the song "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." on the album; a song chronicling the serial killer's life and then finishing the song by saying "but on my best behavior I am really just like him", saying simply that no one is too far gone for Grace, and that in our sin, we are all equal [in the eyes of God]. This is truly a brilliant album and I would be remiss if I didn't offer it to you.

Tracklisting:
1. Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois
2. The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience but You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, 'I Have Fought the Big Knives and Will Continue to Fight Them Until They Are Off Our Lands!'
3. Come On! Feel the Illinoise!
4. John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
5. Jacksonville
6. A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, but for Very Good Reasons
7. Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Step Mother!
8. One Last 'Whoo-Hoo!' for the Pullman
9. Chicago
10. Casimir Pulaski Day
11. To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament
12. The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
13. Prairie Fire That Wanders About
14. A Conjunction of Drones Simulating the Way in Which Sufjan Stevens Has an Existential Crisis in the Great Godfrey Maze
15. The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!
16. They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!
17. Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All the Way Out in Bushnell
18. In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth
19. The Seer's Tower
20. The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders
21. Riffs and Variations on a Single Note for Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds, and the King of Swing, to Name a Few
22. Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run

Highlight Tracks: "John Wayne Gacy, Jr", "Chicago", "They Are Night Zombies!!!...", "The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders"

Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans

It occurs to me that I have yet to post any Sufjan Stevens which, in my opinion, is a great disservice. I will eventually post all of his other records, but I wanted to start with my own personal favorite, which is also consequently enough one that is often overlooked in favor of Illinoise and Michigan.

While the two aforementioned albums are grandiose and bigger than life with horns and bells and handclaps, "Seven Swans" takes a much more stripped down approach, showcasing Stevens' talents on acoustic guitars and, especially, banjo. The wonderful thing about "Seven Swans" is that, lyrics aside, it has a very spiritual and reverent feel; not quite somber, but honest and heartfelt. The lyrics, however, prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Stevens is a profession Christian [some people either don't or don't want to believe that he is], with songs like "To Be Alone With You" which speaks of Christ's Atonement, and tracks like "All The Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands" which is a direct quote from Isaiah 55:12.

"Seven Swans" is an incredible, and sadly less well known, album by this thirty-something Michigan native.

Tracklisting:
1. All The Trees Of The Field Will Clap Their Hands
2. The Dress Looks Nice On You
3. In The Devil's Territory
4. To Be Alone With You
5. Abraham
6. Sister
7. Size Too Small
8. We Won't Need Legs To Stand
9. A Good Man Is Hard To Find
10. He Woke Me Up Again
11. Seven Swans
12. The Transfiguration

Highlight Tracks: "The Dress Looks Nice On You", "To Be Alone With You", "Size Too Small"