Myself as an aspiring recording engineer, Sufjan Stevens has earned my eternal contempt and admiration, for constantly turning out albums that sound spectacular without really seeming to try. This album is no exception. I was familiar with Stevens' two state-themed CD's and some of his Christmas music, and I liked pretty much all of of it without exception. That being said, I wasn't expecting a lot out of this CD. It had been my understanding that Mr. Stevens had hit his stride with "...Michigan...", and risen to higher heights on "...Illinois..." This, I assumed was merely an early clump of songs by an artist who, though talented, hadn't found himself yet. I was absolutely wrong. Not only was this album put out after "...Michigan..." (and not before, like I had assumed), but also this album is absolutely brilliant. It is a fabulously-written album. I didn't think Sufjan could hold his own without a unifying theme, but these songs, while varied in topic, all show a commonality in perspective. Listening to these songs is like listening to a child describing things he doesn't understand. He speaks in simple phrases, in metaphors. As a lyricist, Stevens has a way of saying almost nothing at all that's explicit or direct. His lyrics are quietly understated, and this keeps the listener attentive, and forces your imagination to build a scene. It makes for a very personal listening experience, since the listener partially participates in the creation of the song. I Love This Record.
9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment