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 I've been listening to this album for the last few days and think that this is one of his best. It's definitely pared down compared to his previous releases but it packs quite the emotional punch. Standouts for me are "Death with Dignity", Should Have Known Better" and "No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross". Album comes out on March 31st. For those who haven't heard it, NPR has the full album stream at the moment: http://www.npr.org/2015/03/22/393575866/first-listen-sufjan-stevens-carrie-lowell
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Mar 25, 2015 01:59
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x-posting from the indie thread: I absolutely adore this album. Age of Adz was good, but it was a lot, and didn't have as much emotional depth. with C&L it seems like he took everything he learned about vocal production from Adz but really went back to his roots instrumentally. i've listened to it like 8 times in the past 2 days and every time i feel like my soul is cut in half. might even top Illinois if i'm being honest. I really liked "Should Have Known Better" when it was released a few weeks ago, but in context with the rest of the album it's just so, so good. i get chills every time that keyboard part comes in.
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Mar 25, 2015 02:10
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It's insanely good and all I've listened to for the past couple of days. I don't really have anything substantive to say, but this, along with "I love you, honeybear", is some of the best music I've heard in years. I'd have to go back to Bon Iver's album back in 2011 if I had to think of something that impressed me as much.
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Mar 25, 2015 15:22
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Well this has just persuaded me to give it more listens. I never got to grips with Age of Adz and have been craving something as good as Illinois ever since.
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Mar 26, 2015 00:05
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I'm shocked to say I think this is his best album. It's a perfect blend of Illinoise's songwriting sophistication with the earnestness of Seven Swans turned up to 11. I really thought that at some point Sufjan was either going to disappear or indulge in his sort of cutesy act that personified Illinois and Adz, but this feels like a coming out party for a brand new side of Sufjan that is completely essential. I was fully prepared for another Illinois/Michigan retread, but this is even better. Some of the songs on here are total gutpunches. The melodies are sublime on a level that reminds me of "here comes the sun"
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Mar 26, 2015 01:02
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I'm so glad you posted a thread, on my third listen through now and absolutely in love with this album. I became a fan a couple years before Adz, and that album despite its stylistic differences from his other stuff totally blew me away and is still one of my favorite albums ever by any artist. I can't believe he has done it again with this album. I have been listening to "Should Have Known Better" constantly since it was released and stoked everything else lives up to it. "Death With Dignity" is totally beautiful and probably my favorite right now; i lost my mom a couple years ago and i just about lose it by the end every time. Can't wait for the official release so I can take it with me instead of streaming it from NPR every time edit: I just read this interview in Pitchfork and was surprised to find out how different his relationship with his mother was compared to the relationship I had with my mother. Kind of interesting that many of the emotions were universal in spite of the different experiences we had in our lives. Absolute Zero fucked around with this message at 02:43 on Mar 26, 2015 |
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Mar 26, 2015 01:59
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This album is definitely one his most personal and intimate. I'm pretty sure it marks the first time that Sufjan has really acknowledged that he's gay, and and that he masturbates.
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Mar 26, 2015 06:10
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I have not yet listened to this album, but I'm really looking forward to it and will be repeating it over and over. The reviews of it remind me of hospice in that it's emotionally powerful and very concerned with the process of death and grieving. I also love Sufjan, so I can only hope that Sufjan + Hospice = Amazing.Absolute Zero posted:edit: I just read this interview in Pitchfork and was surprised to find out how different his relationship with his mother was compared to the relationship I had with my mother. Kind of interesting that many of the emotions were universal in spite of the different experiences we had in our lives. If people want to read something tangentially related to Sufjan Stevens, here is a slate article about the division between Christians who make music and Christian Music.
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Mar 31, 2015 18:27
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Grifter posted:I have not yet listened to this album, but I'm really looking forward to it and will be repeating it over and over. The reviews of it remind me of hospice in that it's emotionally powerful and very concerned with the process of death and grieving. I also love Sufjan, so I can only hope that Sufjan + Hospice = Amazing.
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Mar 31, 2015 19:39
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A tomato posted:This album is definitely one his most personal and intimate. I'm pretty sure it marks the first time that Sufjan has really acknowledged that he's gay, and and that he masturbates. I can't even listen to "All of me" because the masturbation lyric makes me cringe. Why the hell would you sing about that? Aside from that though this is definitely a contender for his best album and "Should have known better" might be his best song. What in the album makes you think he's acknowledged being gay? "John My Beloved" is clearly a biblical reference. Or were you just joshing? AARO fucked around with this message at 00:34 on Apr 1, 2015 |
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Apr 1, 2015 00:31
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olin posted:What in the album makes you think he's acknowledged being gay? "John My Beloved" is clearly a biblical reference. Or were you just joshing? I listened for evidence supporting this claim and found nothing definitive. However, in "All of Me Wants All of You," the first verse goes, "Shall we beat this or celebrate it? / You’re not the one to talk things through You checked your texts while I masturbated / Manelich, I feel so used" I don't know if it's confessional or if the speaker is even intended to represent Sufjan himself, but it's clear that Manelich is a male name. Manelich also seems to allude to Menelaos, the king of Sparta who began the Trojan War when his wife Helen was taken by Paris.
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Apr 1, 2015 17:00
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live4ten posted:I listened for evidence supporting this claim and found nothing definitive. However, in "All of Me Wants All of You," the first verse goes, "The strength of his arm, my lover caught me off-guard"
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Apr 1, 2015 17:36
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I like this album but it sorta sounds samey to me throughout. Good vocal production tho.
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Apr 1, 2015 18:28
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rear end Catchcum posted:I like this album but it sorta sounds samey to me throughout. Good vocal production tho. I kind of agree with this, but I think repeat listens will change that. This is my entry point to his music and I'm really enjoying it. Fourth of July is particularly great. Given the subject matter etc it so easily could have been overwrought, but it's very delicate, sensitive and nuanced. I think most of my enjoyment will come from the lyrics, and I need many more listens to let those all sink in.
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Apr 1, 2015 21:15
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I listened to the stream and although it's alright I'll skip purchasing it. Firstly, it's very one tempo and the dynamic range isn't very great. Secondly, I am a big fan of his instrumental pieces and I don't remember there being any on this new album. Certainly no memorable instrumental sections that stood out in these songs. Third, I'm not big on lyrics. I always listen for music over lyrics. Obviously, good lyrics are a bonus but a singer could be the greatest poet in the world but if the music doesn't strike me then I won't listen again. I really liked and relisten to Illinoise and Michigan but I'll skip this one.
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Apr 5, 2015 20:37
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This album is so gorgeous. When he is at his most vulnerable and somber ("Sister Winter", "John Wayne Gacy Jr", "Romulus"), Sufjan really soars. "Fourth of July" is one of the heaviest tracks I've heard in years.
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Apr 6, 2015 01:16
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I just got back from the first NYC show. Holy poo poo, go see Sufjan on this tour if you can. The music is moving, the visuals are projected on what reminds me of cathedral windows, and Sufjan himself looks like he's overcome with emotion at times. Can't wait for next month's Brooklyn shows. There's also a tour exclusive 7" called Exploding Whale if you're into that.
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Apr 12, 2015 04:36
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Someone uploaded the entire Columbus show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3MBRaGXcTE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOAQI4r7yas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2qWI11IZ_A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWAQMZU1AOE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPiObNpbd4Q
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Apr 30, 2015 09:41
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Loving this album too. The songs were pretty tight and concise. I dig both albums, but this is a nice contrast to Adz. I hope he continues these stylistic oscillations. HorseRenoir posted:"The strength of his arm, my lover caught me off-guard" Also a Bible reference. 
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May 4, 2015 23:09
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rear end Catchcum posted:I like this album but it sorta sounds samey to me throughout. Good vocal production tho.  the mood of the album feels like a flat line of general sadness. not enough contrast, too many lows in a row. sufjan does upbeat pop very well and this album feels unbalanced without it
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May 11, 2015 00:16
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Sharks Eat Bear posted:
This is absolutely true, yet I can't really fault him for it. The album is about what it's about, and its main strength is its honesty and lack of any attempt to soften the blows it deals. That doesn't really make it enjoyable to listen to, but I don't think the album could be any other way.
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May 13, 2015 07:34
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So, this album got me into Sufjan really, really hard. I had never checked him out before. I knew he existed and I guess kind of always imagined him to sound kind of singer/songwritery and maybe even John Mayerish. I know, I was completely off. I have since gone though most of his catalogue, backwards, spending a week on each record and just taking it in as much as possible. Here are my thoughts on the albums I've listened to. Carrie & Lowell - Great album. Very good melodies and pretty easy to listen to all the way through. His most concise work and the melodic tightness is impressive. My 2nd favorite album of his. Age Of Adz - I think this is his best work. It's an insane album and I can't believe it was conceived by one human being. Illinois - I have no idea why this album is so critically acclaimed. I enjoy it, it's good, don't get me wrong, but I find it very boring sometimes and that Chicago song especially isn't anything to write home about, imo. I'm interested if others in the thread will tear me apart for this or agree with me or what, but, especially coming off of Adz, I felt this was just much less adventurous and at worst sometimes kind of plodding. Seven Swans - Very enjoyable and has a weirdness to it. Michigan - I like this album probably 3rd best. It goes on an interesting journey that I don't get bored by. It's pleasant and sprawling. I think it's the better folk epic than Illinois. I don't want to harp on it too much, but I am just surprised that Illinois is his album that gets cited so much. Maybe I need to be educated as to why it was such a big deal at the time or something. I have yet to listen to A Sun Came or Enjoy Your Rabbit yet, though I do own them both. Ranking order: Age of Adz C & L Michigan Illinois Seven Swans All this being said, he is, like, my favorite artist now and I am pretty obsessed. Going to see him in LA soon. Ass Catchcum fucked around with this message at 21:52 on May 14, 2015 |
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May 14, 2015 20:43
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I didn't love Illinois immediately. (Though it's the first album I ever heard by him, rather than having any point of comparison.) But with repeated exposure it somehow ended up being one of my favorite albums ever. I'd just say give it time. It has a really nice sequence to it. Adz is definitely right up there with it, though. I listen to them both about equally. There's a similar level of "how did one guy do all this" genius in both of them, though with very different results.
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May 14, 2015 22:03
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I agree with that, the one guy thing, even for Illinois. It's impressive, don't get me wrong. It was more like, wait, THIS is the album everyone talks about (when talking about sufjan).
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May 14, 2015 22:09
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I quite enjoyed the All Delighted People EP as well, which is as long as your average album anyway.
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May 14, 2015 22:32
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Ibblebibble posted:I quite enjoyed the All Delighted People EP as well, which is as long as your average album anyway. My post originally had that (I said I liked some songs a lot, esp. The self titled (rock version) but a couple songs are some of his most forgettable.) but took it out to just focus on his albums proper.
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May 14, 2015 22:42
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rear end Catchcum posted:Illinois - I have no idea why this album is so critically acclaimed. I enjoy it, it's good, don't get me wrong, but I find it very boring sometimes and that Chicago song especially isn't anything to write home about, imo. I'm interested if others in the thread will tear me apart for this or agree with me or what, but, especially coming off of Adz, I felt this was just much less adventurous and at worst sometimes kind of plodding. Up until Illinois it seemed like Sufjan was just scratching the surface of really cutting loose. Michigan and 7 Swans are decent albums with some real highlights but it wasn't until Illinois that he goes for it. Its the diversity and arrangements on Illinois that continue to impress. He goes from complicated driving tracks like Chicago, tallest man and Illinoise to heartfelt stripped down tracks like Predatory Wasp, Decatur and Casimir Pulaski. You're right about the slow parts, Seer's tower and John Wayne Gacy come to mind but I've heard others praise them. If you go back to 2005 you can see how this album really defined Sufjan, it's a big and ballsy album. It was 5 years before Adz was released so we were left with this complicated album and had the time to really dissect it. In some ways Age of Adz takes away from Illinoise in that it goes even further in pushing boundaries. It's interesting to see him progress from Michigan and Swans to open it up on Illinois and then really blow the roof off on Adz only to take everything down on Carrie and Lowell (which might be my favorite album yet).
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May 14, 2015 23:30
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Yeah, I think at the time Illinoise was considered sort of a "final draft" of what he was attempting on Michigan- a more polished version of a sprawling folk orchestral concept album. The quality of the arrangements was pretty unprecedented in that time (all the way back in...2005). It was really only him and Jens Lekman who were working with such complex arrangements. I can imagine if I listened to the albums for the first time in reverse chronological order that Illinoise probably wouldn't stand out quite as much, but I think it's destined to go down as his seminal work.
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May 15, 2015 00:40
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Just chiming in to say if he comes near your town please go see this tour. It is one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. He plays pretty much all of Carrie & Lowell, but they add these awesome crescendos and beats to some of the songs that aren't present on the album. He "Blue Bucket of Gold" closes out with an intense sonic audio freakout, and it was a hell of an experience.
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May 15, 2015 02:14
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Peacebone posted:Just chiming in to say if he comes near your town please go see this tour. It is one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. He plays pretty much all of Carrie & Lowell, but they add these awesome crescendos and beats to some of the songs that aren't present on the album. He "Blue Bucket of Gold" closes out with an intense sonic audio freakout, and it was a hell of an experience. And if you show up early enough, you can nab one of these: 
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May 15, 2015 02:25
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I suppose for someone going in reverse order, Illinoise would not be nearly as impressive as Adz. But in terms of just super-solid, great, memorable songs, I think it might win out. But again, it does take a few listens for them to really sink in.
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May 15, 2015 02:43
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Both Illinoise and Adz are towering achievements, but honestly, I enjoy listening to Carrie & Lowell much more (even though it's depressing). Sometimes less is more; those freaky super complex arrangements often leave me a little drained. Then again, I'm always up for some Futile Devices and Casimir Pulaski Day.
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May 15, 2015 22:12
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The funny thing about Illinoise is the number of times I've had a line or hook slam its self to the front of my brain, only to find that it was actually from The Avalanche.
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May 16, 2015 16:14
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