Sufjan Stevens has been
under the radar these past
five years. With almost
nothing new since his last
release, the critically
acclaimed “Ilinois,” fans
aand critics alike have
been salivating for a new
release.
That all changed this summer
when word came that
Sufjan was in the studio
recording a new, electronic-
based album. Months
later he self-released “All
Delighted People,” an EP
that tripped on its own
lengthiness and self-indulgence.
Immediately, the album
starts off with a short,
acoustic song and smashes
into the blip-tastic “Too
Much.” This time around,
Stevens’ lush composition
and orchestration carry
over. The ambition on this
album is second to none.
With grand sounds, layered
songs, and pleading vocals,
the album pulls through.
After the release of
“Illinois,” Stevens was barraged
with attention, which
in some cases made him
reclusive.On the album’s
title track, he sings “I’ve
lost the will to fight.” One
could argue that the whole
song is his outlook on
music, asking for forgiveness
and pleading his love
for it.
The romantic voice Stevens
is known for is ever-present,
never skipping a beat.
Whether he sings about
other people from his
native states, or on this
album, his love is illuminated
and glowing. On
Michigan and Illinois,
Stevens sang about himself
through the eyes and hearts
of other people, making his
music personal, but on a
scale unmatched on this
album.
On this new batch of
songs, Stevens dabbles in
different genres. With slow,
plush ambient tracks such
as “Now That I’m Older”
to the R&B/hip hop sprinkled
“Get Real Get Right,”
he pushes his limitations
farther. The folk aspects of
his music stick around on
“Vesuvius” and bring fans
the sound that made him so
loveable early in his career.
With such deep, layered
sounds, Stevens’ voice gets
drowned out at times. This
has always been his fault,
but it works out more than
it fails. The sounds envelop
you from beginning to end,
constricting you and taking
you for a theatrical ride.
The instrumentation,
beside the electronic base,
brings back the flute,
piano, violin, trombones,
trumpets, and other instruments.
The high point of the
album comes by way of the
second-to-last song on the
album, “I Want To Be
Well,” where Stevens takes
on a LCD Soundsystemesque
song structure.
Bumping drums and
orchestral noise assist
Sufjan in his best singing
to date, and with the chorus
behind him, he shines
through.
Sufjan’s magnum
opus is the album’s last
song, “Impossible Soul,” a
25-minute romp through
exaltation.
Fans and critics should
rejoice in the return of one
of indie rock’s premier
acts, coming by way of one
of the most anticipated and
fulfilling albums this year.
Hopefully, we will not
have to wait for another
five years for another
release from the ambitious,
grand Sufjan Stevens.
Final Review
9.1/10