Sufjan Stevens - Javelin (October 6th, 2023) • Page 17

Please do that, I’ve always had trouble getting into his Christmas music because of the sheer volume.

 

Is there a specific Sufjan sound you like? The first collection (I-V) is mostly sort of a lo-fi Seven Swans folky type of sound, and it's honestly not that long (~2 hours total). VI sort of continues that, IX has probably the most "classic" holiday sound, and VII is a little all over the place (in a good way). VIII and X have a lot more of the Age Of Adz sounds to keep things interesting, and the longer songs ("Do You Hear What I Hear?," "The Child With The Star On His Head," and "Christmas Unicorn") are all great journeys. I usually listen to all of them in a row, but personally have the most fun with VIII-X.

 

Personally for me, it's

Christmas Infinity Voyage
Christmas Unicorn
Peace

Joy
Gloria
Let It Snow
Hark
Ding Dong
Noel

I Am Santa's Helper

 

I’m definitely an Adz guy

 

Then my list is your friend, all of Infinity and most of Unicorn

 

I love when he’s lush/dreamy folk + light electronics. Some of Adz is too glitchy but a lot is right where I like it. His latest one is probably my favorite sound wise. As the years go by, I am much less into his percussion toybox twee/whimsy orchestral folk stuff. It feels dated and very of a time in the 2000s.

 

I'm doing a deep dive into Sufjan's b-sides and other material, I don't think I have ever heard this fucking JAM from 2007. Could you imagine a whole album like this?!?!

 

Holy shit is that a Sufjan electric guitar tone

 

I remember the live version of Mr. Frosty Man going surprisingly hard during his Christmas tour. He definitely has a rock album in him.

 

Why is this actually great, haha

 

Something that I feel is underrated for Sufjan as a musician, is the way he approaches covering a song. He doesn't simply change a few things to make it his own, he fully re-makes songs from the ground up. His "What Goes On" cover is the best example of it, it keeps true to the spirit of The Beatles track but re-arranges the melody, structure and everything. Free Man in paris, A Little Lost, Ring Them Bells, You Are The Blood... just honestly phenomenal

 

Yes I love when artists make it their own and don’t just record the same version you’ve heard a million times.

 

ooh, didn't know he had a Free Man in Paris cover. gotta check this out.

 

looks like it isn't on streaming, so feel free to DM me if you want an mp3, otherwise, here it is on YT

 

this is fantastic

 

so damn good, Sufjan is unreal

 

you're right that it really does feel like a completely different song, but it also feels like it still has some of Joni's sonic DNA in it.

 

this is incredible wtf, cant believe I've never heard this

 

My favorite Suf cover

 

Ooooh

 

looks and sounds like Carrie & Lowell 2 (complimentary)

 

holy shit, 10th anniversary edition?

 

gimme, regardless of what it is