For an album that I thought captured the mood of 2020 as well as almost any I heard all year... this got surprisingly little traction apart from randomly being #1 on the NYT list. I love it a lot. I'd put it as an easy #3 in his discography behind Illinois and C&L at this point. Definitely a top 5 of the year for me.
For me at least, there were just so many other albums last year that grabbed my attention more than this. It is not a bad album by any means, but in a pretty strong year for music I can see how it would get drowned out by other albums, especially since it’s an album best listened to in one full sitting.
I’d put it as my second fav behind C&L. Still listening to it (actually woke up last night and couldn’t get to sleep so put Sugar on because that atmospheric intro is divine)
As much as I do like this album, I have to admit it feels like a bit of a chore to sit down and listen to it. There aren't a ton of moments throughout the album that jump out as much as it's a really nice soundscape. I guess I would have liked more variety and dynamics for an hour and a half album
New collab album out September 24 with Angelo De Augustine. For all you folks who aren’t into his instrumental releases, this is for you. Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine - A Beginner’s Mind (September 24, 2021) • forum.chorus.fm
This record honestly just gets better and better. His knack for melody lends itself so well to electronic music, and the thing is just so meticulously and beautifully produced. Incredibly peaceful listen and way underrated as a piece of his catalog
Update: I think you could trim "Ursa Major," "Gilgamesh," "Death Star," and "Goodbye to All That" to make a leaner record, but it's still like a solid 8 for me honestly
An underrated masterpiece this album is. Few if, if any, songs have a bitterness to them that stings quite as hard as the last few verses of the title track.
It's definitely not an easy record to listen to, but I do think that it perfectly encapsulates how shitty everything felt in 2020.
been listening to a lot of sufjan the last few weeks and this has finally started to grow on me a bit, partly because I've found that it's really good like background/mood music for when I'm working on something creative. it's good for sort of wading in and out of as it goes along. it's still a frustrating record but I've been drawn to it far more often than I would have thought. I still think "Tell Me You Love Me" is incredible