25. Stars – The Five Ghosts
Holds up really well upon repeated listens, unlike it’s predecessor. Though, frustratingly, the title track didn’t end up on the album.
24. Action Action – The Ones Who Get It Are The Ones Who Need Not To Know
Despite an annoying lead vocalist (who kind of grows on you over time) there’s something special about this album. Energetic, dark, fun and inventive throughout. I believe this was a digital-only self-release, and that’s a shame, as it’s the best thing this band has put out, by miles.
23. The National – High Violet
Doesn’t quite hit the highs that Boxer did, which is why it’s so low on this list, but it’s still a great album that soundtracked much of my year. Often because someone else was playing it. As much as I want their ‘hipster coolness’ to distract from the music, it doesn’t.
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Topics:
action action,
andy prieboy,
arcade fire,
everything everything,
future islands,
goodbooks,
ida maria,
lightspeed champion,
marina & the diamonds,
mark ronson & the business international,
menomena,
mgmt,
momus,
mystery jets,
one night only,
ou est le swimming pool,
shadow shadow shade,
stars,
sufjan stevens,
the irrepressibles,
the national,
the sunshine underground,
tigers that talked,
two door cinema club,
yeasayer
Besides liking the album Seven Swans and (like everyone) loving the album Illinois by Sufjan Stevens, I walked into his Knoxville, TN performance really hoping for something to believe in. I find the remainder of his catalog slightly lovable, but predictable, except for his newest, The Age of Adz, which is unpredictable, but entirely unlovable. Those things, and the semi-pretentious and phoned in (though admittedly limited) performances of his that I’ve caught, made it all the more intriguing when some of my most trusted music friends unanimously suggested that his current show must be seen.
When Sufjan took the stage in front of the curtain, dressed like his sleepy, understated normal self, and manning a little banjo/synth station, I felt hope slip away. Even as he began his first selection, my relief at hearing that it was from Swans (and not the awful Adz) was eclipsed by my disappointment that it seemed to be a regular old sad and precious night with our sad and precious Sufjan (except that he had some weird green strips of tape around his arm).
If you had told me then that in 10 seconds I was going to get my world turned upside down by the weirdest musical magic show of my life, I would’ve laughed at you.
(Read the article)
“I feel like I’m going through puberty. There’s such a mess of hormones on stage tonight.” Yup. Gone were the butterfly wings and cheerleaders, but the pomp and circumstance remained. Sufjan Stevens is back after a quite some time with over two hours of new music in his arsenal. Dressed casually in a t-shirt, Sufjan starts the set with the title track of his 2006 album “Seven Swans.” It’s simple, plaintive, discordant and perfect. It’s also the oldest song he plays tonight. The rest of the main set, excluding closer “Chicago,” is pulled entirely from this years Age Of Adz LP and All Delighted People EP. It’s for the best. The new stuff translates brilliantly on stage.
Click through for the rest of the review and the set list… (Read the article)
Coming after his orchestral manoeuvre in the city with The B.Q.E., Sufjan Stevens has returned with his first song-based LP since Illinoise in 2005. Although the title and general tone of The Age of Adz draw upon inspiration and themes in apocalyptic artist Royal Robertson (whose work also provides the cover of the LP), there’s no concept behind the record: no states (sadface), and no urban thoroughfares. What there is, however, is an engagement with the cosmos which bridges across to the personal and the individual in the form of Sufjan himself.
(Read the article)
A 2nd preview track (“Too Much”) from the much-anticipated The Age of Adz can be picked up over at Sufjan Stevens’ website. It’s definitely the Sufjan we all know and love, but it’s also intriguing and veeeery different. This is going to be something to look forward to!
The Age of Adz itself will be out on October 11th, but if you preorder then you’ll get sent a digital copy by email 2 weeks early.
Download or stream “Too Much” from here.
Preorder The Age of Adz.
The Age Of Adz will see daylight on 10/12 via Asthmatic Kitty. It features:
1. Futile Devices – 2:11
2. Too Much – 6:44
3. Age Of Adz – 8:00
4. I Walked – 5:01
5. Now That I’m Older – 4:56
6. Get Real Get Right – 5:10
7. Bad Communication – 2:24
8. Vesuvius – 5:26
9. All For Myself – 2:55
10. I Want To Be Well – 6:27
11. Impossible Soul – 25:35
All Delighted People is out now.
MP3: Sufjan Stevens – Sister Winter
Catch him at:
10/12 – Montreal, QC @ Metropolis Theater
10/13 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
10/14 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theater
10/15 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theater
10/16 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theater
10/17 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
10/19 – Austin, TX @ Uptown Theater
10/20 – Dallas, TX @ McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
10/22 – Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Arts Center
10/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
10/26 – Oakland, CA @ The Paramount Theater
10/28 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theater
10/29 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
10/30 – Seattle, WA @ The Paramount Theatre
11/1 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kingsbury Hall
11/2 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
11/5 – Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre
11/6 – Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
11/7 – Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
11/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kimmel Center
11/11 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
11/14 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
11/15 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
Ticket info here.
Last year, Sufjan Stevens performed at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom.
MP3: Sufjan Stevens – Sister Winter
