DrunkerThanAMotherfucker
All Star
He might by my favorite artist full stop. I know this is a hip-hop forum, but real talk hip-hop probably makes up like 30-40% of my total music listening. If you caught me at any given moment listening to music, it's likely not hip-hop.
Carrie and Lowell is probably my album of decade right now. The pain, illuminating songwriting, angelic yet baleful delivery, and flawless instrumentation (all played by Sufjan) constitute some of the finest collection of music I think the human race has ever heard. I'm not sure if there are vocalists to stack against Sufjan, I have trouble finding any to benchmark against his style in that range. Not saying he's the greatest or even has great range (~3 octave), but some of those high notes he hits (even live) are just
I will still contend that Sufjan's strongest trait is his songwriting. If there was a Bob'ish Dylan of the 21st century, I'd probably say it's Sufjan. Obviously in different ways. Bob Dylan was a very personal yet macro/societal writer and considered a "voice" of his generation, however I would never apply the same label to Stevens. He's great for similar yet different reasons - his music conveys the deep scars of personal loss, regret, trauma, beauty and wonder. It speaks to the human condition and the private burdens we carry as individuals.
The juxtaposition of his deeply intimate music and generally distant presence to fans has definitely also helped add mystery to Sufjan's musical aura. Gonna post up a few songs if you haven't heard the good word
Carrie and Lowell is probably my album of decade right now. The pain, illuminating songwriting, angelic yet baleful delivery, and flawless instrumentation (all played by Sufjan) constitute some of the finest collection of music I think the human race has ever heard. I'm not sure if there are vocalists to stack against Sufjan, I have trouble finding any to benchmark against his style in that range. Not saying he's the greatest or even has great range (~3 octave), but some of those high notes he hits (even live) are just
I will still contend that Sufjan's strongest trait is his songwriting. If there was a Bob'ish Dylan of the 21st century, I'd probably say it's Sufjan. Obviously in different ways. Bob Dylan was a very personal yet macro/societal writer and considered a "voice" of his generation, however I would never apply the same label to Stevens. He's great for similar yet different reasons - his music conveys the deep scars of personal loss, regret, trauma, beauty and wonder. It speaks to the human condition and the private burdens we carry as individuals.
The juxtaposition of his deeply intimate music and generally distant presence to fans has definitely also helped add mystery to Sufjan's musical aura. Gonna post up a few songs if you haven't heard the good word