Sufjan Stevens - The BQE (1 Viewer)

[BonsaiSuperstar]

New album from Sufjan Stevens is out, I saw it in Tower on Friday. Had no idea there was one due.
Any one have a listen yet?

"cinematic suite inspired by the brooklyn-queens expressway and the hula-hoop. commissioned by brooklyn academy of music (bam), 'the bqe' was originally performed in the howard gilman opera house in celebration of the 25th anniversary next wave festival in october of 2007"

 

[pete]

picked it up in Road on friday. Comes with CD, DVD & 3d Viewmaster thing...

Listened to it once so far. Very much a score rather than a soundtrack.

 

[worthit]

It's a 40 minute instrumental orchestral piece divided into 13 tracks. I think it's bloody amazing.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

So he's jumped the shark yeah?


Where the fuck are the other 48 states while we're at it?

 

[Unicron]

So he's jumped the shark yeah?

Didn't he do that with Illinois?

 

[CinnamonBoy]

So he's jumped the shark yeah?


Where the fuck are the other 48 states while we're at it?

He's changed his mind about that. Some worrying quotes on Pitchfork about him wondering whether he'll continue making music and stuff or what's the point of it all or something. Too talented for his own good, I think.

 

[rettucs]

I :heart: Sufjan

...can't wait to hear this. HURRY UP ROAD!!!

 

[palace]

Didn't he do that with Illinois?

what you talking 'bout willis!

 

[Unicron]

what you talking 'bout willis!

Overblown, wayyyyyyy too lushly orchestrated, could only really get into a couple of songs on it. If he weren't such a goody two shoes God-botherer type I'd say that Illinois was his cocaine album.

Seven Swans and Michigan, now they're records that I can get behind.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

Overblown, wayyyyyyy too lushly orchestrated, could only really get into a couple of songs on it. If he weren't such a goody two shoes God-botherer type I'd say that Illinois was his cocaine album.

Seven Swans and Michigan, now they're records that I can get behind.

Jaysis. You're insane. Illinois is an incredible album. Beautiful production, arrangements, everything.

 

[rettucs]

Jaysis. You're insane. Illinois is an incredible album. Beautiful production, arrangements, everything.

thats an understatement. Its even better than that

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

Overblown, wayyyyyyy too lushly orchestrated,

I wouldn't say that at all - I would call it a natural progression from the sparseness of Michigan and Seven Swans to a far richer album.

One of the albums of the decade in my eyes.

 

[pete]

i prefer the avalanche

 

[São Paulo Punk]

I still haven't managed to get into any of the others as much as I got into Illinois. It is one of the (musically) biggest contemporary albums I've ever heard. he was on a total role with that one. No wonder he thought that he was going to write one for each state.

But if he was Irish, do you think he would have intended to write an album for either the 26 counties of the Republic, or the full 32 of the island?

Looking forward to getting my hands on this new album all the same!

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

I still haven't managed to get into any of the others as much as I got into Illinois. It is one of the (musically) biggest contemporary albums I've ever heard. he was on a total role with that one. No wonder he thought that he was going to write one for each state.

But if he was Irish, do you think he would have intended to write an album for either the 26 counties of the Republic, or the full 32 of the island?

Looking forward to getting my hands on this new album all the same!

I would say he could probably group the midlands onto one EP

 

[São Paulo Punk]

I would say he could probably group the midlands onto one EP

Laois or West Meath probably wouldn't be amazing albums alone I guess. 'Moate' as the basis of a song wouldn't really get me going...

 

[Unicron]

I wouldn't say that at all - I would call it a natural progression from the sparseness of Michigan and Seven Swans to a far richer album.

One of the albums of the decade in my eyes.

I can absolutely see it as a natural progression, it's just not one that I was blown away by.

Funnily enough I'd class Michigan in that category.

 

[palace]

You have been summarily riddled with machine gun fire there Unicron...

You better stop digging...

Illinois is just a better Michigan... I likes them all but Illinois is the masterpiece...

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Sufjan is one hell of a songwriter, arranger, overall musician, etc. I loved his gig in the Olympia a few years ago.
But I can't listen to him sing on record too much. Horrible saccharine voice. A completely subjective and personal complaint but it ruins the whole thing for me, along with some lyrics that just grate with me even though there's nothing intrinsically bad about them, e.g. "I went to New York in a van with my friend". I hate that line.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

But if he was Irish, do you think he would have intended to write an album for either the 26 counties of the Republic, or the full 32 of the island?

I dunno but I'm working (slowly) on a 32 county album/ep project. The last one will be Longford or Roscommon.