Released in 2005, this album represented the second in Sufjan Stevens' ambitious (to say the least) '50 states project', in which he was to record an album about every state of America, excluding Alaska and Hawaii presumably. Now, everything about this record tells me I should hate it; the preposterously long song titles, the number of tracks, the consistent use of a choir which sounds like 'It's a small world' on crack. All of this I should hate. Yet this record is so searingly brilliant that I consider it one of my all-time favourites by any artist of any genre.
Few musicians these days are interested in making an album, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. That is, an LP that needs to be listened to from start to finish to be appreciated. A seamless piece of moods, textures and melodies, perfectly segued and working together for the duration of the whole thing. This is one of those albums. It starts with a quiet piano number, before swiftly moving into a mad instrumental about the plight of the Blackhawk Indians. From there, somehow, things only get weirder and wonderfuller. Obviously the hit of the bunch was "Chicago" but there's so much more to enjoy here. Christ, there's even a song about one of America's most notorious serial killers, and it's beautiful.
By the time you get to the last song, you feel as if you've sat through an insane person's very own broadway musical, in the best possible sense. It's a journey, it's certainly a slow burner and it's sure as f**k not for everyone. For me though, it will be forever be one of my tops.
Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day
No comments:
Post a Comment