OT: Sufjan Stevens on tour, coming through Detroit

Submitted by StephenRKass on

This is definitely off topic and an obscure MGoBlog reference. Back when Bo died, Brian wrote an epic black post entitled "Eleven Swans."

LINK

The backtrack to this is a song entitled "Seven Swans," from an album entitled the same by Sufjan Stevens.

LINK to song

It happens that Sufjan Stevens is playing in Chicago tonight, Detroit on Monday, and Grand Rapids on Tuesday. I love the song, and the music, and for those of you into this, enjoy. For those of you interested in board history, read Brian's post and listen to the song. Kind of a black, emo period for Michigan football, but also part of our history.

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Sufjan Stevens

Jack Be Nimble

April 25th, 2015 at 5:04 PM ^

Thanks for the heads up.  I am a fan of Sufjan Stevens though I won't be able to make it to the concerts.  For another Michigan connection to the artist, recall that he wrote an entire album  with the state of Michigan as the theme.  This includes my favorite song from the album titled, "For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti".

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Larry Appleton

April 25th, 2015 at 5:11 PM ^

I saw him in Milwaukee on Thursday, my first time seeing him. I was blown away by the beautiful production. One of the best light shows I've ever seen! I hope you like the new record as much as me, because he plays the whole thing.

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Danwillhor

April 25th, 2015 at 6:06 PM ^

it's an amazing album but it's all personal & fragile that I've only been able to listen to it about 3 times since it leaked (I bought it on the 31st). The only album I've ever heard that made me feel like a voyeur somehow. Insanely beautiful but equally devestating. So much more so if you read the interview he gave to NPR/Pitchfork about his life, the basis for the album & what happened to him after. He's known to B.S. (I'd listen to an album of him telling stories you know are at least 50% B.S. lol) but he didn't in the interview. Heartbreaking album but I can't seem to wear it out like his other work. Yet, I'd still give it a 95/100 rating. It's that good. Some lines are just so hard to hear. In "Eugene" he speaks of simply wanting to be near the album's namesakes & while Lowell is the manager of his label he speaks of his mother by ending with "what's the use of singing songs if they'll never even hear you". That hits hard but then goes right into possibly the saddest sing I've ever heard in "Fourth of July". Even the songs that are more upbeat in sound are riddled with thoughts of suicide, anger, being lost, etc. He does this all without overdoing it or trying to make the listener feel bad like Elliot Smith often did. Smith wanted you beside him in his anguish & I love his music but it serves that purpose. Smith made music that recognizes the pain in you, allows you to join in & it can be cathartic. This latest Stevens record is just very voyeuristic & devastating without necessarily asking you to join in or feel bad for him. Yet, I can't help but be haunted by it so I've listened only a few times so far.

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StephenRKass

April 25th, 2015 at 6:07 PM ^

I lurked and never bother signing up for several years. But I remember 2006, and the feeling, and listening to Seven Swans again reminds me of that sense of loss. I regret not being able to go to the concert this time around. I hope there is a next time, and that I can make it the next time around.

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Danwillhor

April 25th, 2015 at 6:27 PM ^

I lurked a bit after it started as I heard about it on Scout where I was a member since about 02-03 (maybe earlier, whenever it started plus a few months I'm sure). Anyway, I immediately lived the great writing & humor of it but I just never became a member. I wasn't during that post but already being a Stevens fan along with what happened with Bo & the significance of the game I don't think there's even been a better post. Listening to that song for the hundredth time but in that context gave me goosebumps & my eyes welled up hard. I remember getting absolutely jacked after as I told my brother we had to win, I didn't care if they died on that field (ha). I was in crazy mode b/c of that post. As for the show, he doesn't tour a lot but I'm sure there will be another chance. Depending on where you live & travel there are still chances this year, in fact.

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Danwillhor

April 25th, 2015 at 6:32 PM ^

to add that I finally became fed up with Scout & their insane mods, mostly idiotic posters that would talk trash about most opinions/assessments until proven wrong only to never give credit, etc. After about 5k posts I dropped Scout in every sense & joined here in 08-10ish. Haven't even went to Scouts site since. There may be snark here but the overall intelligence level is unmatched wrt Michigan Football writing/discourse.

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MichiganTeacher

April 25th, 2015 at 5:31 PM ^

I grew up in Petoskey the same time as Sufjan. My sister was friends with his sister and him. The point of my cool story bro is that he's a great guy, and his family are super nice people. Can definitely feel good about being a fan.

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Libertine

April 25th, 2015 at 5:59 PM ^

at the Chicago Theater. Great show! Played everything off of the new album, with an encore of older songs including "Chicago" which brought the house down.

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antidaily

April 25th, 2015 at 6:06 PM ^

I put a song from C&L on a mix for m'lady then realized the first verse mentions masturbating. Which is fine, just sort of annoying because you have to be like, "I know! But give the song a chance. Gets good. Toe tapper."

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Danwillhor

April 25th, 2015 at 6:20 PM ^

I tried to get someone into him & they've always been on the fence. They call it "granola hippie folk" etc. So, I have them this album & they said the same as they jumped into "eugene" instead of starting from the beginning. Actually, a few songs on the album start with an admitted "granola hippie verse" & Eugene starts with talking of lemon trees & lemon yogurt (lol) as he's remembering his youth out there with the album namesakes. They immediately say "nope, it's such sissy granola stuff that I can't take it seriously". I had them make me a promise to listen from the beginning & give each song an honest, full listen. An hour later they write me saying "I know you well think I'm joking but that was the darkest shit I've ever heard. I almost cried with those two songs in the middle. I hate you for winning but I liked it a lot. Not even kidding." lol. I later found out the songs were fourth of July & the next two. I think it hit him because he lost a step parent that was more like a parent when young so there's likely a lot of similar feelings. Point being that almost every song needs 20 secs to get going before they're amazing.

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LSAClassOf2000

April 25th, 2015 at 6:36 PM ^

It would be years before I actively contributed, but the first time I found MGoBlog was mere moments after the "Eleven Swans" post hit the blog (as it was at the time anyway). That stirred rather a lot of MGoMemories actually - thanks for reconnecting all of us with that. 

 

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Danwillhor

April 25th, 2015 at 8:16 PM ^

but I'd have Illinoise/Illinois 3rd, after Seven Swans & Michigan. A great album, for sure but the new will likely go ahead of both the State albums or at least Illinoise. However, the opening to Illinois is my favorite. Concerning the UFO is a great piano riff & opener so it sets the tone perfectly. As I mentioned to the poster below, Age of Adz was just a bit too much for me. It's bookended beautifully & there are moments but on the whole it was a bit too experimental for me. Easily my least favorite on the whole & I'm counting the B-side & Xmas albums.

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Dan Man

April 25th, 2015 at 6:52 PM ^

I am a huge fan of the Illinoise and Michigan albums, but found the new one a bit boring. I don't understand all the hype. Also, I saw him live once – he is really a subpar performer. I was probably one of the very few in the audience who knew this, but he was using pitch correction on his live vocals, which really sucks the personality out of them. He is truly a studio artist, not a live one.



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Danwillhor

April 25th, 2015 at 8:08 PM ^

I've never noticed or seen that in any live show/performance. Maybe it was a show for the Age of Adz album (couple great moments but his only album I can't really get into on the whole). As for the rest, I respect your opinion. At least you've given it plenty of listening & chances before the conclusion. I can't stand those that listen to a song or often less than that before proclaiming it terrible, etc. That's another thing I respect as you didn't call it anything but "not for you". I say the same about music I just can't like. I'll simply say I gave it plenty of tries but it wasn't for me. I don't like when people have to go out if their way to tell a fanbase that not only their taste in music sucks but imply they do as well. I know teens that are above that so it's pathetic when grown adults do it. I have a 36 year old family friend that does that. His music is great, agree or you're gay & if he doesn't like your taste...even one act....he has to let you know in the douchiest way possible. It's truly sad.

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Dan Man

April 26th, 2015 at 1:37 AM ^

Regarding the pitch correction on the vocals, yes - the show was from the Age of Adz tour.  Like I said, I bet no one at the show even noticed, but I certainly could.  (I am a musician myself.)  The vocals sounded almost like you were listening to a CD, but not in a good way - in a slightly "removed" kind of way, almost like they were pre-recorded.  Anyway, Sufjan mentioned that he was recording the show that night, so maybe the pitch correction was just used for that reason.

Anyway, even though I think he peaked with the Illinoise album, I still consider him a quality musician and in many ways a brilliant artist.

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BlueInWisconsin

April 26th, 2015 at 9:39 AM ^

I'm pretty sure that everyone noticed. It wasn't a secret. He was clearly experiencing with auto tune on that Age of Adz. I read an article that described Adz as a "collapsing star of album" which I think sums it up just about perfectly. The auto tune was just part of the cosmic dust.

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Dan Man

April 26th, 2015 at 1:11 PM ^

No – trust me, nobody noticed. Bear in mind, I'm not talking about T-Pain style autotune where it is used as a vocal effect to intentionally sound "computerized" (though he did some of that as well). He was using it on all his vocals like many pop stars (miley cyrus, rhihanna, etc) use it today - in a clandestine manner to mask pitchy vocals.



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StephenRKass

April 25th, 2015 at 11:55 PM ^

My musical tastes are very eclectic. But partially it just is certain sounds and words and memories. Love Sufjan Stevens. Like Elliot Smith's "Between the Bars," John Mayer's "Daughters," and a guy I used to listen to many years ago at Michigan, Bruce Cockburn. I guess a lot of it is somewhat folkie or melancholy or thoughtful. I used to love to sit at an outside bar on the beach on the gulf coast in Florida and just listen to whoever was playing. Didn't need to be a star . . . just someone who poured their heart into their music. It is fun for me to share playlists with my 22 year old daughter in the Navy. She introduces me to new stuff, and sometimes, she surprises me with liking old stuff (say, Simon and Garfunkel.) Love of music is completely subjective. I just like that Brian introduced me to Sufjan Stevens.

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jaspersail

April 26th, 2015 at 9:55 AM ^

I'm a big Sufjan fan and will be at the Detroit show, hopefully with a photopass to shoot the first three songs.

I've seen Sufjan a couple times and wasn't sure I would go this time, but after hearing Carrie & Lowell, I have to go. Brilliant album. If he had continued on the Adz path, I would have stayed home.

As others have mentioned, Carrie & Lowell has the feel of an early Elliott Smith album; simple, stark, passionate, and melodic, with multitracked vocals singing personal and painful themes. Illinoise has been a longtime favorite, but this one may top it.

Onstage, Sufjan and the late Elliott Smith have/had some similarities too--awkward shyness and imperfect performances (I've definitely never heard Sufjan use autotune!). Here's a video I shot of Sufjan closing the 2010 Royal Oak show with "Casimir Pulaski Day": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhZ3dPWJ6Fw

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Mjoeblue86

April 26th, 2015 at 10:39 AM ^

He's from Detroit, so there's another connection! I haven't lived in Michigan for years, but Greetings from Michigan always transports me back in a sad, nostalgic kind of way. Also, one of my favorite musicians, Colin Stetson, is from A2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9YJM2GCvk8

Folk might recognize his song "Awake on Foreign Shores" for its use in the seeringly drawn out and painful hanging scene in 12 Years a Slave. 

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