Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 24/07/06
Label: Rough Trade

The world of rock'n'roll is sadly full of 'stars' who struggle to fill an EP with a compelling showcase of their music. Give most acts 12 months to record a document of their art and most will return armed with a couple of singles and 30 minutes of what they did last time. This is not a problem that afflicts Sufjan Stevens. That much has been obvious from the moment he commenced his 50-state album quinquanology of America, kicking-off with the homecoming "Greetings From Michigan" in 2003. Clearly a rather ambitious plan, this genial composer of ornate and beatific folk-pop says he'll have to live until the age of 200 to complete his master work, before then taking a pen to Canada.

This mission isn't helped by Sufjan's predilection for being side-tracked by landmarks not strictly on his map. In between "Michigan" and 2006's mini-breakthrough LP "Illinois", he wandered into God's country, recording the majestic "Seven Swans", where he swapped archetypes from his own life, history and folklore for the big God stories in one epic masterstroke. Again, with "The Avalanche", which is fronted as a compilation of 'outtakes' from "Illinois", Sufjan can be seen as a detail freak, who does nothing by halves - the research involved with many of these songs is in itself quite staggering - and has more ideas in an afternoon than, say, Johhny Borell will his entire rock life.

"The Avalanche" includes an incredible 75 minutes and 21 tracks that didn't make the cut on the original album, including four version of one song alone. As such, you simply have to marvel at the talents of a man who is surely amongst the most gifted and fascinating musicians of modern times, even if "The Avalanche" does feel like a vaguer retread of the absolute bravura seen on its big brother. Indeed, if you're familiar with the lavish instrumentation and touching storytelling of "Illinois", you will most certainly be in familiar territory here.

Once again, Sufjan is at the mercy of a mind wracked by childhood nostalgia. So we are at any moment swimming in Lake Michigan, involved in some sort of tomfoolery with his brothers or encountering a family who's son was killed in the Gulf War. "Let the bugles play…" announces Sufjan rather accurately on "The Hunney Buggy Band", as all around him lush, dense Broadway sonics abound across both lyrically realised moments and skewed instrumental passages. If there is any notable variation, his mesmeric banjo picking is closer to the forefront than at any time since "Seven Swans".

Particular mention goes to opener "The Avalanche", which is a match for much of "Illinois", and the numerous takes on "Chicago", particularly the "Multiple Personality Disorder Version", if only for its hairbrain off-kilter spin. Elsewhere, again, no absurd song title is off limits - "The Vivian Girls Are Visited In the Night By Saint Dargarius And His Squadron Of Benevolent Butterflies", anyone? - and we are reacquainted with Sufjan's skill of segueing snatches of timeless pop moments into his own work - "Caryle Lake" steals from Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" and "Super Computer" imitates The Beatles' "You Never Give Me Your Money".

The question now, of course, is where does Sufjan Stevens go from here?

    by Ben Gilbert