When reviewing a new record from Sufjan Stevens, at this stage in his 20+ year career, the opening paragraph practically writes itself. You can start by recapping his much-publicized, albeit half-serious, ambitions to create an album about each US state; then discuss his (also ambitious) zany pursuits, many of which involve Christmas songs; then shift to his mid-career pivot towards spazzy electronica; and then take us to his critically acclaimed acoustic works over the past five years. Let’s forgo all that (at least any further) and just state the obvious fact that Stevens’s new record, The Ascension, adds to a singular, shape-shifting discography. Which, if you haven’t listened, or listened much, to any of this output, then I suggest you do not start with Stevens’s newest album, which is not necessarily a “for fans only” release but doesn’t consistently capture the magic of earlier records. Instead, let me suggest the first half of Illinois for dazzling orchestral Americana that sounds as unique now as it did 15 years ago; the last two songs from The Age of Adz for glitchier electronica rooted in folk, as if I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn were synthesized into one record; and the middle of Carrie and Lowell for achingly vulnerable, sparsely arranged songs about abandonment, death, love, and forgiveness. 

For a while, things didn’t look too good.  It’d been five years since Sufjan Stevens released Illinois, the second album in his 50 States project, and fans hadn’t heard any news on the project – or his music-  until sometime in 2009, when Stevens announced he was done with the project.  Let’s be real, we knew he probably wouldn’t keep up with it, but wouldn’t it have been nice to hear a New York or Kansas album?  Even more troubling than the demise of his project was the revelation that Stevens was thinking about quitting.  Publicly questioning the mere purpose of creating music since albums were becoming obsolete due to downloading, Stevens just seemed disillusioned and tired.  Thankfully, he found it within himself to release the All Delighted People EP earlier this year, shortly followed by the announcement that his sixth proper album, The Age of Adz, would be releasing in the fall.  But fans were blindsided once again by Stevens once Adz traveled into ear canals everywhere.  The 50 States project wasn’t the only thing that got left behind this year, as Stevens’ brand of folk is nowhere to be found outside of the deceiving opening track (“Futile Devices”).  Instead, Stevens has rebuilt himself and his music with new themes, glitchy electronics, booming drums, Auto-tune, and more.

A little over a year ago, folk artist Sufjan Stevens released his critically acclaimed masterpiece, Illinois, an album that beautifully crafted folk, pop, and acoustic with a melody of different instruments which pleased the senses. A year later, he is one of the biggest indie buzz artists and is name-dropped by all sorts of music fans, whether they genuinely enjoy his music or just want some cred. To follow up the 22 songs that madeIllinois, Stevens has released a 21 track b-side album, titled The Avalanche. With 18 new tracks and 3 different versions of “Chicago,” this kind of effort displays how limitless the sky really is for Stevens. Don’t be fooled by the “Outtakes And Extras” tag this album displays on the cover, as this album features songs that are better than the majority of any artist’s best stuff these days.