A simple guide to Sufjan Stevens

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This is my guide to all of Sufjan Steven's studio albums. I go through some of his early life and music career and then give my thoughts on each of his albums. While his musical career appears to be far from over, he already has a massive discography, and I thought I would make this video to help people get more into his music, explain where he is coming from, or just share my love for his art with other fans. I will give my thoughts on his albums, as well as the public’s opinions. Obviously you shouldn’t be taking any of these opinions objectively, but I tend to find critics and reviews useful to get context for artists and their music. Also, I wont be covering every single collaboration he has ever done, or every random single, mainly his solo studio albums, with some collabs that I think are notable. We will be going in chronological order, enjoy the video.
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sufjan stevens, sufjan, suf, sufjan stevens album, sufjan stevens guide, deep discog dive, carrie and lowell, age of adz, sufjan stevens live, sufjan stevens interview, fantano sufjan stevens, theneedledrop, sufjan convocations, meditations, lamentations, revelations, illinois, illinoise, sufjan illinois, sufjan michigan, john wayne gacy jr, call me by your name, mystery of love, visions of gideon, oh to see without my eyes, sufjan stevens albums, bean therapy, side a podcast, side a, music podcast, marc rebillet, sufjan stevens stalker, sufjan stevens bi, sufjan stevens life #sufjanstevens #convocations

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30 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 167

@beantherapy 3 года назад

First album at 2:55

@leahelbourne-weinstock488 2 года назад

his new album with Angelo De Augustine is some of Sufjan's most beautiful work yet in my opinion

@porkchop002 2 года назад

I agree!

@banjoindrajit Год назад

It surely is ❤️

@anonymous_friend Год назад

It is really good, terrible cover art, but I think Carrie and Lowell is his pentacle .

@OzmaOfOzz Год назад

I adore that album ❤

@jamien644 3 года назад

The age of adz is my fav album of all time, its so grand and climatic like a experience with higher powers. Impossible soul nearly brought me to tears what an amazing way to end a masterpiece

@WahooNikki 2 года назад

Yes yes yes!!!!! Same!

@OzmaOfOzz Год назад

That's the only album I can't get into 😢 maybe cause it's too "happy" (rhythm wise) and I'm too sad rn and I can't relate to it.😢

@boebender 4 дня назад

Yes, it’s my favorite of his and the album I first “discovered “ him.

@cooldudeharrell7408 3 года назад

woah ive actually never heard his speaking voice ... its so relaxing

@beantherapy 3 года назад

dude its actual asmr

@aliamalikaa1497 3 года назад

every time i think of sufjan i always think of him saying “what gives me hope? oh god. diazepam! lithium!” in a guardian interview because i feel like that sums up a lot about him lol

@elephant_pavilion 3 года назад

Fantastic video, I always think there’s a slight lack of Sufjan Stevens Related content on RU-vid so watching this was great! I think The Ascension is one of my favourite records from him! I’m slowly collecting his work on vinyl, I’ve picked up 7 of his albums so far!

@asseater5916 3 года назад

Carrie & Lowell IS the best album Sufjan ever has made (in my opinion of course).

@fenestrapain 3 года назад

It’s the best of what sufjan does. It uses hyper specific lyrics to make you feel thoughts. The concept is grounded by his experience and the clear theme, but its still so textured and complex. It’s his magnum opus, in my opinion.

@AugAug989 2 года назад

For me it’s the age of adz.

@deltoidsforaltoids 2 года назад

I agree, ass eater

@sanfordcurtis8242 2 года назад

People will love The Ascension five years from now. It was madly underrated on release.

@forester.cornor1685 3 года назад

The Age of adz is my first ever album I listen from Subaru and I’ve been insanely love it for like years because of that glitchy electronic production which I’m adore a lots. It’s was his most complicated project on my opinion like how he inspired Royal Robertson artwork to make music about his anxiety and state of mind like sksksk

@jacvic0790 2 года назад

Subaru 😂 your autocorrect really wasn't a fan of you when you wrote that was it 😂

@sodiumchloride1836 2 года назад

@@jacvic0790 it's actually a reference to his song Eugene, where someone mistakenly calls him Subaru instead of Sufjan lol, hope that helped

@jacvic0790 2 года назад

@@sodiumchloride1836 I actually read the lyrics to that song coincidentally a couple hours after writing this comment but forgot to correct myself 😂

@sodiumchloride1836 2 года назад

@@jacvic0790Aah 😂 happens to the best of us

@heyitsmira17 11 месяцев назад

Subaru 😂😂 * captain america's voice * I understood that reference

@evan7564 3 года назад

deeply offended you didn't go into detail on his gayest song, the predatory wasp of the palisades is out to get us! (/lh)

@plash6738 3 года назад

Aaaah! I found this guy last semester and fell in love with his music🤙🤙

@beantherapy 3 года назад

Dude I actually was going to tell you to listen to Illinois like 2 years ago but I forgot haha

@goldfishiies 3 года назад

i feel like the one person ever whose favorite sufjan album is planetarium...(am i biased bc i hyperfixated on it a few years ago?? maybe....but still!!!) when i first listened to it, i had pretty much the opposite reaction from what you described and i think its a really beautiful, intense and cool album (jupiter is easily one of my favorite songs ever) but i still like my rajneesh the most out of all of his music lol

@kjaersig 2 года назад

Agree with you

@elijahmagnussen6880 3 года назад

Wasn't expecting this video! This is really informative, I hope more people start listening to Sufjan

@MrPRT68 3 года назад

I echo this. A really useful way to express your fandom. Such a comprehensive video. Answered the many questions I had arising from listening to Sufyan's songs. Death With DIgnity drew me to his work as it was a no-brainer pick for the soundtrack to the American drama television series This Is US. This evocative song floors me.

@justnoahherehello 3 года назад

The only opinion I disagree with is your opinion on Planetarium. At least to me, it feels very spacey and grandiose, as grandiose at The Age of Adz at some points in my opinion. The brass at the end of Jupiter, the violin section in Pluto, etc.

@kjaersig 2 года назад

I started out with Ascension, then Planetarium, then Age of Adz. Seems I really wanted or needed Sufjan, because those works didnt scare me away - on the contrary. For me its doesn't make any sense to rank his work, that be albums or numbers or 'style phases'. It will forever be a subjective thing of the moment: what Sufjan gives simply and totally depends on what you need. For me that changes constantly. The amazing thing is that I have not yet looked in vain. Sufjan is my life jacket. Or colourful collection of life jackets hanging in various states of superficial decay. His words and tunes are floating devices.

@max_mittler Год назад

age of adz is probably one of the most ahead of its time albums of all time. I think people in 50 years will view it like we view the beatles white album

@bruja2591 2 года назад

All Delighted People is underrated wtf

@KyleBaker Год назад

Literally the title track is my favorite song of all time, and has been for years.

@jeffreyfrist7610 2 года назад

Thank you for posting. It helps me Navigate his music style through the years from album to album. Like most people, I fell in love with his music and soul from CMBY. He is a totally off beat in many ways. Meaning his style and concepts are not the norm. He is not making music for commercial value. But, is driven from a more deeper creativity. His music is not for everyone. Its like looking at an Abstract painting from an off beat artist and seeing the beauty and the meaning in the painting.

@gnomesmellterribly7233 2 года назад

I always love to find hollow knight in the weirdest places

@porkchop002 2 года назад

Had the same reaction!

@saraentrecerros Год назад

lmao, no but All Delighted People is essential Sufjan Stevens' material!

@karlsaintlucy 2 года назад

a friend asked me last night who the greatest active songwriter is right now, and i just couldn't think of anyone besides Sufjan. and, honestly, bill wurtz. but i think i am learning that Sufjan does require a little bit of familiarity with his biography, which i think can be a big ask of many casual listeners. anyway, thanks for this vid, it was a great reminder that he has a few recent projects i haven't heard yet. i've been listening to a few tracks from "A Beginner's Mind" this week and have really come to enjoy that album, even though i think he could've had a bigger production number at the end.

@heyitsmira17 11 месяцев назад

Omg I'm shocked. Had no idea bill wurtz made music, I only knew of his "history of" series. Might check it out!

@niteclydn 2 года назад

Im a musician myself, my 14 year old son just introduced me to his music a few days ago, he played a few songs from Illinoise ( where we are from ) and the song Jacksonville really struck me, i fell in love with it, it was like, Beck Hansen meets Neil Young.

@razoraz Год назад

Apparently Neil Young wrote the last song on his just-announced album Javelin!? (can preorder now)

@heyitsmira17 11 месяцев назад

@@razorazit's actually a cover of a Neil Young song! (I prefer Sufjan's version btw, it's been my source of hope lately)

@cryztalqueer 2 года назад

His discography makes me feel uncultured. Proves how much mainstream and overrated music has brainwashed me over the years.

@joixeon6 2 года назад

carrie and lowell is absolutely his best work

@forester.cornor1685 3 года назад

I felt like this video is bullying his bleep bloop side 😔🔫

@justnoahherehello 3 года назад

same bruh

@fordtski 2 года назад

Same!! Age of adz is so good 😭, and it so fun,

@charliehilton7140 11 месяцев назад

Anybody here after Javelin? 😢

@Thebearmre7 Год назад

A wonderful artist seen live 2 times, lucky to meet him. 👍🏻👍🏻

@claudioagmfilho 2 года назад

🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷👏🏻👏🏻, So awesome, truly special, just a brilliant poet, but a sad one …

@nibyafternight1983 3 года назад

Been a Sufjan Stevens fan for a long time I think that I Should Have Known Better about him

@beantherapy 3 года назад

probably should have wrote a letter!

@zacharywoloszynski4258 2 года назад

Age of Adz best Sufjan album

@maiu1922 2 года назад

I've only dipped into Carrie and Lowell, Illinois and the CMBYN soundtrack but his latest, A Beginner's Mind is high on my list.

@theairagain 2 года назад

listen to the age of adz!!!

@AbbyElizabeth Год назад

This video is exactly what I was looking for! I've been familiar with a few of his songs for a while now, but wanted to dive a bit deeper into his music. Thank you so much for giving such a comprehensive sampling of his work!

@avedic Год назад

I've HEARD of Sufjan for what seems like all my adult life(I'm 39).....but I've never heard any of his stuff. Until very recently....I heard this random song that caught my ear. It was gorgeous. Looked it up.......and it was his song "Video Game" a fairly recent song apparently. So now.....I'm realizing I have some catching up to do. Because that song is a dream pop somber masterpiece.

@AJB2226 3 года назад

Great work! World needs more sufjan videos!

@egg-lady7899 11 месяцев назад

this video has so little views but it is so well researched. Thank you for your work !!

@jacobdarnai 3 года назад

Dude, I love your videos! Im just now getting into ... ikd „rock?“ ... „indie?“ or whatever, I‘ve always listened to HipHop only. I have known Sufjan for a bit longer now, since I‘ve seen CMBYN and instantly fell in love. Been listening to Car Seat Headrest for a week now und just found your video on them. Good work. Keep it up. (Dunno if this makes any sense, not my first language and it‘s late af good night)

@alexanderanton468 Месяц назад

Surprised you didn't mention the Vinyl exclusive D side piano tracks that were on the All Delighted People EP. 20 minutes of pure bliss (imo) with all but a piano playing.

@LeeGee Год назад

Sufi (n.) member of a Muslim mystical order, 1650s (earlier Sufian, 1580s), from Arabic sufi, literally "man of wool" (i.e., "man wearing woolen garments," as opposed to silk), from suf "wool." According to Klein, so-called from the habit of "putting on the holy garment" (labs-as-suf) to devote oneself to mysticism. Related: Sufic.

@YourVerseForToday 2 года назад

Woh woh woh. OK Planetarium, mm yeah not my favorite but the track "Mercury" What a song!

@brianmcpartlan8664 2 года назад

Illinois is EASILY his best album by FAR. And I've been into all of his albums and for many years. But the writing, compositions, sounds, instruments, listenability and beauty of that album is unsurpassed by all of his other work. That's not to say anything bad about the rest. He raised a high bar with that album, and that album is the best of what he does. I wish he would get back to that sound sometime after his... interesting explorations... I have to say I am not a fan of his robotic sounding music. I don't understand those nor how people enjoy them, or decide to go back and listen again. And Sufjan is in my top 2 or 3 favorite musicians of all time...

@DailyDoseOfFootballYT 2 года назад

Hey, been loving the channel. Sufjan and CSH love on the same channel, sign me up

@pactans 2 года назад

I loved this so much. I love Illinois and Carrie and Lowell, but there's still so much to discover. Thanks for sharing. I love you xxx

@dwidmark Год назад

This post could have used more examples to let the music speak for itself

@lisakay8253 2 года назад

This video was thorough while still being interesting, informative while still being objective, and had so many great suggestions! I have so many things I wanna listen to now

@stelluu8819 2 года назад

I was already a big sufjan fan and absolutely loved this video. great work

@rje1157 Год назад

I will say that you missed a lot in those christmas albums

@WeLuvLuv 11 месяцев назад

so true

@garypuckettmuse 11 месяцев назад

The album is called "Ill-a-noise"not "Ill-a-noy" now this is a joke because many people mispronounce Illinois as "Ill-a-noise" (sounding the silent 's' at the end) and also because it's music (noise) about the state. So there's irony there -- see an album about Illinois with a mis-pronounciation of the name of the state? It's supposed to be funny. On another note I see several commenters saying his music needs to be appreciated in the context of him as a person and his life and that is always a red flag in art, sorry. I just listened to one of his songs and he can barely sing, he sounds like a choir boy who barely made the cut and this "guide" makes it all sound terribly boring -- especially the "deep" ones like John Wayne Gacy; pretty ripe for the picking of someone wanting to sentimentalize a serial child rapist murderer. So long, and thanks for the fish.

@markplank5929 Год назад

Thank You for presenting Sufjan’s projects for one to explore & come to our own conclusions. Personally been listening to him since Illinois. After experiencing him live during Carrie & Lowell tour, it cemented my immense appreciation for his Art. PS- his involvement with Sisyphus project also is intriguing

@dvdso Год назад

Vesuvius stays for more than a decade as my favourite sufjans song

@heyitsmira17 11 месяцев назад

One small correction: he does say "mother" in Death With Dignity. "I forgive you mother, I can hear you, and I long to be near you / But every road leads to an end"

@EnggistKhan Год назад

Carrie and Lowell is one of the most moving pieces of art that I have ever encountered

@StevensMusic Год назад

Thanks for the overview of his main albums! It would probably take another 2 hours to discuss his collaborations, including David Byrne, Gasper Claus, St. Vincent, Gabriel Kahane, etc. :) Don't forget his ballets with Justin Peck, including Decalogue with Timo Andres. And Tonya Harding (both versions) is unreal.

@luckydog09 2 года назад

digging the hollow knight music in between 😂 sufjan is my favorite artist, it’s hard to choose a favorite album. age of adz is really special to me. my first run through his music i’d say seven swans was my favorite. probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite song from him is one rarely mentioned off of all delighted people, the owl and the tanager. dumb i sound is another favorite too.

@TheStacanova 2 года назад

Why do I feel Sufjan Steven needs to do an album about Ohio? I’ve never been to Ohio, but my perception of Ohio is something so Sufjan Stevens and would allow him to touch on personal &/or social topics with a buffer or veil, so to speak, which he’s really good at doing & can sometimes allow an artist to go much deeper without the fear of exposing too much, because the personal resides in the subtext.

@MythologicalDrunkDriver 10 месяцев назад

Hey, what do you think about Javeline?

@cooldudeharrell7408 3 года назад

this was a great video, great job!!!!

@shiv2033 3 года назад

Can I get a Radiohead video? Their discography is the most organised according to me.

@beantherapy 3 года назад

that could be cool

@fai7hs 11 месяцев назад

saw something about javelin on reddit and i went to listen to it. i am now obsessed with sufjan stevens.

@josiethompson5739 2 года назад

Age of Adz was also my first Sufjan album - I actually didn't like it at first but then discovered Illinoise and All delighted people and fell in love. Later I came back to Age of Adz after experiencing heartbreak (lol) and it quickly became one of my favorite albums of all time.

@ayushagarwal1342 2 года назад

Great video! I agree with a lot of what you said in there. Also, I never thought about The Ascension in a Radiohead-y context yet but I am beginning to now. I mainly just love the title track off that one the most.

@esihlecwele 2 года назад

supersexywoman is a great song thank you

@ChristopherMusicMa 2 года назад

I was always under the impression that Seven Swans was his Christianity album and that that was the concept, never thought of it as not being conceptual.

@oobiegooby432 3 года назад

been meaning to listen to him for a while now, thanks mate

@scs998 11 месяцев назад

My top ten ranking of Sufjan's Albums because I want to: 1. Age of Adz (the one I find myself coming back to the most) 2. Javelin (might be recency bias but it has been blowing me away these last couple of days) 3. Carrie and Lowell (it came out right after I discovered him so it hold a special place in my heart while I was grieving the loss of someone I held dear) 4. The Ascension (The themes hit very close to home in a similar time in my life 5. Illinois (don't hurt me for ranking it so low, the highs are impeccable but theres a few moments where it gets a bit drawn out for me during repeat listens. But the tallest man is up there as one of my all time fav songs of his 6. All delighted people (Djohariah and All Delighted People are slept on!!) 7. Seven Swans (My first Sufjan album, it's super great!!) 8. The BQE (first couple of tracks are phenomenal but the last half drags a bit) 9. Michigan (A lot of great tracks but as a whole not my fav of his) 10. Planetarium (I LOVE Jupiter and Mars, but the rest is just ok) I didn't include the Christmas or Bonus content albums since since I don't really listen to them a whole lot. Probably should revisit them.

@scottwclowry6862 3 года назад

Great work, but you left out the Sisyphus album. :-(

@kjaersig 2 года назад

New to me - thanks Scott - yet another lifejacket 👌

@carriecreatescrap5764 11 месяцев назад

11:12 small rant (and honestly i could be totally wrong): GIRL THAT IS ILLINOISE. LIKE ILLINOIS THE STATE AND NOISE PUT TOGETHER WHY TF IS EVERYONE SAYING ILLINOIS WHEN THERE'S A LITERAL E ON THE END THE ALBUM IS COME ON FEEL THE ILLI**NOISE** I'M SCREAMING

@beantherapy 11 месяцев назад

the album is called illinois because it is about illinois. “come on feel the illinoise” is just something cute he put on the cover

@carriecreatescrap5764 11 месяцев назад

@@beantherapy tysm I am just ignorant sigh don’t mind me-

@subaru4of7 Год назад

please, I need you to review to upcoming album Javelin next month, as a big fan of Sufjan I love your video!!!! Like we also have the same taste for his music :)))))))) ❤❤

@WeLuvLuv 11 месяцев назад

All Delighted IS essential

@2wayplebney Год назад

Yes, Illinois or Carrie could be considered Sufjan's best. I have a lot of time for The Ascension, however.

@joon1882 Год назад

i love planetarium 😭

@RunawayYe 2 года назад

All delighted people is probably my favorite album, even though I am aware of the imperfections in it.

@WahooNikki 2 года назад

Yes! The Owl and the Tanager is my absolute favorite song! This video really dismissed this album, what a bummer!

@kadutstyle34 Год назад

@@WahooNikki also the Enchanting ghost :)

@ethancundiff6422 Год назад

What imperfections do you speak of? I think it's an amazing work!

@frizzyrascal1493 Год назад

Sufjan is one of those special artists. Him and The Alchemist should work together.

@Lyn-bv5oc 11 месяцев назад

I love his music

@mouna9577 2 года назад

hii,, this is a really good video>>

@WhiteBull_33 Год назад

There are some really great tracks on Planetarium. There are also some extremely trying tracks.

@charpnatl Год назад

I really enjoyed this overview well done! Thanks!

@dstinnett07 Год назад

I saw him perform with a collaboration called Clogs, which was amazing.

@MrSeanmacisaac 2 года назад

Why does no one ever mention how gay his music is? Age of Adz, All Delighted People, and The Ascension all have super gay songs. And his involvement in CMBYN. There are themes of queerness everywhere and that's why i love it so much. Also, The Ascension was robbbbed in the video, it deserved so much better.

@littleundecided1 Год назад

I love convocation, they are my favorite albums. I study and meditate to it. I did just find out about this album like 3 weeks ago but it is worth a full listen

@simonyoung6462 2 года назад

dude are you my music taste!? sufjan stevens and you threw in a Brockhampton Beat

@kelseyguire1037 Год назад

all delighted people is such a fucking masterpiece 👏🏻

@jackmyatt9061 2 года назад

Such a good video. I wish you'd mentioned some of the singles he's done as they make up some of my favourite songs by Sufjan even though I know this is an album video. My Rajneesh, Tonya Harding and A Little Lost are in my opinion great Sufjan songs. (My Rajneesh probably being in the top 3 for me)

@foxgaming4450 3 года назад

Am I the only one who thinks the ascension is fantastic?

@beantherapy 3 года назад

you are!

@beantherapy 3 года назад

but thats ok 😺

@kjaersig 2 года назад

Its on top 4 for me :)

@rojelanogueify 2 года назад

No you are not I absolutely love that album. Tell Me You Love Me is in my top 5 Sufjan songs.

@KyleBaker 2 года назад

You are not the only one. Some of its tracks are a bit harder to get into, but it's one that really grew on me through multiple listens.

@annie-up8xt Год назад

would love a video going thru all the illinois tracks!!

@akalpn Год назад

ik this is a really random comment but i needed to mention it at 25:27 the backing music you use is Quiet Water by Toby Fox from the Undertale soundtrack which scared the shit out of me when i just heard it in this video because it has been my morning alarm tone for the past few months that i chose by randomly skipping through the Undertale soundtrack one day. i was really not expecting to hear it right now in a video for one of my favourite artists, Sufjan Stevens, but what a weird coincidence. i swear i went into fight or flight for a moment - i thought an alarm had gone off on my phone. wow, that's, yeah, man that was weird. also very cool video - i love Sufjan!

@beantherapy Год назад

haha my alarm is dummy and i always feel a jolt every time i hear it