Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension (25 Sep 2020)

1. Make Me An Offer I Cannot Refuse
2. Run Away with Me
3. Video Games
4. Lamentations
5. Tell Me You Love Me
6. Die Happy
7. Ativan
8. Ursa Major
9. Landslide
10. Gilgamesh
11. Death Star
12. Goodbye to All That
13. Sugar
14. The Ascension
15. America

His new single, the 12 minute "America" comes out on Friday.

 

The Ascension, by Sufjan Stevens

 

Finally some good news this year!!

There's a limited to 1,500 12" for America coming July 31. Already sold out on his bandcamp, but Bullmoose has some. They probably won't last too long.

- Stevens, Sufjan - America

 

Thanks for the heads up!

 

There's also a clear first run (no pressing numbers given) for the LP. Much like Carrie & Lowell. Already sold out on his bandcamp and the Asthmatic Kitty store. Should be in stores on release, and up for preorder at a lot of them (Bullmoose has them) but I wouldn't wait long on that either. Looks like they are selling.

 

Yes!

 

Also up at Plaidroom.

Sufjan Stevens The Acension [Clear Vinyl] Release Date : 09/25/2020

 

Just grabbed one from them. These appear to be moving.

 

Didn't he plan to cover all U.S.?
Played Illinoise last week. Great album.

 

Good news! Auto-buy

 

That was thrown out there - he also did Michigan. Not sure that was ever something he seriously considered or is still considering though.

 

This site costs me money
And as for Sufjen Stevens - in a Good Way


Wasn’t enamored with the last synth release

Hoping this is an upbeat album of Carrie and Lowell level lush songs



As much as I love Sufjan - the thing I am most thankful for
He turned me on to Annie Clark very early in her career
I saw St Vincent with about 50 people on her first tour and was able to talk to her for 10 minutes after the show
She was very precocious at the time

 

Really interested to see what this record sounds like - does it stick close to the Carrie and Lowell mode which I loved (I think it is probably my favorite of his records) or does it goes for something more maximalist like Age of Adz .. or something else entirely.. Excited to hear the new song.

 

Sufjan's new single, "America":

 

I can generally get something out of Sufjan's lyrics, but these leave me baffled. I've loved everything he's done since Michigan, but this first song is disappointing.

 

who is he talking to when he sings: "Don't do to me what you did to America"...?

 

Bullmoose just cancelled my order for the America 12", glad I didn't order the full length from them. They've done this on a couple other occasions - I won't be placing any future orders with them.

 

My Rajneesh, another new track and the B-Side to "America":

 

Love both songs released so far. Beautiful stuff.

 

God, I assume -- Stephens has always been a Kierkegaardian sort of Christian, with all of the introspection that entails. He has a history of using his songs to examine the challenges of reconciling his faith with the sorrows and evils of the world (e.g., "and he takes and he takes and he takes" from "Casmir Pulaski Day"), so this feels of a piece with that.

 

Wow. What a masterpiece.

 

I’m getting some serious Age of Adz vibes which really has me excited for the rest of the new material.

Anyone notice the “Vesuvius” throwback off and on from about the 5 minute mark?

 

Sufjan is the gift that keeps on giving.

The only thing that stopped me from pre-prdering this album immediately was the fact that he has done one album - The Age of Adz - that I mostly dislike. Hence I need to pre-listen to at least some of the tracks, as i do with every artist.
I think I prefer My Rajneesh to America.

I was hoping the new album would contain Call me by Your Name and Visions of Gideon, but it looks like if I want those I have to get the soundtrack of the film and I'm not sure I want them badly enough.

 

My local shop! Bob and Terry are stand-up guys.

 

Yep, I just started to place some orders through them this year and they've been really great. They also had the America 12" up for order and was able to grab one of those after Bullmoose cancelled my order. IMO - they seem to do this right. They don't offer pre-orders on limited items until they know exactly what their stock is.