![sufjan1440x8102[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/oJ3xcRp.jpg "sufjan1440x8102[1].jpg")
The more I think about it, the more I become convinced he's the greatest musical genius of our generation. Did I fall for the Pitchfork hype?
>>60958983
>greatest musical genius of our generation
What makes you think so anon?
>>60958983
absolutely you did, jesus, he has like 1 good album (Illnoise) and has been riding the same 2005 hype right up until he did a relevantly similar album this year
literally who
>>60959155
how have you been on this site and not know who this is yet
>he's the greatest musical genius of our generation
True.
>>60959002
go back to death grips you underage fuck
>>60959853
a sufjan stevens fan thinking that he's above death grips lmao
they both are mediocre, listen to more music
>>60959880
not him, but
>sufjan not being above death grips
are you serious? lmao
suf is objectively the best musician of this generation, no doubt
If you don't think Michigan is fantastic, you're delusional
He recorded, and played every instrument by himself
>>60958994
not OP, but I think he combines great compositional talent, melodic sense, lyrical talent, and excellent musicianship. And he's been very willing to push himself in new directions musically, not resting on his laurels at all.
>>60959912
this, sufjan haters can fuck off
he's one of the best musicians ever
>>60959002
But Illinoise isn't even his best album, Seven Swans is.
>>60959947
that's a strange way of saying The Age of Adz
>>60959853
>>60959912
>>60959943
i actually quite like sufjan but when did his fanbase get this fucking obnoxious
is this new? i seem to remember you guys being alright
this was his best
>>60959912
>He recorded, and played every instrument by himself
what does that have to do with anything
>>60959968
sufjan was always underrated on /mu/
>>60959982
Have you listened to Michigan? Every song is arranged beautifully, greatly produced and very intimate. He created an album by himself that is 10 times better than what the usual 4-5 guys can do are a creative collective
>>60958983
>the greatest musical genius of our generation
Obviously Newsom. Did you even think about this?
>>60960028
in a*
>>60960032
I love Newsom, but sufjan is better, like a lot better
>>60960053
How? He doesn't come anywhere near her level of compositional or lyrical ability. I guess you could argue he's a better arranger and his music is more varied stylistically but that's about it.
>>60960132
different guy here
i think lyrically they're about equal, but jo for sure has the better composition - that's about as close to an objective thing as you can get in music
sufjan fuckin good at what he does, no denying that, but ill agree that jo is the stronger contender for greatest musical mind of our generation
(this discussion is obviously ignoring a great deal of composers from other schools/styles/genres)
>>60960132
>thinking that using large/esoteric words = better lyrical ability
>shiggity diggity
>>60960202
>thinking esoteric lyricism is inherently bad
she balances the cryptic and abstruse language with the more direct stuff perfectly
if this is confusing go back to school
>>60959976
His most emotionally gripping album but I wouldn't say overall best. I would argue that it's a bit underrated around here.
>>60960246
How the fuck did you reach the conclusion that I think esoteric lyricism is inherently bad? I just said that simply using esoteric lyrics as a stylistic device doesn't mean that an artist's lyrical ability is necessarily better than another artist.
Real musical genius coming through
>>60960315
hey man apologies, a bit of an oversight on my behalf.
you're damn right too about esotericism not equating to better lyrical ability
i'll stick to my guns and suggest that newsom's overall the better artist when composition is taken into account, but i'm happy to concede that suf and jo are lyrically on the same level
>>60958983
Sufjan makes really strong albums, but "the greatest musical genius of our generation?" No. Artists who I would consider musical geniuses, like Brian Eno and Brian Wilson, all brought something new into their fields that previously wasn't heard of. Sufjan is just a really good songwriter, but I don't think he's a genius.
That's not Panda Bear, silly!
>>60958983
haha hes so good that only a few niche hipsters actually listen to him! wow what a genius!
I don't listen to a whole lot of Joanna compared to Suffy. from what I can tell, Joanna seems more consistent, but Sufjan has written better songs.
What does Joanna have that stacks up against:
For the Widows in Paradise
All Delighted People
Impossible Soul
The Predatory Wasp is Out to Get Us
In the Devils Territory
Open to suggestions because I'd like to listen to more Joanna.
>>60960480
>few niche hipsters
Sufjan is one of the most popular indie musicians of all time.
Check his listeners on lastfm or check his views on youtube
>>60960594
so popular, if i ask 100 people who he is less than 10 will know!
>>60960621
You're an idiot.
>>60960570
Nothing can ever top Impossible Soul. That song is mammoth
>>60960570
just listen to more joanna. i ain't saying you're guaranteed to like it, but her compositional chops (as displayed on a great number of her tracks) really outdo suf
>>60960649
Examples Faggot?
Does Joanna even have anything near the emotional impact of Carrie and Lowell? I think a big thing about Sufjan's appeal is about how relatable he is. You don't really get that with Joanna's fancy lyricism.
>>60958983
Listen man I love Sufjan but this title is not something you, or anyone on this Earth, can give. He is one of them, for sure, but he is definitely limited.
>>60960202
>le strawman argument
Some of her most powerful lyrics are also some of her most direct and laconic. Even something as simple as "my sleeping heart woke, and my waking heart spoke" is a really great line.
>>60959912
This is wrong you fucking dumbass. He can (besides guitar, drums, piano, and banjo) only play the Oboe (and MAYBE the bassoon) - the horns in that album and basically almost all percussion he didn't have access to was played by other people. He has said this several times in interviews, do your research.
However, the quality of the recording is worth noting.
>>60960570
Easy
Have One On Me
You and Me, Bess
Anything from Ys
>>60960741
God you are such a fucking idiot
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jun/25/popandrock.shopping8
>>60960386
I disagree with this, your criteria should be able to accomodate Sufjan if you leave it at that - listen to Age of Adz. That album is criminally underrated and it married "classical" music with "electronic" music in the quite possibly the most interesting and successful way I have ever heard. It boggles my mind how little impact it had because it simply wasn't Illinoise v2.
>>60960774
> Stevens himself plays almost everything
Gee that sure is every instrument.
Here is the actual instruments he played:
Sufjan Stevens – oboe, English horn, piano, electric organ, electric piano, banjo, acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, recorders, wood flute and whistles, drum kit, percussion, shakers, sleigh bells, tambourine, cymbal, singing
Now I'll concede with the fact that I underestimated his doubling abilities with the Oboe (he played the english horn in this album too, much to my surprise as those parts are some of my favorite on michigan), but he didn't play everything and yes this bit of semantics is enough for both you and I to throw a tantrum over.
>>60960781
It's been awhile since I've listened to it, but I don't remember Age of Adz having much of a classical influence. Or by "classical" do you mean Sufjan's normal "folky" style?
>>60960817
>This is wrong you fucking dumbass. He can (besides guitar, drums, piano, and banjo) only play the Oboe (and MAYBE the bassoon) - the horns in that album and basically almost all percussion he didn't have access to was played by other people. He has said this several times in interviews, do your research.
>Sufjan Stevens – oboe, English horn, piano, electric organ, electric piano, banjo, acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, recorders, wood flute and whistles, drum kit, percussion, shakers, sleigh bells, tambourine, cymbal, singing
So what if he didn't play a trumpet or trombone, how he was able to arrange the music. produce the entire album, play MOST of the instruments while being able to keep the integrity and the melodies intact to a wonderful extent just shows how freaking talented he is.
>>60960875
Yeah I wanted to avoid using the word classical in the first place. What I meant was the classical instrumentation i.e. instruments more typically found in classical music (common practice era rather) as well as arrangements and techniques more commonly found in the aforementioned music. Listen to the title track and Too Much for reference. It's more complex than that upon more academic analysis but that's later.
>>60960570
Emily
Only Skin
Cosmia
81
Baby Birch
Go Long
Six of the most beautiful songs I've heard.
>>60958983
I agree, the well-done execution of so many different styles of music is what sets him apart to me
>>60959002
Except the only album he made that was similar to Illinois in style came about before it (Michigan, and there was The Avalanche which was Illinois outtakes)
>>60958983
Probably. I think there's some weight to the comparison between Joanna and Sufjan though, except Sufjan touches so much more ground and with such success. Joanna has done what, two different styles? Also the fact that he's a multi-instrumentalist isn't too bad either.
>>60959853
>liking Stephan (gay name) and the Grapeseeds
>ever
>>60959947
You Are Wrong m9, really really wrong
>>60962016
he went back to being a sad fuck m80, that's why it's relevantly similar
>>60958983
I unironically believe he's the best there ever was.
>>60960642
Djohariah is better. As is Vesuvius. Good song though
Honestly I might agree, but I don't like the fact that you made this thread because now people are gonna start shitting on him more in retaliation.
like can we just all tone it down a bit.
>>60960925
Then that's fine. But saying that he played every instrument on the album is just incorrect.
>>60959947
True
>>60960925
You're a fucking asshole. You say he plays every instrument, he says that he doesn't, ou link an article that says "almost everything," he calls you out, and you drop it after calling him "such a fucking idiot" over it and being WRONG, like it wasn't what you were arguing about in the first place.Is this just what this place does to people because holy shit
>>60962665
>>60959976
>>60959947
>>60959002
reminder that I Fell in Love Again: A Humble Collection of Sufjan Stevens B-Sides, Demos, and Rarities is better than any of his studio albums
I guess I'll take this opportunity to say that I'm pretty bothered by how much Sufjan is praised for his arrangements. They are shit. He may use a lot of instruments, but he uses no dynamics and every instrument just plays the exact same thing over the course of the song, usually. It's just as repetitive and conventional as if he used a small band like everyone else does, but he gets praised for including a lot of horns, it's ridiculous. Pic related is an example of an indie pop record that actually has a big group and fantastic arrangements. This is the record that should see the kind of praise that Illinoise gets.
He mostly makes derivative pop folk bullshit, if you think he's the "greatest musical genius of our generation" you probably only care about muh lyrics muh feels
>>60963007
Whats wrong with melancholic lyrics that people can fucking relate to? People like you are terrible.
>>60963007
honestly a lot of the stuff he makes sounds much less derivative than the stuff most other people make. that is to say, i think that caring about muh feels has a bigger impact on my liking most other artists than my liking of sufjan and artists like him that make music that, to me, stands out
>>60958983
Sufjan and Jai Paul
>>60962376
he has lyrics on all his albums (barring the albums without lyrics) that are sad, illinois isn't any sadder or happier than any of his other albums, while carrie and lowell is generally sadder than most of his other music
>>60963007
His melodies are ridiculously good though, even on sparse albums like Carrie and Lowell, so he has that going for him
Pitchfork hype has never let me down! ;)
>>60959982
In terms of "musical genius," which is what the thread is about... everything?
>>60959002
Illinois has no shelf life. Age of Adz and Carrie and Lowell are very well done and worthy of their praise.
Is your favorite Mt. Eerie album The Glow pt. 2? Do you love The Money Store? Does everything is Godspeed catalog bore you except LYSF?
YOU ARE A MEME! A MEME!
>>60965827
Ok, maybe you should go outside for a minute.
>>60965827
>Fav Mount Eerie
Black Wooden Ceiling Openin/Winds Poem
>Fav death grips
ExMilitary
>Godspeed
Got me there "Sleep" is the only thing i listen too
>>60965827
no it's Mount Eerie
No it's NLDW
no I like everything up until Asunder Sweet
