Sufjan Stevens
Stevens in concert at the Pabst Theater in 2006. The Pabst Theater is an indoor concert venue and landmark of Milwaukee Wisconsin, U
Background information
Born	July 1, 1975 (1975-07-01) (age 32)
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genre(s)	Indie rock Baroque pop
Instrument(s)	Vocals Multi-instrumentalist
Years active	1999–present
Label(s)	Asthmatic Kitty, Sounds Familyre, Orchard
Associated acts	Marzuki, My Brightest Diamond, Danielson Famile
Website	www.sufjan.com

Sufjan Stevens (pronounced /ˈsuːfjɑːn/) (born July 1, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and musician from Petoskey, Michigan. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Indie rock is genre of Alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent Underground music scene BAROQUE POP is a style of music developed in the mid 1960s (often compared to Sunshine Pop, which was a commercial answer to Baroque Pop i A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. A multi-instrumentalist is a Musician who plays a number of different instruments The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Asthmatic Kitty is an American independent Record label founded in 1999 by a community of musicians from Holland, Michigan Marzuki was an indie Folk rock band from Holland MI, with a significant fan base in western Michigan in the mid to late 1990s My Brightest Diamond is the project of Singer-songwriter Multi-instrumentalist Shara Worden. For the borough in the US state of Connecticut, see Danielson Connecticut. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Singer-songwriter is a term that refers to Performers who write, compose and sing their own material including Lyrics A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a Petoskey is a city in the US state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6080 Stevens first began releasing his music on the Asthmatic Kitty label, a label formed by himself and his stepfather, starting with 2000 release A Sun Came. Asthmatic Kitty is an American independent Record label founded in 1999 by a community of musicians from Holland, Michigan A Sun Came is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens, released in 2000 His 2005 album Illinois hit #1 in the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. The Billboard charts are music sales airplay and digital ranking reports distributed to the general public by Billboard magazine Top Heatseekers is a weekly albums chart introduced by Billboard in 1993 whose purpose is to highlight sales by new and developing musical recording artists

Stevens is very experimental with his music and he has released albums of varying styles, from the electronica of Enjoy Your Rabbit and the lo-fi folk of Seven Swans to the symphonic instrumentation of Illinois and Christmas themed Songs for Christmas. Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range Enjoy Your Rabbit is a 2001 Electronic music album by Sufjan Stevens. "Lo-fi" redirects here For the music genre see Lo-fi music Lo-fidelity redirects here Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Seven Swans is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens. It includes songs about Abraham and Christ 's Transfiguration, among Songs for Christmas is a box set of five separate EPs of Christmas -related songs and carols recorded by independent musician Sufjan Stevens Stevens makes use of a variety of instruments, often playing many of them himself on the same track,^[1] and writes music in various different time signatures. The time signature (also known as " meter signature" is a notational convention used in Western Musical notation to specify how many beats He is considered part of the folk revival in indie pop, but his influences are very broad. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous "Twee" redirects here For a definition of the word see its entry at wiktionary. His music has been likened to electronica^[2] and the minimalism of Steve Reich. Ambient music is a Musical genre in which sound is more important than notes Minimalist music is an originally American genre of experimental or Downtown music named in the 1960s based mostly in consonant harmony, steady WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Stephen Michael Reich (born October 3 ^[3] Also, Stevens' music often has spiritual themes and many songs draw inspiration from Bible stories, most notably on Seven Swans. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Seven Swans is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens. It includes songs about Abraham and Christ 's Transfiguration, among

Stevens has garnered much interest from the press for his "Fifty States Project",^[4][5][6] his aim being to complete an album about each of the states of the US. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Stevens has thus far completed two state records, Illinois and his home state record Michigan. Michigan (2003 (full title "Greetings from Michigan The Great Lake State" is a Concept album by Sufjan Stevens, with songs referencing cities Whether he will complete the project is subject to debate but the artist says he remains serious about its completion. ^[7] In interviews, Stevens has alluded to many different states as his next project, including Oregon, California and New Jersey, however it would appear that this is because he has not yet decided which state he will choose next. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. ^[8]

Early life

Stevens was born 1 July 1975 in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Petoskey^[9] where he attended Harbor Light Christian School as well as the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Petoskey is a city in the US state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6080 Interlochen Center for the Arts is a privately owned 1200 acre (5 km² arts education institution in Interlochen Michigan, roughly 15 miles southwest of Traverse City He attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Hope College is a medium-sized (3200 undergraduates private residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland Michigan, a few miles from Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U

Sufjan is an Arabic name^[10] that predates Islam and most famously belonged to Abu Sufyan, a figure from early Islamic history. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. For the son of Harith see Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith. Sakhr ibn Harb (صخر بن حرب more commonly known as Abu Sufyan (560-650 It has been mentioned in the press that the name was given to Stevens by the founder of Subud, an inter-faith, non-religious spiritual community to which his parents belonged when he was born. Subud (pronounced subud is an international spiritual association that began in Indonesia in the 1920s as a movement founded by a Javanese Muslim Muhammad Subuh ^[11] Stevens said once in an interview, "It sounds like Devendra [Banhart] kind of grew up in this strange kind of cultish environment, and I don't mean that word in a demeaning way. Devendra Banhart (born May 30 1981) is a Venezuelan - American Folk rock Singer-songwriter and Musician. I think we probably come from similar backgrounds. There's a little bit of that in my history. "^[12]

A multi-instrumentalist, Stevens is well known for his use of the banjo, but also plays guitar, piano, drums, and several other instruments, often playing all of these on his albums through the use of multitrack recording. The banjo is a Stringed instrument developed by enslaved Africans in the United States, adapted from several African instruments The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells Multitrack recording ('multitracking' or just 'tracking' for short is a method of Sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create While in school, he studied the oboe and English horn, which he also plays on his albums; he is one of the few musicians in popular music to use these instruments. "Hautbois" redirects here for the strawberry variety see Hautbois strawberry. The cor anglais, or English horn, is a Double reed Woodwind Musical instrument in the Oboe family A multitude of instruments are played in unison to give his music a "symphony-like" sound. Strings and horns are often prominent in many of his songs.

Stevens currently lives in the Brooklyn borough of New York City in the neighborhood of Kensington,^[13] where he makes up the Asthmatic Kitty Records staff of the Brooklyn office. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The City of New York Kensington is a Neighborhood in the center of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Asthmatic Kitty is an American independent Record label founded in 1999 by a community of musicians from Holland, Michigan ^[14] His brother Marzuki Stevens is a nationally recognized marathon runner. Marzuki Stevens (born February 16, 1974) is a professional long distance and marathon runner from Detroit Michigan. ^[15]

Career

Stevens at the Independent Music Awards, Webster Hall, New York City

Stevens began his musical career as a member of Marzuki, a folk-rock band from Holland, Michigan. Marzuki was an indie Folk rock band from Holland MI, with a significant fan base in western Michigan in the mid to late 1990s Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U He also played (and continues to play) various instruments for Danielson Famile. For the borough in the US state of Connecticut, see Danielson Connecticut. While in school at Hope College, Stevens wrote and recorded his debut solo album, A Sun Came, which he released on Asthmatic Kitty Records, a record label he founded with his stepfather. Hope College is a medium-sized (3200 undergraduates private residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland Michigan, a few miles from A Sun Came is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens, released in 2000 Asthmatic Kitty is an American independent Record label founded in 1999 by a community of musicians from Holland, Michigan He later moved to New York City, where he was enrolled in a writing program at the New School for Social Research. The City of New York This is about the university in New York; for other uses see New School (disambiguation.

While in New York, Stevens composed and recorded the music for his second album, Enjoy Your Rabbit, a song cycle based around the animals of the Chinese Zodiac that ventured into electronica. Enjoy Your Rabbit is a 2001 Electronic music album by Sufjan Stevens. Song cycles in classical music The first generally accepted example of a song cycle is Ludwig van Beethoven 's An die ferne Geliebte (1816 The Chinese Zodiac is a 12 year cycle Each year of the 12 year cycle is named after one of the original 12 animals Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range

Stevens followed this with the first of his ambitious "50 states" albums, a collection of folk songs and instrumentals inspired by his home state of Michigan. The result, the expansive Michigan (noncanonically titled Greetings from Michigan, the Great Lake State) included odes to cities including Detroit and Flint, the Upper Peninsula, and vacation areas such as Tahquamenon Falls. Michigan (2003 (full title "Greetings from Michigan The Great Lake State" is a Concept album by Sufjan Stevens, with songs referencing cities Flint is a city in the US state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, 66 miles (106 km northwest of Detroit. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that comprise the U The Tahquamenon Falls are two different Waterfalls on the Tahquamenon River. Melded into the scenic descriptions and characters are his own declarations of faith in God, sorrow, love and the regeneration of Michigan.

Following the release of Michigan, Stevens compiled a collection of songs recorded previously into a side project, the Christian-folk album Seven Swans, which was released in March 2004. Seven Swans is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens. It includes songs about Abraham and Christ 's Transfiguration, among

Next he released the second in the 50 states project, entitled Illinois. Among the subjects explored on Illinois are the cities of Chicago, Decatur and Jacksonville; the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893; the state's observance of a holiday in honor of Casimir Pulaski; the poet Carl Sandburg; and the serial killer John Wayne Gacy Jr. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The World's Columbian Exposition (also called The Chicago World's Fair) a World's Fair, was held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary For things named to honor Kazimierz Pułaski see Pulaski. Kazimierz Pułaski of Clan Ślepowron ( often written Casimir Pulaski Carl August Sandburg ( January 6, 1878 &ndash July 22, 1967) was an American writer and editor best known for his Poetry A serial killer is a person who Murders usually three or more people with a "cooling off" period between each murder and whose motivation for killing is largely based

Over the 2005 winter holidays, Stevens recorded an album with Rosie Thomas and Denison Witmer playing banjo and providing vocals. Rosie Thomas is an American Singer-songwriter, originally from Michigan. Denison Witmer is an indie Singer-songwriter from Lancaster Pennsylvania. In April 2006, Pitchfork erroneously announced that Stevens and Thomas were having a baby together, but were forced to print a retraction. ^[16][17][18] Witmer and Thomas later admitted it was an April Fools' prank. ^[19] In December 2006, the collaborative recordings were digitally released by Nettwerk as a Rosie Thomas album entitled These Friends of Mine. Nettwerk is a large Vancouver British Columbia based Record label and music management firm These Friends of Mine is the fourth Album by American singer-songwriter Rosie Thomas, released in 2006 The album was released in physical form on March 13, 2007. In April of 2007, in Brooklyn and Philadelphia Stevens made surprise unannounced appearances on Rosie's tour in support of this album.

On September 11, 2006 in Nashville, TN, Stevens debuted a new composition, a 10+ minute piece titled "Majesty Snowbird". Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[20][21] On November 21, 2006, a five CD box set Songs for Christmas was released, which contains originals and Christmas standards recorded every year since 2001 (except 2004). Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Songs for Christmas is a box set of five separate EPs of Christmas -related songs and carols recorded by independent musician Sufjan Stevens "Sufjan indulged in the project initially as an exercise to make himself 'appreciate' Christmas more"^[22] It seems Stevens was interested in the contrast between the excesses of Christmas and the spirit of it (or the "sacred and the profane"). The songs were the work of an annual collaboration between Stevens and different friends, including minister Vito Aiuto; the songs themselves were distributed to friends and family.

In 2007 he played shows sporadically, including playing at the Kennedy Center to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Millennium Stage concerts. The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (on the building itself called the John F ^[23] He was recently commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music to create a "music and film work" titled "The BQE", which will serve as "a symphonic and cinematic exploration of NYC’s infamous Brooklyn-Queens Expressway" which made its world premiere at BAM's Next Wave festival on November 1-3, 2007. Brooklyn Academy of Music ( BAM) is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant garde The Brooklyn Queens Expressway ( BQE) is an Expressway which runs from southern Brooklyn, New York to the Grand Central Parkway ^[24] Stevens has also worked as an essayist lately, contributing to Asthmatic Kitty Records' "Sidebar" feature and Topic Magazine. ^[25] He wrote the introduction to the 2007 edition of The Best American Nonrequired Reading, a short story about his early childhood education and learning to read entitled How I Trumped Rudolf Steiner and Overcame the Tribulations of Illiteracy, One Snickers Bar at a Time. ^[26][27]

Stevens has contributed to the music of Denison Witmer, Soul Junk, Half-handed Cloud, Brother Danielson, Danielson Famile, Serena Maneesh, Castanets, Shannon Stephens, and Liz Janes. Denison Witmer is an indie Singer-songwriter from Lancaster Pennsylvania. Soul-Junk is an experimental genre-hopping rock / hip hop group from San Diego, California. Half-handed Cloud is a band from Berkeley California. It was started as a one man band by John Ringhofer, who created the band For the borough in the US state of Connecticut, see Danielson Connecticut. For the borough in the US state of Connecticut, see Danielson Connecticut. Serena Maneesh (sometimes spelled Serena-Maneesh or shortened to S-M) is an alternative rockband from Oslo, Norway. Castanets is the musical project of Raymond Raposa a San Diego native currently residing in New York City. Shannon Stephens is a solo musician currently living in Seattle Washington. In 2007 alone, Stevens played piano on The National's album Boxer, produced and contributed many instrumental tracks to Rosie Thomas's album These Friends of Mine, multiple instruments on Ben + Vesper's album All This Could Kill You and oboe and vocals to David Garland's new album Noise in You. The National is a Brooklyn -based Indie rock band formed in 1999, by friends from Cincinnati Ohio. Boxer is the fourth studio album by Brooklyn -based Indie rock band The National. Rosie Thomas is an American Singer-songwriter, originally from Michigan. Userpolbot from http//bioguidecongressgov/scripts/biodisplaypl?index=G000066

He has contributed covers of Tim Buckley ("She Is"), Joni Mitchell ("A Free Man in Paris"), Daniel Johnston ("Worried Shoes"), John Fahey ("Variation on 'Commemorative Transfiguration & Communion at Magruder Park"), The Innocence Mission ("The Lakes of Canada") and The Beatles "What Goes On" to various tribute albums. Timothy Charles Buckley III (February 14 1947 – June 29 1975 was an experimental Vocalist and Musician who incorporated Jazz, Psychedelia Joni Mitchell, CC (born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7 1943) is a Canadian Musician, Songwriter, and Daniel Dale Johnston (born January 22 1961 is an American Singer, Songwriter, Musician, and Artist. John Fahey (February 28 1939 – February 22 2001 was an American Fingerstyle guitarist and composer who pioneered the steel-string guitar as a solo The Innocence Mission is a band centered on the husband-and-wife songwriters Karen Peris ( Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards) and Don Peris The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 His versions of "A Free Man in Paris" and "What Goes On" are notable for only retaining the lyrics of the original, as Stevens has taken his own interpretation on the melody and arrangement. His rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" has a similar rearranged melody and arrangement as well as a whole new verse. " The Star-Spangled Banner " is the National anthem of the United States of America ^[28]

The Fifty States Project

Original album cover of Illinois featuring depiction of Superman

Beginning with Michigan, Stevens announced an intent to write an album for each of the 50 U.S. states, although in interviews he wavers between utter sincerity and self-deprecating irony when describing the idea. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government

Stevens spent the second half of 2004 researching and writing material for the second of these projects, this time focusing his efforts on Illinois. As with Michigan, Stevens used the state of Illinois as a leaping-off point for his more personal explorations of faith, family, love, and location. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Though slated for general release on July 5, 2005, the album was briefly delayed by legal issues regarding the use of Superman in the original album cover artwork. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon In the double vinyl release, a balloon sticker has been placed over Superman on the cover art of the first 5,000 copies. The next printings had an empty space where the Superman image was, as with the CD release. ^[29]

The widely acclaimed Illinois was the highest-rated album of 2005 on the Metacritic review aggregator site, based on glowing reviews from Pitchfork, The Onion A/V Club, Spin, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, KEXP, and The Guardian. Metacritic is a Website that collates reviews of music Albums games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and Books. Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork, is a Chicago -based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary For the vegetable see Onion. The Onion is an American " fake news " organization Spin is a Music Magazine that reports on Music for Life Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry Entertainment Weekly (sometimes abbreviated as EW) is a Magazine published by Time Inc Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published KEXP (903 FM) is a public Radio station based in Seattle Washington, that specializes in independent and Alternative rock programmed The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ^[30] The 2006 PLUG Independent Music Awards awarded Stevens with the Album Of The Year, Best Album Art/Packaging, and Male Artist Of The Year. The PLUG Independent Music Awards, or just PLUG Awards, began in 2001 as a "cartel" of music lovers ranging from DJs and managers to indie Pitchfork Media, No Ripcord, and Paste Magazine named Illinois as the editors' choice for best album of 2005 and Stevens received the 2005 Pantheon prize, awarded to noteworthy albums selling fewer than 500,000 copies, for Illinois. Paste is a monthly Music and Entertainment Magazine published in the United States by Paste Media Group LLC ^[31] In April of 2006, Stevens announced that 21 pieces of music he had culled from the Illinois recording sessions would be incorporated into a new album, called The Avalanche,^[32] which was released on July 11, 2006. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

The next states to be taken on in the project have been reported as Oregon and Rhode Island. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States ^[33] In late 2005 and early 2006 Stevens played a new instrumental track titled "The Maple River". There are various Maple Rivers in the US so the particular river mentioned in the title of the song could suggest plans for Minnesota, Iowa, North or South Dakota or, already completed state, Michigan. Maple River may refer to Rivers Maple River (Iowa, a tributary of the Little Sioux River in the U The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Minnesota ( Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. North Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. There is also evidence to suggest the possibility of a New York album. Not only is Stevens' current residence in New York City, but at the footnote of his writing piece entitled "Friend Rock", Stevens stated that he was reading a biography on Robert Moses, who is a notable New Yorker. Robert Moses ( December 18 1888 – July 29 1981) was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long ^[34] In late 2007, Stevens debuted several new songs about New York, including "BQE", a track about the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The Brooklyn Queens Expressway ( BQE) is an Expressway which runs from southern Brooklyn, New York to the Grand Central Parkway

Stevens made brief mention to a possible collaboration with Asthmatic Kitty labelmate Rafter on an album about California^[35] in a recent interview. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Stevens also recorded "The Lord God Bird"^[36] about the ivory-billed woodpecker rediscovered in Arkansas (known as the 'lord god' or 'great god' bird because of its breathtaking appearance). The Ivory-billed Woodpecker ( Campephilus principalis) a very large member of the Woodpecker family, Picidae, is officially listed as an Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. This was in connection with a National Public Radio piece in which "independent radio producers Dan Collison and Elizabeth Meister were curious about how Stevens writes his songs. "

"Sufjan Stevens is not going to write a record for each of the 50 states after all" was the original text included on the online liner notes for their Mews Too: An Asthmatic Kitty Compilation disc released on February 7, 2006. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[37] This statement was possibly included as a joke, as the text has since been removed and the current liner notes related to Stevens reads, "18. Sufjan Stevens can fold a fitted-sheet (he once worked as a professional folder in a commercial laundromat). "

In an article published on February 24, 2008 in New York Magazine, Sufjan seemed to indicate that New Jersey would be the target of his next state project. After Sufjan gave a brief quote about the New Jersey turnpike, he was asked, "So is this the next musical project?" Sufjan replied, "New Jersey, the musical-- an ode to the turnpike. "^[38]

The BQE

On May 31, 2007, Asthmatic Kitty announced that Stevens would be premiering a new project entitled The BQE in early November 2007. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Asthmatic Kitty is an American independent Record label founded in 1999 by a community of musicians from Holland, Michigan The project, dubbed a "symphonic and cinematic exploration of New York City's infamous Brooklyn-Queens Expressway", was manifested in a live show. The Brooklyn Queens Expressway ( BQE) is an Expressway which runs from southern Brooklyn, New York to the Grand Central Parkway The BQE featured an original film by Stevens (shot in Super 8 mm film), while Stevens and a backing orchestra provided the live soundtrack. Super 8 mm film, also simply called Super 8, is a motion picture film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak as an improvement of the The performance used 36 performers which included a small band, a wind and brass ensemble, string players, horn players, and hula-hoopers. There were no lyrics to the music. The BQE was commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music as part of their Next Wave Festival and performed on three consecutive nights from November 1–3, 2007. Brooklyn Academy of Music ( BAM) is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant garde

The performance sold out the 2,109 seat BAM Opera House without any advertising. ^[39] After three weeks of rehearsing the piece with the three dozen musicians^[40] involved he presented the 30-minute composition. The BQE was followed by an additional one hour of concert by Stevens and his orchestra.

Spiritual themes

Many of Stevens' songs have spiritual allusions. Stevens says he does not try to make music for the sake of preaching. "I don't think music media is the real forum for theological discussions," says Stevens. "I think I've said things and sung about things that probably weren't appropriate for this kind of forum. And I just feel like it's not my work or my place to be making claims and statements, because I often think it's misunderstood. "^[41]

Such themes are most notable on his album Seven Swans, the songs "Abraham", "Seven Swans", "To Be Alone With You", "He Woke Me Up Again", "We Won't Need Legs to Stand" and "The Transfiguration" directly address Christianity . Seven Swans is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens. It includes songs about Abraham and Christ 's Transfiguration, among In "Abraham", Stevens recounts the Old Testament story in the Book of Genesis. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. The Binding of Isaac, in Genesis, is a story from the Hebrew Bible in which God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah The lyrics of "The Transfiguration" follow the Biblical accounts of Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9: 1-8, and Luke 9:28-36. ^[42] The title of "All The Trees Of The Fields Will Clap Their Hands" is a quote from Isaiah 55:12. ^[43]

During a summer 2004 interview with Adrian Pannett for Comes with a Smile magazine, when asked how important faith was to his music, he responded, "I don't like talking about that stuff in the public forum because, I think, certain themes and convictions are meant for personal conversation. "^[44]

Discography

Studio albums

Notes

• A Sun Came was re-released on July 20, 2004. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard Top Heatseekers is a weekly albums chart introduced by Billboard in 1993 whose purpose is to highlight sales by new and developing musical recording artists See also 2000 in music (UK Musical groups established in 2000 Record labels A Sun Came is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens, released in 2000 See also 2001 in music (UK Musical groups established in 2001 Record labels Enjoy Your Rabbit is a 2001 Electronic music album by Sufjan Stevens. See also 2003 in music (UK Musical groups established in 2003 Record labels Michigan (2003 (full title "Greetings from Michigan The Great Lake State" is a Concept album by Sufjan Stevens, with songs referencing cities See also 2004 in music (UK Musical groups established in 2004 Record labels Seven Swans is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens. It includes songs about Abraham and Christ 's Transfiguration, among Events January 1 - In most of Europe copyright expired on a number of classic pop and rock-and-roll songs recorded in 1954 and earlier including This is a list of notable events in Music that took place in the year 2006. This is a list of notable events in Music that took place in the year 2006. Songs for Christmas is a box set of five separate EPs of Christmas -related songs and carols recorded by independent musician Sufjan Stevens Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
• Enjoy Your Rabbit was re-released June 8, 2004. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
• Michigan was released on vinyl on September 20, 2004. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
• Illinois was released on vinyl on November 21, 2005. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
• The Avalanche is also known as The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album.
• As of July 2006, Stevens can no longer appear on the Top Heatseekers chart, as The Avalanche appeared in the Billboard Top 100. Top Heatseekers is a weekly albums chart introduced by Billboard in 1993 whose purpose is to highlight sales by new and developing musical recording artists

Singles

• "The Dress Looks Nice on You" (7″ vinyl single) (Rough Trade Records, 2004)

Compilation appearances

• "All Delighted People" (Eye of the Beholder Vol. Seven Swans is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens. It includes songs about Abraham and Christ 's Transfiguration, among Rough Trade Records began as an Independent record label, based in London, England. 1, Tract Records, October 3, 2000)
• "Woman at the Well", "(Year of the) Ox", and "Far Physician's Son" (8. 21. a blue bunny compilation, Blue Bunny Records, 2000)
• "Damascus" (Seen/Unseen, Absalom Recordings, September 25, 2001)
• "The First Full Moon", "God'll Ne'er Let You Down", "Bushwick Junkie", "I Can't Even Lift My Head" (To Spirit Back The Mews, Asthmatic Kitty Records, 2002)
• "For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti" (Rough Trade Shops: Counter Culture 03: Best Of 2003, Rough Trade Records, February 2, 2004)
• "Borderline" (Hope Isn't a Word, Comes With a Smile, 2004)
• "To Be Alone With You" (Music from the OC: Mix 4, Warner Bros. Rough Trade Records began as an Independent record label, based in London, England. Music from the OC Mix 4 is a music compilation from the TV series The O /Wea, 2005)
• "What Goes On" (This Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul, Razor & Tie, October 2005)
• "She Is" (Dream Brother: The Songs of Tim and Jeff Buckley, Full Time Hobby, October 3, 2005)
• "Opie's Funeral Song" (Mews Too: An Asthmatic Kitty Compilation, Asthmatic Kitty, February 7, 2006)
• "Variation on 'Commemorative Transfiguration & Communion at Magruder Park'" (I Am the Resurrection: A Tribute to John Fahey, Vanguard, February 14, 2006)
• "The Friendly Beasts" (See You on the Moon! Songs for Kids of All Ages, Paper Bag Records, March 21, 2006)
• "Adlai Stevenson" (The Sound the Hare Heard, Kill Rock Stars, May 9, 2006)
• "Casimir Pulaski Day" (Guitar And Voice For Rainy Days, Volume 2, Your Musicland, 2006)
• "Free Man in Paris" (A Tribute to Joni Mitchell, Nonesuch, April 24, 2007)
• "Ring Them Bells" ( I'm Not There: Original Soundtrack , Columbia, 2007)
• "Chicago" and "No Man's Land" Little Miss Sunshine, Directors: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, August 18th 2006)
• "Decatur, Or, Round of Applause for your Stepmother!" (Folk Off: New Folk And Psychedelia From The British Isles And North America Compiled By Rob Da Bank (2006))
• "In the Words of the Governor" (The Believer, music compilation CD, June/July 2007)^[45]

Collaborations

• Serena Maneesh by Serena Maneesh (HoneyMilk Records, August 29, 2005) (Sufjan Stevens - flute, marimba)
• Done Gone Fire by Liz Janes (Asthmatic Kitty Records, September 6, 2005) (Sufjan Stevens - producer and performer)
• These Friends of Mine by Rosie Thomas (Sub Pop Records, December 12, 2006) (Sufjan Stevens - producer and performer)
• "Racing Like a Pro" and "Ada" from Boxer by The National (Beggars Banquet Records, May 22, 2007) (Sufjan Stevens - piano)

Miscellaneous releases

• Michigan Outtakes (first available as free mp3 download on Stevens' website; now included on the vinyl version of Michigan)^[46]
• "The Lord God Bird" (National Public Radio website, July 6, 2005)

Samples

• A complete FLAC and VBR MP3 live recording of "Many Guides" from the compilation Recordings from CKLN's 'Wired for Sound': 2001-2002 is available from Archive.org. CKLN is a Canadian campus / Community radio station owned by CKLN Radio Inc
• Listen to the "Songs for Christmas" box set, Streaming on Asthmatic Kitty's web site.
• Various free and legal Sufjan Stevens MP3s available for download at Discollective.

References

Further reading

• Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, First printing, Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 875. Peabody (pronunciation ˈpiːbədi is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.  

External links

• Sufjan Stevens - official site
• Asthmatic Kitty - label page
• Sounds Familyre - label page
• Purevolume - official Purevolume site
• All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! - informative fan site
• Photos from Town Hall
• Interview with Sufjan Stevens by Gerry Visco, New York Press, "Give Me Your Ugly"