Sufjan Too

The Avalanche is a followup album to Illinois (or more properly, Come on! Feel the Illinoise). Sufjan is a highly prolific musician, and discards many more songs than make it on his albums.

The Avalanche uses more electronic music than Illinois, almost retro electronic music, from the 60s or 70s. Sufjan is no stranger to electronic music, having released the electronic album, Enjoy Your Rabbit, perhaps his least successful album (that's the one album of his that I've yet to buy).

There are many aspects that are similar to Illinois as befits an album that purports to have outtakes from the first. Indeed, it's difficult, I imagine, for Sufjan to come up with new stuff all the time. While it seemed like a lesser effort, the electronic stuff is at least something different that unites the entire album.

I was a bit surprised at the variations of Chicago, one of my favorite songs from the Illinois album. I had thought he might play around with the actual notes, but mostly changes the background music, rather than the notes of the song.

I wonder if Sufjan will try to take bolder moves in future albums, for example, use more piano, electric guitars, orchestral pieces, or lean more to the banjo, which sounds far more respectable these days than usual (Sufjan isn't exactly a technician on an instrument that is effectively the bluegrass weapon of choice).

It's too bad Sufjan's rather private of his life. It seems that he is a chameleon, taking on the various incarantions that people want him to be. For example, some Christians want him to represent Christian music. Sufjan has said that he is indeed Christian and that it has importance in his life, but like many Christians, he may not lead a perfect life, having had perhaps a few adventures that he'd rather not see discussed in print. He's hinted at a lifestyle and experience that perhaps wouldn't be seen so positively, so he's wisely kept to making music.

Sufjan is also touring. He won't go to DC this year. He's touring in the US, then heading to Europe and touring their as well, ending his trip in Reykjavik in Iceland, which is where band Sigur Ros is from.

Anyway, I should give the album a few more listens to see if I like it better. Certainly, a second listen is helping.