| Sufjan Stevens |
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Information AboutSufjan Stevens |
Sufjan (SOOF-yon) '''Stevens''' (born July 1 , 1975 ) is an American musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Detroit, Michigan . His lyrically-focused songs deal with subjects such as faith and family. Stevens has announced plans to make an album for each of the 50 U.S. State s, of which '' Michigan '' and '' Illinois '' have been the first two. BACKGROUND Sufjan has stated his name is of Armenian origin and means "comes with a sword," and that it is "a charming militaristic Muslim name"; however, the name Sufjan (usually rendered "Soof-yon" in English) is actually an Arabic/Persian name that predates Islam and most famously belonged to the figure from early in Islamic history, Abu Sufyan . It has been mentioned in the press that the name was given to Stevens by the leader of a spiritual sect to which his parents belonged when he was born. He grew up in Michigan and attended Hope College on the west coast of Michigan. There is occasionally the misconception that he is the son of Cat Stevens . CAREER Sufjan Stevens began his musical career as a member of Marzuki , a folk-rock band from Holland, Michigan . He also played various instruments for The Danielson Famile . 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 step-father. He later moved to New York City , where he was enrolled in a writing program at the New School For Social Research . 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 . Stevens followed this with the first of his 50 states albums, a collection of folk songs and instrumentals inspired by his home state of Michigan. The result, the expansive '' Michigan '', included odes to cities including Detroit and Flint , the Upper Peninsula , and vacation areas such as Tahquamenon Falls . 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. His most recent full length album is the second in the 50 states projects, entitled '' Illinois ''. Among the subjects explored on '' Illinois '' are the cities of Chicago , Decatur and Jacksonville , the Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy , the poet Carl Sandburg , and Mississippi Palisades State Park {Link without Title} . He has contributed to the music of Denison Witmer , Soul Junk , Half-handed Cloud , Brother Danielson , Danielson Famile , Serena Maneesh , Castanets, and Liz Janes. A cover of Tim Buckley 's "She Is" is included on the album ''Dream Brother'', released in the US on January 31, 2006. Sufjan recently recorded with Rosie Thomas and Denison Witmer playing banjo and providing vocals. It is unknown how this record will be released. Lyrics John Wayne Gracy Jr. His father was a drinker And his mother cried in bed Folding John Wayne's T-shirts When the swingset hit his head The neighbors they adored him For his humor and his conversation Look underneath the house there Find the few living things Rotting fast in their sleep of the dead Twenty-seven people, even more They were boys with their cars, summer jobs Oh my God Are you one of them? He dressed up like a clown for them With his face paint white and red And on his best behavior In a dark room on the bed he kissed them all He'd kill ten thousand people With a sleight of his hand Running far, running fast to the dead He took off all their clothes for them He put a cloth on their lips Quiet hands, quiet kiss On the mouth And in my best behavior I am really just like him Look beneath the floorboards For the secrets I have hid The Fifty States Project Beginning with ''Michigan'', Stevens announced an intent to write an album for each of the 50 U.S. State s, although in interviews he wavers between utter sincerity and self-deprecating irony when describing the idea. '' featuring depiction of Superman]] Stevens spent the second half of 2004 researching and writing material for the second of these projects, this time focusing his efforts on Illinois , where he has never lived. 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. 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. In the double vinyl release, a balloon sticker has been placed over Superman on the cover art of the first 5,000 copies. It is assumed that the next printing will have the balloons on the cover instead of Superman or it will be empty, as with the CD release. {Link without Title} The widely acclaimed ''Illinois'' was the highest rated album of 2005 on the awarded Stevens with the Album Of The Year, Best Album Art/Packaging, and Male Artist Of The Year. Pitchfork Media named ''Illinois'' as the editors' choice for best album of 2005 and Stevens received the 2005 Pantheon prize, awarded to albums selling 500,000 copies or less, for Illinois. 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''. {Link without Title} . The album is due for release on July 11, 2006. The next states to be taken on in the project have been reported as rediscovered in Arkansas —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 disc released on February 7, 2006. {Link without Title} . This statement was possibly included as a joke, as the text has since been removed and the current liner notes related to Sufjan Stevens reads, "18. Sufjan Stevens can fold a fitted-sheet (he once worked as a professional folder in a commercial Laundromat)." Religious themes Many of Stevens's songs have religious allusions, and his album Seven Swans has the most religious material on it. Stevens has expressed that he belongs to the Christian faith, but does not overtly advertise this aspect of himself in his music or otherwise, due in part to some people's belief that the Christian Rock genre produces a lower quality of music. Stevens has also stated that he does not try to make music with a message or 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." DISCOGRAPHY Studio Releases
Other Releases
Charts Album - Billboard (North America) SAMPLES
SEE ALSO Pitchfork Media's Dear Mr. Supercomputer download from the upcoming The Avalanche. {Link without Title} FOOTNOTES |
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