New Sufjan Stevens EP available now

[PhilsFan]

I'm gonna try to listen to this shit today. Hoping it's as good as the choir's been preaching.

 

[corianderstem]

My bank account is dictating that I must wait until payday tomorrow to buy this.

 

[u2popmofo]

It's $7.99 at Best Buy, if you have one of those near, Cori.

 

[corianderstem]

holy cannoli, that's cheap. Thanks!

 

[LemonMelon]

I've gotten NLOTH and Embryonic at Best Buy on their release date for that price. Last time I was there it was Interpol's newest being advertised or something, so I wasn't all that interested.

 

[u2popmofo]

I'm surprised Asthmatic Kitty didn't single out Best Buy as well.

The new Belle and Sebastian is only $7.99 there this week as well.

 

[corianderstem]

If it's that cheap at Best Buy, it's probably $9.99 at my local store. I like to buy stuff there, but as I'm already planning on going to Target on Saturday, I can pop into the Best Buy because it's right next door. Yay.

 

[PhilsFan]

Not very impressed on first listen. Some good stuff mixed in with some annoying stuff.

 

[LemonMelon]

Not very impressed on first listen. Some good stuff mixed in with some annoying stuff.

That's how I felt on first listen a couple weeks ago. I won't be listening to it again until I have the lyrics in front of me though, which I figure could make a significant difference.

 

[LMP]

Finished my first listen about 20 minutes ago and thought it was brilliant. Still trying to form more concrete thoughts on it though.

 

[u2popmofo]

After the EP, my hopes weren't super high, but I like the album quite a bit. I feel like Impossible Soul is far to long for what it is though. Everything else is great though.

 

[joyfulgirl]

That's how I felt on first listen a couple weeks ago. I won't be listening to it again until I have the lyrics in front of me though, which I figure could make a significant difference.

There are no lyrics with the CD.

Unless they're buried somewhere in the annoying artwork.

But I absolutely love it. I Walked, Now That I'm Older, Get Real Get Right, and Vesuvius are the stand out tracks for me at the moment.

I also picked up the new Belle & Sebastian for $7.99 but haven't listened to it yet.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Hey JT, how are his concert t-shirts? I'm seeing him tonight and want to know if I should bring more than beer money?

I'm sure you've probably left for the show by now (sorry, long day at work), but it was the saddest merchandise table in the history of concerts. Only a few CDs. No vinyl, no posters, no tshirts

 

[Jive Turkey]

That stinks, JT. But as you said, I guess it should be expected to some point. We can't expect him to perform the exact same shows he was doing for the last album. What older songs did he play, by the way?

Adding to Dalton's merchandise questions, were they selling physical copies of All Delighted People? I thought I remember reading they'd be selling them at the shows, but I may be mistaken.

Actually, now that I think of it, they did have some vinyl, but it sold out before I got there. I think they had All Delighted People on vinyl (and also on CD) and also Michigan, Illinoise, and BQE on both formats

And he ended the main part of the concert with Chicago, which was pretty wicked, the came out for an encore of Concerning the UFO Sighting... (stoked he played that) and John Wayne Gacy Jr. All of which were awesome. Only three, but they were a good three. Could've played a little something from Michigan for me, but I guess he and I arent as tight as I thought we were

 

[joyfulgirl]

And he ended the main part of the concert with Chicago, which was pretty wicked, the came out for an encore of Concerning the UFO Sighting (stoked he played that) and John Wayne Gacy Jr. All of which were awesome. Only three, but they were a good three. Could've played a little something from Michigan for me, but I guess he and I arent as tight as I thought we were

I think I might have been satisfied hearing the new record plus these three (John Wayne Gacy being one of my favorites) now that I know I could expect that but you're right, it would have been a bummer to not know in advance and have different expectations. I've been trying to score a ticket for a sold out Denver show but now maybe I won't stress out about it. Sorry you were bummed but it sounds like it had some high points. I've never seen him at all.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Well I hope you're able to get tickets. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It really was a weird and wonderful experience. Now that you know what to expect, you'll be able to enjoy it for what it is..... and Heirloom

 

[Jive Turkey]

for those that are interested, the setlist:

Spoiler

All Delighted People
Heirloom
Too Much
Futile Devices
Age of Adz
I Walked
Now That I'm Older
Vesuvius
Get Real, Get Right
Enchanting Ghost
The Owl and the Tanager
Impossible Soul
Chicago
Encore:
Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland
John Wayne Gacy J

 

[corianderstem]

Spoiler

That was the closing song? God, I would have been a blubbering mess. What a way to end a concert. Saddest song about a serial killer ever.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Ya, he definitely won me over with the last tune I stood with the rest of them for the ovation

 

[Jive Turkey]

ha! I'm pretty sure I was the 'random punter' this reviewer overheard outside the venue:

Superchunk -

Thought my amendment was closer to saying he 'had the balls' to play only new songs

 

[joyfulgirl]

ha! I'm pretty I was the 'random punter' this reviewer overheard outside the venue:

Superchunk -

Thought my amendment was closer to saying he 'had the balls' to play only new songs

Damn, that review makes me want to try harder to get tickets. Thanks, Random Punter!

 

[PhilsFan]

The Fatherless in Ypsilanti should be a staple of his setlists. It's got a bit of a personal layer for me, but that song is fucking beautiful.

 

[u2popmofo]

But I absolutely love it. I Walked, Now That I'm Older, Get Real Get Right, and Vesuvius are the stand out tracks for me at the moment.

Why did you not mention Futile Devices and Too Much?

The new Belle and Sebastian is fantastic, by the way.

 

[Imperor]

"Get Real, Get Right" is the only song on the record I actively dislike.

No Seven Swans or Michigan tunes is a bummer, but that won't stop me from trying to snag tickets for Tuesday's show.

 

[Dalton]

The Fatherless in Ypsilanti should be a staple of his setlists. It's got a bit of a personal layer for me, but that song is fucking beautiful.

Yup.

Ok. Let me just say that I fully agree with JT. While I love the new stuff, the lack of any sort of nod to his past made it a bit of a dull evening. That said, this was the first show that I've gone to that I've had more fun watching the audience. I was back by the soundboard, so I had a great view of both the stage and the crowd.

It was clear from the very beginning that many, many people in the audience had not heard his new stuff and as he came out and started with All Delighted People, people in the audience were yelling at one another and shrugging. By the time he got to Too Much for his 3rd song, people were actively confused. Right before the 5th(?) song (age of adz), he announced he wasn't going to be playing any older stuff because he was so excited about his new stuff, some people started to leave. But the real gem moment of the night came right as he was introducing the last song of the opening set Impossible Soul. He told the audience that the whole show had been building to this moment and some guy stage left screams, "Play something off your other albums, FUCKER!" Of course, he doesn't. Instead he plays a 30 minute version of Impossible Soul complete with Devo style glasses, singing in autotune, a paper mache diamond that descends from the ceiling (which his back up dancers do silhouettes through) and Sufjan doing an uncomfortable middle-school-boy-trying-out-his-dance-moves-in-his-bedroom-dance. By that point people over 30 started leaving in droves while the little Indie kids raged. Art's not supposed to be fun you know! And how in the hell are they expected to dance in skinny jeans? WTF Sufjan?!?!?!?!?!

But, they did have a few t-shirts available. I bought one even though it isn't very cool.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Ok...well...maybe this show isn't roadtrip-worthy after all.

 

[u2popmofo]

In his defense, Illinoise did come out 5 years ago, and he primarily played songs from it when he toured then. I can't, especially as a poster on this forum, fault an artist for focusing on their new material live. If U2 were doing it, we'd all think it was the greatest thing ever, while all the fair weather fans bitched and moaned like Dalton witnessed at the Sujfan Stivins show.

 

[PhilsFan]

Everything in moderation.

 

[joyfulgirl]

If U2 were doing it, we'd all think it was the greatest thing ever,

Uh...no.

But I agree with you otherwise. For me the fact that people would be bitching and leaving during the show would make for a less enjoyable evening; that's more what I meant about it not being road-trip worthy. I would actually love to hear him play the whole record straight through and then pull out a few older songs for encores but not if people are bitching and moaning and leaving.

And that would be kind of shocking if you hadn't heard the record yet and didn't recognize anything until the encores. One couldn't help but be disappointed, but now that I own the record and love it, I wouldn't mind at all.

 

[Jive Turkey]

People left during the Toronto show too. There were 5 people in the row infront of me that werent there by the end (and didnt appear to be together). My girlfriend said she saw a few other empty rows too. I can understand why some of you guys are defending the choice to play all new material. It's an interesting idea. I just think he needed to label it as such. "Age of Adz Live" or something along those lines. There was a point during the show, about 10 songs in, where most of the band left the stage, sufjan picked up the acoustic and said something like "oh, looks like Sufjan is going to be playing one of his depressing acoustic numbers" and the crowd went crazy. It's what the vast majority were there for. You could tell there was an uneasy feeling in the audience around the 5th song or so when people realized what he was doing. It will be interesting to see if he continues with this format for the remainder of the tour.

Oh, and I nearly forgot. After the show, outside the venue, there was this middle aged asian woman selling Sufjan t-shirts. She kept yelling "ten dolla, ten dolla". It took every ounce of strength for me not to yell out "What do I get for ten dollars?"