Judging by the way Mr. Stevens flies off the shelves, we figure there are more than a few Sufjan fans stopping by
Decatur CD on a regular basis. As such, we also assume said fans would be interested in knowing that ol' Sufie will release
The Avalanche: Extras and Outtakes from the Illinois Album on July 25th. Apparently, the prolific songwriter had quite a bit of leftover material from the
Illinois sessions, and we benefit because of this. Read the press release for more information, including track listing:
Sufjan Stevens set to release The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album in July
Asthmatic Kitty Records has announced plans to release a new collection of songs from Sufjan Stevens, titled The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album which will hit shelves on July 25, 2006.
The little secret behind the Illinois record is that it was originally conceived as a double album, culminating in a musical collage of nearly 50 songs. But as the project began to develop into an unwieldy epic, common sense weighed in—as did the opinions of others—and the project was cut in half. But as 2005 came to a close, Sufjan returned to the old, forsaken songs on his 8-track like a grandfather remembering his youth, indulging in old journals and newspaper clippings. What he uncovered went beyond the merits of nostalgia; it was more like an ensemble of capricious friends and old acquaintances wearing party outfits, waiting to be let in at the front door, for warm drinks and interesting conversation. Among them were Saul Bellow, Ann Landers, Adlai Stevenson, and a brief cameo from Henry Darger's Vivian Girls. The gathering that followed would become the setting for the songs on The Avalanche.
Sufjan gleaned 21 useable tracks from the abandoned material, including three alternate versions of Chicago. Some songs were in finished form, others were merely outlines, gesture drawings, or musical scribbles mumbled on a hand-held tape recorder. Most of the material required substantial editing, new arrangements or vocals. Much of the work was done at the end of 2005 or in January the following year. Sufjan invited many of the original Illinoisemakers to fill in the edges: drums, trumpet, a choir of singers. The centerpiece, of course, was the title track—"The Avalanche"—a song intended for the leading role on the Illinois album but eventually cut and placed as a bonus track on the vinyl release (also on iTunes). In his rummaging through old musical memorabilia, Sufjan began to use this song as a meditation on the editorial process, returning to old forms, knee-deep in debris, sifting rocks and river water for an occasional glint of gold. "I call ye cabin neighbors," the song bemuses, "I call you once my friends." And like an avid social organizer, Sufjan took in all the odd musical misfits and gathered them together for a party of their own, like good friends.
A careful listener may uncover the obvious trend on this record: almost every song on the Illinois album has a counterpart on the outtakes. Carl Sandburg arm-wrestles Saul Bellow. The aliens landing near Highland salute Clyde Tombaugh, the man who discovered Pluto. The loneliness of "Casimir Pulaski Day" deepens even further in the foreboding soundtrack to "Pittsfield." At its best, The Avalanche is an exercise in form, revealing the working habits of one of the most productive songwriters today. As an illustration, the avalanche refers to the snow and rubble that falls off the side of a mountain, or, in this case, the musical debris generously chucked from an abundant epic. It's unlikely you'll find a mountain in the Prairie State so the metaphor will have to do. Also, Sufjan has still not made an official decision on the next state in his epic 50 States project, but we will keep you posted.
TRACK LIST:
1. The Avalanche (3:14)
2. Dear Mr Supercomputer (4:40)
3. Adlai Stevenson (2:34)
4. The Vivian Girls Are Visited In the Night by Saint Dargarius and his
Squadron of Benevolent Butterflies (1:49)
5. Chicago (acoustic version) (4:40)
6. The Henney Buggy Band (3:16)
7. Saul Bellow (2:53)
8. Carlyle Lake (3:15)
9. Springfield, or Bobby Got a Shadfly Caught in his Hair (4:17)
10. The Mistress Witch from McClure (or, The Mind That Knows Itself) (3:24)
11. Kaskaskia River (2:15)
12. Chicago (adult contemporary easy listening version) (6:06)
13. Inaugural Pop Music for Jane Margaret Byrne (1:25)
14.No Man's Land (4:45)
15. The Palm Sunday Tornado Hits Crystal Lake (1:38)
16. The Pick-up (3:23)
17. The Perpetual Self, or "What Would Saul Alinsky Do?" (2:24)
18. For Clyde Tombaugh (3:43)
19. Chicago (Multiple Personality Disorder version) (4:35)
20. Pittsfield (6:41)
21. The Undivided Self (for Eppie and Popo) (4:59)
(Total 75:55)
Next week's new release list is coming a little early this time around, as our blogdaddy supremo and Chairman of the New Release Committee, Austin L. Ray, will be taking off for a few days, retiring to the desert for the best music festival in the country, Coachella. Luckily, before he begins hobnobbing with Madonna, Kanye West, Daft Punk and so many others, he's going to dictate the new release list to yours truly. Once Tuesday arrives, we'll have new music on our shelves from all of the following:
