The American Music Scene Messiah
My review for this week is Sufjan Steven's, Avalanche, which is a five-star effort. It's a B-sides and lost tracks album from highly acclaimed, Come on Feel the Illinoise release in 2005. The albumed is centered on the track one-side one title ballad The Avalanche and poetically moves from airy bluegrass to space rock, jazz inspired acoustica to falsetto-laden folk anthems. In a word, the album is brilliant, perhaps even more complete of an album that Illinoise was. Blasphemy...perhaps, but let me explain my reasoning. Someone recently asked me why I like Candian rock so much. You see, I literally stumble upon excellent music (Arcade Fire, Hawksley Workman, Broken Social Scene, Stars, the previously reviewed Sam Roberts) and later discover its Candian origin. It's a strange phenomenon. I'm drawn to these bands because of a certain ethos in the music. I feel the same way about Brit rock. Perhaps you've heard the new rock sensations The Arctic Monkeys. Yup, cool sound, but nothing special. What makes them cool is that they exemplify the British sound. If a Chicago band played the same songs the same ways, it wouldn't work. You can't fake style. Heck even France has a very distinct rock indy scene. What is American style though? The answer, well, it's confused. I myself don't like the fact that as an American music lover, I am assocaited with Nelly Furtado, the White Stripes, and Korn. Enter Sufjan Stevens. When I listen to Avalanche, I hear the fourth, and most complete, major offering from an artist who is thoroughly himself. He's not a British wannabe; he's a unique American musician. I haven't felt this proud to be an American music lover since Weezer Blue Album came out. Sufjan has a style all his own, and I hope that the American Indie scene continues to listen closely to him. He may be the Messiah of American Indie style. My suggestion, buy The Avalanche today, and keep it close by to remind you of where American Indie music should and could be heading.
1 Comments:
Wow, you really love this CD Lars. Why don't you marry it?
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