Sufjan Stevens – Ten Years On
A month or so ago I wrote a retrospective on Sufjan Stevens’ album Michigan for Tone Deaf. It’s one of my favourite albums of all-time, and it was a rewarding and interesting experience to write an article about it, and investigate its origins further.
Last year I completed a four month long internship with the music website, Tone Deaf. It was a rewarding way to apply many of the things I’ve learned so far at uni in a practical sense, such as in interviews, reviews, and news-writing, and I’ve been able to continue this through being a writer and columnist for Tone Deaf. I was able to meet a lot of wonderful people and it really helped me to realise that writing, in some shape or form, is what I want to do for a profession.
One of the things that I love most about Sufjan’s music is the extensive backstories and historical facts that he includes in them. While you don’t need to know these to appreciate his wonderful music, they help to add layers to the songs, and I found this across Michigan. The songs are all based on Sufjan’s own experiences and upbringing in Michigan, as well as the state’s history.
On ‘Flint’, he details the problems of unemployment and homelessness that has pervaded the city, and his vulnerable and faltering vocals are just brilliant. Every song is meaningful and emotional, and the album as a whole is addictive and serene.
While many see Illinois as Sufjan’s best piece of work, it’s hard for me to go past Michigan. It’s just so intimate, emotional, and delicately crafted, and I always find something new on each repeated listen (which happens a lot).