Rosie Thomas And Sufjan Stevens - say hello live, 2006

"The album was recorded over a two-year period in a Brooklyn apartment that Thomas shared with Stevens and Witmer, and includes cover versions of R.E.M.'s "The One I Love" and Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird"."

Sufjan Stevens - run away with me, 2020

"The Ascension is more weary than angry, with Stevens fighting against hopelessness while trying to cheer himself with kaleidoscopic arrangements as danceable as anything in his catalog."

Sufjan Stevens - video game, 2020

"Video Game" is a song written, recorded, and produced by American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens for his eighth studio album, The Ascension (2020). It was released as the album's second single on August 13, 2020, through Stevens' Asthmatic Kitty label. It has been called a synth-pop song with lyrics that describe the effects of social media upon society."

Sufjan Stevens - tell me you love me, 2020

"This song is lyrically and melodically simple, but sometimes less is more."

Sufjan Stevens - ativan, 2020

"Lorazepam, sold under the brand name Ativan among others, is a benzodiazepine medication. It is used to treat anxiety (including anxiety disorders), insomnia, severe agitation, active seizures including status epilepticus, alcohol withdrawal, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting."

Sufjan Stevens - ursa major, 2020

"Ursa Major is visible throughout the year from most of the Northern Hemisphere, and appears circumpolar above the mid-northern latitudes. From southern temperate latitudes, the main asterism is invisible, but the southern parts of the constellation can still be viewed."

Sufjan Stevens - landslide, 2020

"Absolutely loving the album, but I do wish there were some more tracks like it throughout. It comes as a respite from the overwhelming sadness and droning, while still staying true to the sound of the album. Also, the guitar solo is amazing."

Sufjan Stevens - goodbye to all that, 2020

"He takes us on a sonic journey through anxiety, questioning his steadfast embracement of religion, and, in total Stevens fashion, death, and though none of it is particularly joyful, it’s beautiful from start to finish."

Sufjan Stevens - the ascension, 2020

"The big moment, the big climax that the album has been leading up to since the offer given to Sufjan at the very beginning. And this is gonna be long. So let's just the key concepts out of the way first: change, moving on, self reflection, religious self doubt, the list goes on."

Sufjan Stevens - heirloom, 2010

"Heirloom" is an economical title for a Sufjan Stevens song, and it's the shortest tune on his surprise All Delighted People EP. Across its three minutes, a few acoustic guitars intertwine. There's a little harp on the bridge, some airy background vocals, and, at the center, Sufjan's voice and words. It's a simple song, relatively speaking. It doesn't sound like the showy, winged return of a guy who's done everything over the last five years except make a proper follow-up album to his towering Illinois. "Heirloom" is like Sufjan showing up to your apartment unannounced, saying "hi," playing a few songs, saying "thanks," and then leaving without explanation. There's a lingering effect."

Sufjan Stevens - exploding whale, 2015

"Sufjan Stevens is nothing if not prolific. The singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist has let “Exploding Whale,” a new song that was originally a tour-only 7″, make its way online, and the track shows off Stevens’ electronic side. Though it’s lighter and more melodic than some of the more experimental aspects of Age of Adz, it’s closer to that record than his most recent folk release, Carrie & Lowell."

Sufjan Stevens - so you are tired, 2023

"He sings about regret, lost connection, spirituality and death within a context of self – reflection and searching for a larger truth. What makes the track so special is that the music builds as Stevens lyrically dives deeper and deeper into his own fears, insecurities and grief. As he learns more about himself and comes to grips with years of unprocessed emotional weight the music brings you to this higher place, which reinforces his own larger understanding. The way the music and the lyrics bounce off each other is transcendent."

The National - once upon a poolside, 2023

"Work on a ninth National album was initially stalled while Berninger navigated "a very dark spot where I couldn't come up with lyrics or melodies at all. Even though we'd always been anxious whenever we were working on a record, this was the first time it ever felt like maybe things really had come to an end."

Sufjan Stevens - the transfiguration live, 2009

"The song “The Transfiguration” relates the event in Christ’s life known by the same name. Musically, it begins with Sufjan’s voice and the strumming of a banjo, and as the song progresses, more and more instruments chime in. As do more voices: “Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Turn your ear!” The layers wash over you until you have the sense that what began as simple narration has turned into a revelation."

Sufjan Stevens - i walked, 2010

"You emerge from the other side of it glad not just that Stevens continued to make music, but that he chose to follow his muse to such a radical, potentially divisive place."

Sufjan Stevens - death with dignity live in london, 2015

"As we progress through the Lenten season, I am embracing anticipation for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. By the grace of God, I find myself closer to understanding the significance of Holy Saturday than ever before; enduring, with patience and hope, the indeterminate time and space of the in-between. And, at thirty, I am expectant and ready to be greeted by the Risen Christ on Easter morn, as if for the first time."

Sufjan Stevens - no shade in the shadow of the cross live in edinburgh, 2015

"No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross" is a song by American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens. It is the tenth track and lead single from his seventh studio album, Carrie & Lowell, and was released digitally on February 16, 2015 on Asthmatic Kitty and as a one-track 7" on March 3, 2015 on Joyful Noise Recordings."

Sufjan Stevens - blue bucket of gold live, 2017

“Blue Bucket of Gold” is a piano-led lamentation that finds Sufjan reaching out to friends, family, and God for support. The song ends with a meditative swirl of electronics that overwhelms the senses and commandeers the track. Of this song, Sufjan explained in an interview: “I didn’t know (my mom) well in a lot of ways, and I didn’t know how to say goodbye on the last track with articulation. So I quit playing piano and vocals and just stopped. I wanted to surrender her to the beyond with noises that sound bigger than just me.”

Sufjan Stevens - love yourself short reprise, 2019

"Sufjan Stevens is celebrating Pride Month (which begins June 1) with the release of two new songs. The first, "Love Yourself" is based on a sketch Stevens originally wrote and recorded in 1996. "Love, can you love yourself," Stevens sings in a euphoric chorus. "Show me everything, every reason to believe in yourself." The second, "With My Whole Heart" is an entirely new and much more propulsive piece. In a press release announcing the new songs, Stevens says he wanted to "write an upbeat and sincere love song without conflict, anxiety or self-deprecation." As part of the special release, Stevens has also posted the original 1996 demo recording of "Love Yourself," along with a "Short Reprise" of the song."

Sufjan Stevens - will anybody ever love me, 2023

“Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” hardly sounds lonely, though: Stevens dramatizes a far-reaching feeling of desperation with a sound that’s bright and expansive, carefully assembling each new instrumental voice—gentle piano, warm strings, a trio of backing singers—like fire logs waiting to ignite."