Sufjan Stevens
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=71702
Printed Date: July 15 2025 at 22:57
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Sufjan Stevens
Posted By: Negoba
Subject: Sufjan Stevens
Date Posted: September 27 2010 at 21:47
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He's probably been suggested before but that ole' search function says no... Prog Folk or Crossover or Eclectic.... But Illinoise is very prog. |
Replies:
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: September 28 2010 at 06:58
That 'ole search function reveals at least 4 previous threads with "Sufjan" in the title.
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Negoba wrote:Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 28 2010 at 07:06
^ 7 for me 
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 28 2010 at 07:14
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Well apparently the Prog Folk team has already rejected him in this previous http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=39854&PID=2660852#2660852 - suggestion thread . The sample provided is very nice, but I'm not sure if it's more than a very long indie-rock track. |
Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: September 28 2010 at 08:00
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A: I just went up and clicked "Search" typed in Sufjan and got only this thread. What am I doing wrong?
B: No one seems to have actually evaluated him back in 2007. Listen to the song I included, and tell me how that isn't prog. Odd time signature, idiosyncratic instrumentation, composed interweaving parts, concept albums, intelligent lyrics...the closest thing I have to this is Battles which is definitely prog.
C: I admit prog folk may not be the right place, perhaps Eclectic?
ed. I figured out A: the time constraint automatically enters at 6 months. So I got all 7 or so threads now. Still, the best excuse for his exclusion was that he was indie, which someone correctly said is no longer a meaningful label.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 28 2010 at 08:21
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^ two no votes (out of three possible) from the prog folk team members was a proper evaluation. They also suggested Prog Related. I've heard plenty of artsy indie-rock lately, and sometimes it is really hard to draw the line between it and progressive rock. Very slippery territory. I'll check out the full album, sounds promising. |
Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: September 28 2010 at 08:28
| I think the orchestration and odd time signatures are the big thing that separates him. That may not be enough and if that choice is made, that's fine, but it would be nice to hear the prog elements addressed. |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 29 2010 at 08:00
| I heard Illinoise, good stuff. It was what I expected: very artsy indie rock with rich arrangements and instrumental intricacies. They DO stand a chance for PA, so I think they should be given a formal evaluation by the team of the genre where I think they might fit in: Crossover. I'll ask. |
Posted By: Intruder
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 01:57
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Sufjan and Bonnie "Prince" Billy.....though they may never be added, I'd like to recommend both for those fans of airy, folksy music with, at time, absolutely gorgeous lyrics. ------------- I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there..... |
Posted By: Sckxyss
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 05:01
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I've been wanting to suggest this guy for a while now, but I've been lazy. I think it's crazy that he's not here somewhere. He might have an indie sound, whatever that is, but his approach to music is definitely reminiscent of the classic prog bands. I think crossover would be the best fit. I listen to a lot of indie rock/pop, and Sufjan really stands out as far as prog tendencies go - many odd time signatures/changes, unusual instrumentation, rich harmonies, and a level of ambition (re: pretentiousness) usually only found in prog bands. Here's a couple more samples: |
Posted By: progkidjoel
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 05:17
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Sufjan is great, definitely fits crossover IMO. From his discog I recommend checking out either Enjoy Your Rabbit or A Sun Came as far as progginess goes.
------------- 
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Posted By: The Hemulen
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 05:44
I've seen his name bandied around a fair bit but never gotten round to checking his stuff out... I've just been reading a review of his latest offering which is released in a couple of weeks. The descriptions make it sound pretty experimental, and it has a 25-minute closer. Looks like prog, smells like prog... I'll get back to you on what it sounds like. 
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Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 11:49
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He is being evaluated in crossover at the moment. ------------- ...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR] |
Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 11:50
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Thanks guys. "Illinoise" is the album to check out first. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 15:46
(I originally wanted to post this 10 hours ago, but I didn't notice that error occurred so I hit back and am posting it again, OK ?) Hey Jay, few things: A)Common mistake done by people not so familiar with how forum works. No offense meant in this, I till two months ago didn't know that I can search within threads, not just on wide-scale forum. So let me explain. Here's the result I'm have: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/search_results_posts.asp?SearchID=20101001053234&KW=Sufjan - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/search_results_posts.asp?SearchID=20101001053234&KW=Sufjan The point is that you have to change Last 6 months to Any Date in "Find Posts" B)Are you aware that we'll give him most probably evaluation based on tracks on his myspace ? So far, he has one NO vote by Chris S. Other team members, including me, still haven't placed the vote. I can tell for myself, I'll listen Illinois album, OK ? EDIT: Listened Illinois. YES for Crossover ------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu  Even my |
Great music, so different from samples on myspace.Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 15:51
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Myspace should NOT be used for any artist that has studio disks. Myspace is already an past its prime promotion method for even unsigned artists. Players that are posted on myspace usually are filled with greatest hits or most poppy or most current. It would be like evaluating Genesis and their myspace brought up "We Can't Dance" and "Illegal Alien."
I finally figured out how to use the search function a little more intelligently.
Ed. Your listen to the album proved my point. Please have Chris S listen to the album if you can.
------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 16:23
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^ Jay, let me make a sound <sigh>, but it's not sigh like in (oh he whines again), but like in sigh (yes I understand you, yet the reality is different than our opinion is). Myspace is filled with poppy sounds, because they're the ones that will attract them most listeners. Only die hard Prog bands actually put Prog there (I remember Hours of Shipwreck, recent evaluation). But we can't have albums of all bands that we're evaluating. I'm glad that I could help you with this search. Noteworthy fact is that Dean was the one who told me how to use topic search. I was here for year and half, thought that I already know everything about how forum works, but nah, there are still mysterious parts :-) Re: Illinois - I was very, very surprised how different it sounded. If I understand it correctly, he has quite big discography, doesn't he ? Or is majority of his work in EP format ? I saw about 15 of his albums, but I'm not sure if they're studio ones (most of them). ------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my |
Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 16:41
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He's tried alot of different ideas over the years. He has a Christmas album, some lo-fi stuff, some all acoustic, but of course in my opinion he's at his best with orchestration and odd time signature, and Illinoise is his major work at this point.
I know you can't get a CD on every artist...glad you checked this one out. Hope Chris S gets a chance as well. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 16:54
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Haha, a lot of bands fall for Christmas albums. I don't like them at all, but why not, some people like it (otherwise, there wouldn't be X-mas albums made). I'm taking this quite personally. I can, I have quite a lot of time now, I've did some research, like the music, consider it Prog, would like to see him here as well. But sadly, this isn't case with ALL of our evaluations. A lot of teams depends on myspace samples only, including us (sometimes to often). ------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my |
Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 16:56
Marty, you are wrong regarding myspace being the main area of evaluations for crossover. One of the criteria in assisting crossover is myspace! There are many other factors that assist, namely:
Personal knowledge and history of artist
allmusic.com
RYM
artist web site
artist zips.
evaluators own music collections - Yes some of us do have albums outside the prog arena
Sufjan Stevens fits that mould IMHO.  ------------- ...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR] |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: October 01 2010 at 17:34
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^ OK (more in PM)
------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my |
Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 10:05
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I've read the discussions on the crossover and folk teams.
The guy isn't prog like Foxtrot by any means, but excluding him given the artists we do include baffles me.
Like all say though, I can enjoy him all I want whether he's here or not. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 17:31
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^ Yep, but having him here would be pleasant, I know. My personal opinion is that he's Prog.
------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my |
Posted By: akamaisondufromage
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 17:37
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Illinoise is fantastic. No idea if it fits here but I don't know what prog is nor do I care.
Just sure a lot of people here would like this too if they gave it a listen!
------------- Help me I'm falling! |
Posted By: Windhawk
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 17:42
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I agree that at least his earlier material is prog. It doesn't belong in Crossover though, and so far no other teams share our opinions. Enjoy the artist by all means, but by the looks of it he won't get added to the database here in the foreseeable future. ------------- Websites I work with: http://www.progressor.net http://www.houseofprog.com My profile on Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/haukevind/ |
Posted By: Synchestra
Date Posted: October 11 2010 at 19:39
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Sufjan has one or two albums that are certainly proggy, Illinois of course and All Delighted People EP (its mostly indie folk, but three of the songs are fairly proggy to my ears) but alot of his work is just indie, even if it is very very good indie. His latest release.. Its either very prog or the complete opposite. Its got a 25 minute closer, but said closer is full of auto tune and most of the tracks on the whole album have alot of techno incorporated. Its weird, but like I said I don't know if its prog. ------------- 'Yeah, thats.. Whatever you're talking about for ya' - Zapp brannigan |
Posted By: pianoman
Date Posted: May 31 2013 at 13:35
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This track must be merit alone that Sufjan Stevens belongs on this site. I mean, come on guys.
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Posted By: Floyd Steely
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 02:38
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I'm utterly BAFFLED that Stevens isn't included here. To me, he's the singlemost glaring omission on this site. Crossover would be an appropriate category. But geez, his music ticks off just about every criterium one could ask about...
Concept albums? Check. Odd time signatures? Check. Atypical musical and vocal arrangements? Often, yes. Orchestral instruments? You bet. Long songs/song cycles? Yep. The anti-commercial habit of releasing weird/experimental/abstract albums from time to time to stymie expectations? Absolutely, though I'm sure that's not considered relevant given the vast number of cookie-cutter neo-prog bands so droolingly worshipped here. Let's just focus on "Illinois" for a moment. Named among the top ten albums of the year (2005) by many major magazines, the album made the best-albums-of-the-decade lists of Rolling Stone, NPR, Pitchfork, NME, Slant, Paste and more. How many 21st-Century artists listed on this site can say that? It's a damn shame that the online prog community has been the last to recognize the brilliance of this album and this ever-evolving, undeniably progressive artist. |
Posted By: ClemofNazareth
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 07:13
Frankly you could substitute Fleetwood Mac and 'Tusk' for Sufjan Stevens and 'Illinois' and make the same argument. And I think you'd find the same resistance to including them. One or two songs or albums in a body of work does not define the artist in their entirety, and in Sufjan's case even he acknowledges his musical approach has changed since 'Illinoise'. We've learned this in Prog Folk through trial and error, which in included additions similar to this one that probably shouldn't have happened (Sigmund Snopek III being the most obvious comparative example). I personally wouldn't mind seeing Stevens here, but I haven't seen anything even remotely approaching a valid argument for Prog Folk, and I respect that the Crossover team knows what does and doesn't belong in their genre. And note that I do own two of Sufjan's CDs and one EP so I'm not unfamiliar with his music. ------------- "Peace is the only battle worth waging." Albert Camus |