PO - Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension LP

[holyvacantsholyhell]

8 minutes ago, Oblivions said:

Sadly, you will probably age out of being indignant and exasperated over people enjoying the more boring side of Sufjan before they age into a superior musical taste. It’s one of God’s great ironic jokes. 😞

I mean age of adz was cool back in the day but I’ve ever been wild about any of this guy’s output

[Oblivions]

Age of Adz and Carrie and Lowell are my favorites from each of his halves. I like the more melodic electronic stuff and I prefer the more layered but less orchestral folk stuff.

If you made his other records into EPs of their best 7-8 songs, he’d legit be one of the all time greats. He probably still is for some people but IMO the extra twee and epic stuff overwhelms the solid gems in his catalogue.

I listened to the first half of this and it’s not quite the Sufjan that gets me pumped but it was def better than I expected after those singles. Enjoy it, if you dig it!

Edited September 26, 2020 by Oblivions

[holyvacantsholyhell]

57 minutes ago, Oblivions said:

Age of Adz and Carrie and Lowell are my favorites from each of his halves. I like the more melodic electronic stuff and I prefer the more layered but less orchestral folk stuff.

 

 

If you made his other records into EPs of their best 7-8 songs, he’d legit be one of the all time greats. He probably still is for some people but IMO the extra twee and epic stuff overwhelms the solid gems in his catalogue.

 

 

I listened to the first half of this and it’s not quite the Sufjan that gets me pumped but it was def better than I expected after those singles. Enjoy it, if you dig it!

That ep assessment is spot on. I tried to enjoy this but video game is so fuckin lame 

[Derek™]

15 hours ago, holyvacantsholyhell said:

I tried to enjoy this but video game is so fuckin lame 

What's lame about it specifically?  I think it's pretty basic and easy-listening, sure, but the album as a whole feels substantially more accessible – borderline danceable at times – and that includes some lyrics that I'd consider to be way less dense, by Sufjan standards.

 

I know you mentioned that you haven't been following him much after Age of Adz, but the album sandwiched right between Adz and this one – 2015's Carrie & Lowell – was a single LP, 44-minute folk tribute to his deceased parents.  Pretty minimal stuff, and way more somber / heavier in the lyrical department.  The Ascension is a complete 180, with way larger scope, more electronics, and lighter lyrics.  I'm honestly glad he mixed things up so much after 5 years, but I know it's not going to be for everyone.

[holyvacantsholyhell]

16 minutes ago, Derek™ said:

What's lame about it specifically?  I think it's pretty basic and easy-listening, sure, but the album as a whole feels substantially more accessible – borderline danceable at times – and that includes some lyrics that I'd consider to be way less dense, by Sufjan standards.

 

I know you mentioned that you haven't been following him much after Age of Adz, but the album sandwiched right between Adz and this one – 2015's Carrie & Lowell – was a single LP, 44-minute folk tribute to his deceased parents.  Pretty minimal stuff, and way more somber / heavier in the lyrical department.  The Ascension is a complete 180, with way larger scope, more electronics, and lighter lyrics.  I'm honestly glad he mixed things up so much after 5 years, but I know it's not going to be for everyone.

Not entirely sure, maybe I was just cranky but I found it to just be shallow, especially lyrically. Really weak imagery from someone who’s always had a good track record with lyrics.

 

carrie and Lowell never really clicked with me, and to be honest I’m fine with not being able to relate to an album about dead parents quite yet.

Edited September 26, 2020 by holyvacantsholyhell

[Derek™]

Just now, holyvacantsholyhell said:

Not entirely sure, maybe I was just cranky but I found it to just be shallow, especially lyrically. Really weak imagery from someone who’s always had a good track record with lyrics.

There are several "lolwut" lyrics on this album that I picked out on first listen, for what it's worth.

[holyvacantsholyhell]

2 minutes ago, Derek™ said:

There are several "lolwut" lyrics on this album that I picked out on first listen, for what it's worth.

Im also aware that this is a shallow comparison but I’ve been on an animal collective kick lately and the ascension just sounds like AC-Lite to me at times

 

for a band that already sounds like a bunch of kindergartners on acid with toy instruments that isn’t much of an achievement 

Edited September 26, 2020 by holyvacantsholyhell

[tetsuodaironman]

This got a 7.0...

[btelg]

14 hours ago, tetsuodaironman said:

This got a 7.0...

I listened to the Pitchfork Review podcast and they essentially said “we wanted Carrie and Lowell 2, and our expectations were not met so we didn’t like it”

[Derek™]

7 minutes ago, btelg said:

I listened to the Pitchfork Review podcast and they essentially said “we wanted Carrie and Lowell 2, and our expectations were not met so we didn’t like it”

That’s hilarious.  Pretty narrow-minded for a music publication – I hope no one with a brain is actually taking their reviews seriously these days.

[btelg]

1 minute ago, Derek™ said:

That’s hilarious.  Pretty narrow-minded for a music publication – I hope no one with a brain is actually taking their reviews seriously these days.

They also said in the same episode that "Robin Pecknold has basically created a career where nobody has expectations of him anymore, and so this new Fleet Foxes album really blew us away" and then said that their expectations of Sufjan's album were too high and this album is not what they wanted from him.
It felt like really weird double standards and was especially jarring when these takes were on the same episode.

It is fine to not like an album on its own merits but to not like it because the artist is not doing what you specifically want from them feels petty. 

[Derek™]

7 minutes ago, btelg said:

They also said in the same episode that "Robin Pecknold has basically created a career where nobody has expectations of him anymore, and so this new Fleet Foxes album really blew us away" and then said that their expectations of Sufjan's album were too high and this album is not what they wanted from him.
It felt like really weird double standards and was especially jarring when these takes were on the same episode.

It is fine to not like an album on its own merits but to not like it because the artist is not doing what you specifically want from them feels petty. 

It does seem pretty far-reaching.  I’ve always been under the impression that Pitchfork – at least in recent years – have way more personal & political agendas that drive their reviews than anything else.  Maybe not the written reviews, but at least the scores.  By that I mean that some pretty positive writeups have come attached with a rough or bare bone rating, along with the (rarer) review that spends most of its length critiquing an album before giving it a glowing score.  There’s an odd disparity there, especially when it comes to the coveted BNM award.  I really think it’s because the average Pitchfork reader just glances at the numeric score and maybe reads the synopsis so their caveman brains can register if they’re in the clear to enjoy an album or not.  The rest of the review be damned.

[Burkazoid]

After several listens, I can safely say I love this. It wasn't the album I necessarily wanted from Sufjan, but I'll happily take it. For all the complaints of it dragging/going on too long, I didn't find that at all. In fact, when not paying attention to the tracklisting, I always find I'm much further on in the album that I expected when I check. Also, quite glad I didn't listen to America prior the album release. The ending is beautiful.

[JohnMatrix]

Got shipping notification. Guess it's going out a bit early

[tetsuodaironman]

On 9/27/2020 at 3:43 PM, Derek™ said:

That’s hilarious.  Pretty narrow-minded for a music publication – I hope no one with a brain is actually taking their reviews seriously these days.

I love how much you can entertain yourself with what they think. The chud within beckons to thaw.

[Derek™]

Just now, tetsuodaironman said:

I love how much you can entertain yourself with what they think. The chud within beckons to thaw.

Well, I mean, it's tough to just keep out of sight and out of mind when brainlets keep regurgitating their scores in every thread, or treating the coveted "BNM" as green lights to listen, discuss, or public enjoy a release.  I'm all for dismissing them, but I can't do it alone.  Be the change you want to see.

[tetsuodaironman]

16 minutes ago, Derek™ said:

Well, I mean, it's tough to just keep out of sight and out of mind when brainlets keep regurgitating their scores in every thread, or treating the coveted "BNM" as green lights to listen, discuss, or public enjoy a release.  I'm all for dismissing them, but I can't do it alone.  Be the change you want to see.

Some key points to take note of during this interview start at :52.

 

"And then they got a bit serious and started getting a bit big for their boots. And started slagging off....the boys. So, no. What's the next question?"

[DoublesGuy]

To those who got a clear copy of the ascension: how does it sound?

 

Lots of people on discogs saying it's a really poor pressing for one reason or another. 

[timsimmons]

I only listened to the first LP and it sounded fine. 

[copelandkid]

2 hours ago, DoublesGuy said:

To those who got a clear copy of the ascension: how does it sound?

 

Lots of people on discogs saying it's a really poor pressing for one reason or another. 

definitely some distorted passages, wasn't super focused on my first listen but definitely noticed it at the end of side A and B

[KaitouG]

Echoing the responses above, pressing's fine but it's cut pretty hot. Inner groove distortion is really noticeable especially on side A.

 

IMO the tracklist should've been modified for the LP version or made it a 3xLP package.

Edited October 5, 2020 by KaitouG

[MCDELTAT]

Yeah I don't know how to feel about this album. I haven't had time to have an uninterrupted 80 minutes listen. And let's be honest, probably won't for a long time. So I've learned not to put a final opinion on anything, but thus far, really boring. A little long in places, many lyrics just don't hit me like his repeated "I wanna die happy".  I'll have to hold onto this but may just resell it. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by MCDELTAT

[timsimmons]

Second LP sounds fine too. Didn't get the IGD on side A.  

 

[timsimmons]

So after listening to this for a couple of weeks, I think the album is just...fine? Its too samey for being as long as it is. If he cut about 25 minutes off this thing, he could have gotten away with it (I Wanna Die Happy would be the first to go). 

 

America is an outstanding song. Probably my favorite track from this year, there are a few other pretty great tracks here too, but if this album were 50 minutes of the 10-12 best tracks, it would be a stronger project.

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by timsimmons

[Derek™]

10 minutes ago, timsimmons said:

So after listening to this for a couple of week, I think the album is just...fine? Its to samey for being as long as it is. If he cut about 25 minutes off this thing, he could have gotten away with it (I Wanna Die Happy would be the first to go). 

 

America is an outstanding song. Probably my favorite track from this year, there are a few other pretty great tracks here too, but if this album were 50 minutes of the 10-12 best tracks, it would be a stronger project.

It’d also sound better across 2 LPs.  I would’ve paid a bit extra for a 3LP press of this - like a collector’s edition, or a box that contained the America 12” as well - but from AK’s perspective, I get why it wouldn’t make sense as a standalone release.  I am hardly a Sufjan fanboy but I’m actually continuing to enjoy the album, front to back.  (Ironically, I Wanna Die Happy has been stuck in my head for the last 12 hours or so.) Even the seemingly “basic” tracks tend to build into something immense or have a cathartic finale.  I don’t know what fluff I’d trim if I was tasked to prune it down, personally.

 

Echoing posts above, that the inner grooves are where this press starts to miss some marks.  Otherwise not shabby at all.