"Pop Songs Can Heal the Soul" - Sufjan Stevens

I may have an unhealthy love for Sufjan.  With each new song, he becomes more and more of a musical genius to me.  Why?  For one, he is insanely talented, with the most soothing voice (see here) and musical ingenuity (see here).  Two, all of his (good) songs instantly communicate a deep intimacy with the listener (see here) (and here).   And finally, for his unshakable view and love of God.  Let me camp here for a second.  


Through his songs, he is able to communicate this being, who loves us so much, who wants the best for us, and who is already so close... A great instance is in this song.  When I listen to it, I am comforted, not by Sufjan, but by this infinitely intimate being he describes:

I always knew you / in your mothers arms 

i have called your name / i have an idea 

placed in your mind / to be a better man 

ive made a crown for you  / put it in your room 

and when the bride groom comes / there will be noise 

there will be glad / and a perfect man

and when you write a poem / i know the words 

i know the sounds / before you write it down 

and when you wear your clothes / i wear them too 

i wear your shoes / and your jacket too 

i always knew you / in your mothers arms 

i have called you son / ive made amends 

between father and son / or if you havent one 

rest in my arms / sleep in my bed 

there is a design / to what i did and said

Man, gets me every time.  


Anyways, I saw him in concert this week, and it was... different.  Sufjan is still himself, but he has moved into a strange world of synthesizers and auto-tune.  From the stage, he said for this album, he was giving up all his comforts (basically any classical instrument + the banjo), and just getting down to pure sound.  There is one story I wanted to share.


He said he was going through a time of intense isolation, heartbreak, and loneliness.  During this time, he found the work of one Royal Robertson.  Still on stage, he explained to us Robertson's life.  Royal was a painter living in Louisiana, with a deep fracture.  "His work struck me as beautiful and divine and tragic," Stevens said.  Royal dove deep into this futuristic, spacey art world, dealing with his own heartaches and a serious mental illness: schizophrenia.  "During this time in my life, Royal's art was a kind of guide," Sufjan claimed.  


(He dedicated the next song "The Dress Looks Nice on You," "Heirloom" to Robertson's widow, who was at the show.)


And voila - he released 'Age of Adz', a complete detachment from his usual folksy music.  In 'Adz', Sufjan relies on drumbeats, synthesizers, and other crazy sounds in-betweeen.


BUT - the music is still awesome.  Sufjan is still Sufjan, and his CD, most of which he played in Dallas, was his own psycho-therapy session, he claims.  


As for the concert, the show was amazing.  Like a broadway production meeting a laser-light show, he rocked.  Throw in dueling drumsets, trombones, space-dressed backup singers. . . and you have quite a show.  


Like I said before, Sufjan's music brings an instant intimacy, and his presence on stage did the same.  He laughed at a few mistakes, and expressed the pain which produced this album.  


For the finale, he played the epic 25-minute long song "Impossible Soul."  He calls this his personal psycho-therapy session, and if you take the time to listen, he invites us into his most intimate doubts, pains and struggles.  The lyrics are wrought with statements like "Do you want to be afraid?", "Don't be shy in the window / come down and give your best", "Don't be distracted","It's a long life /Better pinch yourself /put your face together / better get it right / it's a long life / better hit yourself /put your face together /gotta stand up straight / it's a long life / only one last chance / couldn't get much better / do you wanna dance? "  


He said, (jokingly?) in explaining the different parts of the song, "I believe pop songs can heal the soul.  At least mine."


It's like Sufjan is reminding himself of who he is, what his weaknesses are, and how to act when he doesn't know what to do.  Uh, hello, I can definitely relate to that!  He ends the song with the refrain "Boy, we can do much more together!"  Taken one way, this could be a woman speaking... But to me, I see it as simply we can do more together than alone.  A lesson I need to remember, and one I think Sufjan portrays as well (he's quite an isolationist).  


The best part is during this song, he broke out a shiny wig, the autotune, and danced!  (hilarious/epic video here).


So, I'm not sure where this was headed. . .


The concert was great, and Sufjan is still making great music, sharing his talents, his love, fear, and disagreements with of God, rolled up with songs about the apocalypse (see here), death, afterlife, love... 


He may want to get a restraining order against me.  

The set list from Sufjan Stevens at SMU's McFarlin Auditorium (10-20-10)

1. Seven Swans (from 2004's 'Seven Swans')
2. Too Much (from 2010's 'The Age of Adz')
3. Age of Adz (from 'The Age of Adz')
4. Heirloom (from 2010's 'All Delighted People' EP)
5. I Walked (from 'The Age of Adz')
6. Futile Devices (from 'The Age of Adz')
7. Vesuvius (from 'The Age of Adz')
8. Now That I'm Older (from 'The Age of Adz')
9. Get Real Get Right (from 'The Age of Adz')
10. Enchanting Ghost ('All Delighted People' EP)
11. Impossible Soul (from 'The Age of Adz')
12. Chicago (from 2005's 'Illinois')

ENCORE

1. Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland ('Illinois')
2. Casimir Pulaski Day ('Illinois')
3. The Dress Looks Nice on You ('Seven Swans')

Video from the concert (not mine):

Seven Swans - http://www.youtube.com/user/bdkoehn#p/u/5/zY-im_2FG-Y

Too Much - http://www.youtube.com/user/bdkoehn#p/u/4/31HKfHIPD-U

Impossible Soul (pop part) - http://www.youtube.com/user/bdkoehn#p/u/3/wBTHwFIM2oo

Impossible Soul (end) - http://www.youtube.com/user/bdkoehn#p/u/2/CCGlCYAF1T

Chicago - http://www.youtube.com/user/bdkoehn#p/u/1/-URGNH_LTZA