| | Sufjan Stevens Avalanche: Outtakes & Extras From The Illinois Album CD Sufjan Stevens Discography of CDs
 (3 Customer Reviews)
Primarily recorded in late 2005/early '06, THE AVALANCHE serves as a companion piece to Sufjan Stevens's lauded ILLINOIS, and shares the brightly melodic chamber-pop sound of that earlier release. On this 21-track offering, the Brooklyn-based indie-rock hero revisits his lilting "Chicago" on three different occasions, most notably an acoustic version that showcases Stevens's folk leanings. The gentle-voiced performer also nods to Prairie State luminaries on the woodwind-laced "Adlai Stevenson" and the delicate "Saul Bellow," a track that strongly recalls Stevens's esteemed peer Sam Beam (aka Iron & Wine). Since he has focused on Illinois for two full-length records, it seems unlikely that Stevens will reach his once-stated goal of an album for each of the 50 states, but given the remarkable quality evident on even the supposed castaways from these ambitious outings, his ardent fans certainly won't fault him for it.
Illustrator: Divya Srinivasan.
Photographers: Sufjan Stevens; Denny Renshaw.
Personnel: Sufjan Stevens; Craig Montoro (vocals, trumpet); James McAlister (drums, percussion); Rosie Thomas, Shara Worden, Katrina Kerns (background vocals).
Recording information: Brooklyn, NY; Carroll Music Studios, New York, NY; Seattle, WA; St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn,; The Buddy Project, Astoria, Queens; The New Jerusalem Recreation Room, Clarksboro, NJ.
Rolling Stone (p.104) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Steven's charm, like that of his spiritual homeboy Neil Young, lies in teetering on the edge of cloudy-headed overindulgence..."
Spin (p.79) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[With] surprising synth bursts and craggy guitar noise that were sand-papered off its predecessor."
Entertainment Weekly (p.79) - "These wistful folk-pop leftovers are better than most acts' A game."
Q (p.116) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[H]is idiosyncratic instrumentation -- banjos and trumpets, along with some spooky echoes -- makes it all the more accessible."
Alternative Press (p.212) - "His sense of research, observation, and, most importantly, storytelling is as strong on these 21 tracks as it was on ILLINOIS' 22."
No Depression (p.116) - "THE AVALANCHE provides an interesting glimpse into Stevens' artistic process, as well as the best -ever musical dissertation on Adlai Stevenson."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.96) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]here are plenty of stirring woodwind/brass arrangements at which Stevens excels, and we get fascinating nods to one-time Illinois inhabitants..." Avalanche: Outtakes & Extras From The Illinois Album Music Sufjan Stevens Avalanche: Outtakes & Extras From The Illinois Album Songs | 1. | Avalanche, The  |
| 2. | Dear Mr. Supercomputer |
| 3. | Adlai Stevenson |
| 4. | Vivian Girls Are Visited in the Night by Saint Dargarius and His ..., The |
| 5. | Chicago |
| 6. | Henney Buggy Band, The |
| 7. | Saul Bellow |
| 8. | Carlyle Lake |
| 9. | Springfield, Or Bobby Got a Shadfly Caught in His Hair |
| 10. | Mistress Witch from McClure, The (Or, The Mind That Knows Itself) |
| 11. | Kaskaskia River |
| 12. | Chicago - (Adult Contemporary) |
| 13. | Inaugural Pop Music for Jane Margaret Byrne |
| 14. | No Man's Land |
| 15. | Palm Sunday Tornado Hits Crystal Lake, The |
| 16. | Pick-Up, The |
| 17. | Perpetual Self, Or "What Would Saul Alinsky Do?", The |
| 18. | For Clyde Tombaugh |
| 19. | Chicago - (Multiple Personality Disorder) |
| 20. | Pittsfield |
| 21. | Undivided Self, The (For Eppie and Popo) |
|
Avalanche: Outtakes & Extras From The Illinois Album Music Review Average Rating: (4.7 out of 5 stars)   Illinois Companion
If you bought Illinois and liked it, then you must have this too. It's a great companion piece. It's not quite as cohesive as Illinois, as these are the songs that didn't quite make the cut. There are three different versions of the song Illinois on here, and each is distinctly different. It's a great companion piece to the brilliant Illinois.
Submitted by Dave (Missouri, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No
 Buy it!!!!
The BEST Christian singer/songwriter ever!!
Submitted by daniel (san antonio,tx)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 0 of 1 found this helpful.
Pure Genius!
This man is a musical genius! Anything he puts out is still better than most of the mainstream stuff out there! When his career is over, which won't be for a long time, they'll be comparing him to the likes of other famous solo artists such as Elton John, Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan to name a few. I knew the first time that I heard Illinois that he had reached the pinnacle of what it was he was trying to achieve. Much like Elton's Madman and Goodbye or Cat's Tea and Teaser, Illinois will always be one of his finest efforts. Plenty to come though! I admire that he hasn't sold out to the whims of a record label to put out trash! I thought it was almost comical that it took some of the large cd retailers so long to even stock his works! One in paticular! I noticed in todays paper that, while Avalanche is not listed in the top ten of the contemporary music listings, it is number one at a local university record store. Hey, I went to college once, I know what that's all about, and that in itself really tells the tale of what the true audiophiles are listening to! This guy is good!!!
Submitted by mheinen3 (Oklahoma City, OK, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 0 of 1 found this helpful. | Have you heard this album? |  |
|
13687 
Email a Friend
