To put it simply, Sufjan Stevens is a genius of the indie rock genre. His extensive discography dates back to the early 2000s, and his new album, "Javelin," was released over the weekend. The 10-track record is a testament and tribute to his late partner, Evans Richardson IV, who passed away in April at the age of 43. The album is as heart-wrenching and powerful as one would expect, especially from an artist whose melodies have sprung tears in the eyes of listeners for as long as he has released music.
"Javelin" conveys the depth and wretched sadness of Stevens’ loss touchingly and lyrically. The songs flow together beautifully, as well as stand out from the rest of his discography while remaining in line with the emotional style that has granted the musician nearly 10 million Spotify listeners. The inclusion of a choir in almost every song contributes worlds of emotions, and strangely, helps comfort listeners with the fact that Stevens isn’t portraying such emotional weight without any support.
The first track, "Goodbye Evergreen," reignites his classic style. The song features Stevens’ raspy and gentle tone against rhythmic, but simple piano chords. Slowly, the song intensifies as a new element is introduced after each stanza of his musical poetry. Finally, an unusual industrial sound is added, not to uplift the themes or up the beat, but rather to add a sense of chaos and distress to the already melancholy sound.
Stevens is acclaimed for his lyrical ability which is eloquently demonstrated in "Will Anybody Ever Love Me?" His utilization of rhetorical questions and delicate turns of phrases are enchanting as well as tragic, especially when they are supported by the background vocalists and instrumentals.
"A Running Start" is a perfect example of these instrumentals that make Stevens’ style so identifiable. The gently plucked and flowing guitar, in addition to woodwinds, drum machines and carefully arranged choirs, all culminate to match the imagery of the musician's words and vocals.
These vocals are beautifully exemplified in "Everything That Rises," featuring precise and slow vocal runs that never rise above a whisper. In this song, Stevens possesses a strong, almost unnatural, vibrato that ends up working wonderfully with the texture of the track. The song ends with imitations of the song title throughout the chorus, along with the singer's leading voice standing out starkly among them.
One of the standouts of the album is "S*** Talk," an eight-minute-long epic that will both emotionally drain and fulfill any listener. It conveys Stevens’ heartbreak through the first demonstration of his belting register in the entire album. With this song, Stevens breaks his stoic and melancholy stature by finally crying out in anguish and visceral. "S*** Talk" combines all of the classic elements of Stevens’ style in a lush and all-consuming package of a song.
"Genuflecting Ghost" and "My Red Little Fox" are other standout songs, with the leading word of the former's title meaning “to touch the knee to the floor or ground especially in worship.” This word is just one example of the incredibly subtle religious imagery that exists throughout the album, especially in the allegorical and folksy latter song. Both songs are touching evidence of Stevens’ heartbreak and grief.
"Javelin" will ring your emotions out like they are a tear-soaked rag. The record is a beautiful testament to the power of music and poetry in the expression of the most untouchable human emotions.
