The last time Sufjan Stevens released a proper record, the world, for me at least, was a very different place. In 2005, my son had yet to enter this world, and my best friend had yet to leave it. Katrina was just a pleasant sounding woman’s name. Bennifer was still a term, Beiber was still pooping his diaper, and MySpace was blowing up the social media world. Tiger Woods was still playing good golf, and John Edwards was getting $400 haircuts because he effing could.
In fact – some newly minted indie-kids may not even realize how big albums like Seven Swans and Illinoise were to us old fogies who’ve been livin’ the dream since Robert Pollard only had 37 albums under his belt.
Well, this weekend Sufjan shook up things by releasing his new EP online for a mere five bucks – so it’s time for us all to reacquaint ourselves. Our JOTD, “All Delighted People,” gives us the perfect ten minutes of song to do it.
The EP, All Delighted People, is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad “All Delighted People,” a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s “Sounds of Silence.” Sounds delightful, yes! The song was originally workshopped on Sufjan’s previous tour in the fall of 2009.
Check it out and download the MP3 free below. You can buy it as well, and it’s well worth it before the double LP EP (you read that right) drops later this fall.