Playing this week
Here's a short list of artists I've been listening to over the last week or so. Click for additional stats on what else I like lately.

On the upstairs porch, at the Mansion on Judges Hill, Austin, TX, 11/9/07. Lonestar beer is the local swill, and is comparable to a Pabst, Stroh's, etc.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

New Sufjan - "Springfield"

The new Sufjan Stevens album, The Avalance The Avalanche, leaked a few weeks ago and I thought it time to break the seal and share one of the highlights. This track is my personal favorite on the record -- it's %110 Crosby, Stills & Nash-ed out. Great harmony dubbing, and guitar cresendos. I can't believe he left this one off the proper Illinois release, as it's most definitely a jaw-dropper.

Sufjan Stevens - "Springfield, or Bobby Got a Shadfly Caught in His Hair"

As a little bonus, I thought it might be best to ruin the sanctity of the albums by combining the two into a very non-WWSSD track sequence. Do you ever wish that double albums had maybe just been one single, cream of the crop tracks-only album? My general preference for single-albumness has been discussed previously, though through thorough theory overhaul I have decided to concede that 55 minutes (or 12-14 songs) is an acceptable max. That means we be cutting out more than half the total number of jams.

1. Concerning the UFO Sighting...
2. Come on Feel the Illinoise
3. The Tallest Man the Broadest Shoulders
4. Springfield...*
5. Casimir Pulaski Day
6. Chicago
7. The Henney Buggy*
8. The Man of Metropolis...
9. Jacksonville
10. John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
11. The Predatory Wasp...

*from The Avalance
Total running time = 55:50

I know I know, I probably left off your favorite track. Sorry homey, rules are rules. Maybe one day this will get released as one of those awful double-to-single album repackaging deals, a la Use Your Illusion (seriously, click that link). Did I say awful? I meant clearly the best option!

posted by Mike H. at 6:28 PM

Comments on "New Sufjan - "Springfield""

 

Blogger haahnster said ... (6/26/2006 1:17 PM) : 

I tend to agree that most double albums are bloated, fat-ass carcasses...too much filler.

I would also agree that, as a hypothetical, I would generally prefer to get 2 separate single albums 18 months apart than wait 3 years for the same songs as a double album.

On the other hand, GnR's Use Your Illusion I & II was a straight-up *racket*, as in racketeering, as in shameless money-grubbing. By simultaneously releasing 2 single albums, they were able to charge full single album price for each, as opposed to the typical, somewhat less-than-double price of a double album. I guess that was their reward for being the biggest band in the world at that time. 99 times out of 100 that simultaneous release shit wouldn't work well at all.

 

Blogger Mike H. said ... (6/26/2006 1:40 PM) : 

It's true. Springsteen tried the same thing around the time of the Illision releases, and failed with Lucky Town / Human Touch. To be fair, The Boss was anything but cool at the time.

 

Blogger haahnster said ... (6/26/2006 1:43 PM) : 

I actually had that exact example (Springsteen) in mind. However, I tend not to mention him by name, as I am typically unable to speak (write) about him without horribly offending his fans.

 

Blogger Mike H. said ... (6/26/2006 5:50 PM) : 

So what do you people think of this tune?

 

Blogger Alison said ... (6/27/2006 7:54 AM) : 

Haha! I KNEW Casimir Pulaski Day would end up on there.

 

Blogger Rob said ... (6/27/2006 8:48 PM) : 

Well I guess I love this song, actually. It is touching and just strange enough. Thanks for posting it; I'm excited about the new Sufjan record. Also supportive of your dream-vision of a single-album here...

 

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This blog hosts original music and recordings by Mike Hicks.
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