Hello Reader,
Hope all is well.
Sufjan Stevens has been active in the music scene since the mid 90s. One of Stevens’ most popular songs, “Chicago” is off his concept album about the state of Illinois. The beautiful “Mystery of Love” was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2017 Academy Awards and the stunning “Visions of Gideon” also off the soundtrack for the coming-of-age film Call Me By Your Name (2017). Stevens’ impressive studio album history includes: A Sun Came (2000), Enjoy Your Rabbit (2001), Michigan (2003), Seven Swans (2004), Illinois (2005), The Age of Adz (2010), Carrie & Lowell (2015), The Ascension (2020), Convocations (2021), A Beginner’s Mind [with Angelo De Augustine] (2021).
2023 has been a merciless year for Sufjan. Recently he announced he was undergoing treatment for Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare and rapid-onset muscle weakness caused by the immune system damaging the nervous system. Even more recently, Sufjan dedicated the album to his longtime partner, his sweetheart, Evans Richardson who had passed in April. Richardson, was the former Chief of Staff for the Studio Museum in Harlem among other contributions. Hopefully being out is a weight off your shoulders, Sufjan. You’ve got allies here! His lovely photo and beautiful tribute to Evans below: https://sufjan.com/post/730446434104754176/sufjan-stevens-javelin
Welcome back Reader. Who’s cutting onions?
Javelin was released on October 6th on Asthmatic Kitty Records, the label Sufjan and his stepfather Lowell founded in 1999 to showcase local Michigan musical artists. Javelin is Stevens’ first solo album in three years since The Ascension and his first in “full singer-songwriter mode” since Carrie & Lowell. There are essential contributions from a close circle of friends. There are five singers whose harmonies provide a perfect pairing, and truly enhance the songs they are part of: adrienne maree brown who provides additional vocals on “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” “Everything That Rises,” “Genuflecting Ghost,” “My Red Little Fox,” “So You Are Tired,” and “Javelin (To Have And To Hold);” Hannah Cohen and Megan Lui who both provide additional vocals on “Goodbye Evergreen,” “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?,” “Everything That Rises,” “My Red Little Fox,” “So You Are Tired,” “Javelin (To Have And To Hold),” “Shit Talk,” and “There’s A World.” In addition, Pauline Delassus provides additional vocals on “Shit Talk”, and Nedelle Torrisi provides additional vocals on “A Running Start.” The National’s fabulous Bryce Dessner plays acoustic and electric guitar on “Shit Talk.”
Full disclosure: We were not compensated for our thoughts; all thoughts are entirely my own.
creative lyric video to hype you up for the album, there might just be one for every song:
(all credits and rights to Sufjan Stevens)
Another beautiful and haunting, hype video:
(all credits and rights to Sufjan Stevens)
That being said, overall, Javelin is a healthy and expected dose of radiant piano and perfectly picked acoustic guitar from a Sufjan Stevens album. The songs flow so damn nicely from one to another. Javelin features Stevens’ soft pitch but resolute vocals and lyrics and familiar themes of Christianity and love. Reflection and cathartic moments are quite prevalent within the album as well. You feel how much Evans meant to Sufjan.
Song one, “Goodbye Evergreen” enters our eardrums with piano vocals, with a vocal trio of Hannah Cohen and Megan Lui and Stevens and then it becomes a loud, discordant noise. Both the tone and pitch change a few times during the song. The lyrics speak about someone in need of escape. Song two, “A Running Start” begins with guitar strumming at pace similar to a human running, and the lyrics are reminiscing about a former love interest. In song three, “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” there is quick guitar picking, a lot of pronounced drumbeats and contemplation of love. And a great chorus from Hannah Cohen and Megan Lui.
Song four on Javelin, “Everything That Rises” features a catchy refrain and straightforward Christian themes. Song five, “Genuflecting Ghost” has Sufjan feeling the need to sacrifice himself, lost, seemingly in need of validation and praising a savior. Song six, “My Red Little Fox” is another song with a lovely, full sounding chorus, the first of three consecutive songs with adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen and Megan Lui.
Song seven, “So You Are Tired” has a tired person reflecting about a lover. The chorus of adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen and Megan Lui is a welcomed addition to the song. The title song, “Javelin (To Have And To Hold)” has Sufjan contemplating actions and regret, seemingly unable to let go. Though they sing less often here, I also like the chorus that adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen and Megan Lui bring to “Javelin” as well.
In the ninth song, “Shit Talk” seems to be especially cathartic, Hannah Cohen, Megan Lui and Pauline Delassus provide a beautiful, haunting chorus. Great guitar work by Bryce Dessner too. In the last song on Javelin, “There’s a World” is a cover of a Neil Young song off the incredible Harvest (1972). I’d say that is my favorite Neil Young album. Stevens’ version is stripped down and in his own style. A fitting inclusion on the album and a seemingly good way to end Javelin.
Javelin gets 4.5 out of 5 Scum Drops for me. An excellent offering from Sufjan. Perhaps at his most poignant, and most emotive. A seemingly fitting tribute to Evans. The sonic quality is great, all the choruses and instrumentation are great. Worth adding to your collection!
Javelin track list [song time]:
- Goodbye Evergreen [3:36]
- A Running Start [4:21]
- Will Anybody Ever Love Me? [4:09]
- Everything That Rises [5:00]
- Genuflecting Ghost [3:33]
- My Red Little Fox [3:43]
- So You Are Tired [4:50]
- Javelin (To Have And To Hold) [1:53]
- Shit Talk [8:31]
- There’s A World [2:30, originally off of Neil Young’s Harvest]
Total run time: 41:59
Here’s a direct link to purchase Javelin in any format you can imagine: https://sufjanstevens.lnk.to/javelin
And a link to his wonderful site: https://sufjan.com/
Thanks for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
