Christmas isn't fun any more. But if there's one man who can save the festive period from the blues it's Sufjan Stevens. He's the only artist who could make you look away from the baying crowds desperate to get a copy of Rudebox for their little sister and think, "that’s sweet".
Ever prolific, Sufjan's been recording a Christmas EP every year now since 2001 (apart from 2004) for his family and friends, and this lovingly-assembled collection sticks them all together. It features pretty much every Christmas standard, from ‘Away in a Manger’ to ‘Jingle Bells’, or, as our hero puts it in the sleeve notes, the whole “abysmal canon of Yuletide carols”.
It’s not meant to be sardonic, though: Sufjan’s always been open about his faith and this five-disc collection is his reaction to the “excesses of Christmas and the spirit of it”.
So not only do we get ‘Silent Night’ and company, but we get Sufjan's own Christmas songs with characteristically-long titles like ‘Did I Make You Cry on Christmas? (Well You Deserved It)’ and the pun-tastic ‘Get Behind Me, Santa’. Of course, being one of the most consistent performers of recent years, they’re as good as anything from Michigan, Illinois or the recent The Avalanche scraps collection. The guy's a pro.
Songs for Christmas is beautiful. Not just because it features songs last heard in Year Seven nativity plays, but beautiful because it comes in a little box with stickers, a cartoon poster, hand-drawn sleeves and a songbook that, bless, has all the chords in it so that you can strum along to ‘Once In Royal David's City’. It's just so bloody cute.
If it wasn't already sold-out on Play and Amazon, it'd make a perfect Christmas present for anyone from your little nephew, who you're trying to bribe into liking the same music as you, to your grandma who can't, for once, complain that it's too loud. It beats Slade and Wizzard hands down, anyway.
"your little nephew
who you're trying to bribe into liking the same music as you"
His name is Reece and I WILL eventually succeed I tell you - his father listens to all sorts of embarassing pop shit.
Great review. I want this.
At the Barbican he played one of this called
"This is the Worst Christmas Ever" - worth owning just for the title. The song was brilliant too, natch.
puke
.
Great cds
Got it from Asthmatic Kitty a couple of weeks ago. Sister Winter and Jupiter Winter are both super amazing sons.
Just based on 30 second iTunes samples
I found this a little bit too cheesy. But still, I love his stuff, so I might give it a listen, especially after this review.
fuck this guy
does he ever quit? he's like the pussy indie/emo version of ryan adams
yeah!
really gets my goat when people are prolific...
But....Ryan Adams is shit.
Sufjan has talent.
Ryan is more emo than Sufjan.
"That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!!"
Wrong tense, sorry. So very embarrassing.
lovely boxset
Very happy I picked it up from Play for decent value, it's wonderfully packaged and some great songs on there. He's a lot more consistent than Ryan Adams is the difference for the person who made the comparison.
Sister Winter
is beautiful.
i will get this in my pillow case on xmas day.
yes! i love sufjan. he is a hero
I just got it...
from amazon marketplace. Good price as well.
But where...
...will you put your stickers? If anywhere?
i will be distraught...
If amazon don't sound out my copy in time for christmas.
Also, 'sister winter' is perfection.
eek
*send out
is it definantly
sold out already?
How come?
I want one!
no it's not
I saw it in Fopp yesterday. I think it's on Amazon marketplace now. Not sure about Play - but when I wrote the review I couldn't find it on those two. Act quick if you want it mind.
You can buy it at....
CD-WOW.com - just bought it so be quick!
Dear god
£33 on iTunes, for anyone stupid enough to want to download this
Mine arrived from asthmatic kitty today. Am in love with it already.
i want this.
plus who said christmas sin't fun anymore... not as fun but still better than a kick in the nuts.
I don't think it's sold out
Just not enough stock.
On the Ashmatic Kitty site it says they're getting more in hopefully in the 1st week in Dec.
£14 from Fopp
Best £14 I've spent in a long time. Too much music to get my head round quickly though, and as always with Sufjan, it gets better with repeated listening. And what a package - more artists should give away free stickers with their albums.
Got it today!
From Rough Trade online. Wow, amazing package. Thats my weekend sorted!
Thanks guys!
£14 from Fopp
Thanks for the Fopp tip. I picked it up and then canceled my amazon order.
And you're right - it's the best way you could spend £14 this month.
I saw in Sister Ray today
their copy of it claims that it's been deleted in the UK - I've already got mine anyway but is this true out of interest?
indeed
it is now deleted in the UK, though there will still be some stock left in stores for a week or 2
Thanks you lot
You've been rattling on about Sufjan so much that this week I bought Illinois without even having heard a note of his music.
You're now all my best friends.
wow and more
This really is a great album XXXXX
I would also strongly recomend the " It's not like christmas " album. Its got 18 amazing bands on, for a tenner and all the money goes to the charity shelter. there are some amazing cover versions on there, my favs are Iain archer doing little drummer boy and Ingo Star Cruiser's version of the Classic Low tune " Just Like Christmas " A must have !!!!!
I saw this in fopp too...
when I have guests over
and they demand "Christmas music" be put on I now reach for this.
No more Stop The Cavalry, Last Christmas or I Wish it could be Christmas every day.
At last, some music has arrived that I can put on over the festive period and actually enjoy.
countown
Shit loads of bad songs, some great tunes and no christmas spitit! sounds like Illinoise stole christmas.