Notofu.com: Sufjan Stevens
Published by: Notofu.com
Date: November 5, 2009
Format: Web (www.notofu.com)
Type: Music Review
The BQE Showcases All Sides of Stevens
It’s been a while since we’ve had new recorded music from Sufjan Stevens, save for a few tracks here and there such as his contribution to this year’s Dark Was the Nightcompilation. The Avalanche (leftovers from Illinois) and Songs for Christmas (songs compiled from years of holiday themed recordings) were both released in 2006 and since then the folk-indie hero has been relatively quiet.
In 2007, Stevens and his accompanying orchestra played what would be The BQE for a sold out crown at The Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera House. Now, two years later the opus is out in hard form, a package including CD or vinyl, a DVD of an original movie filmed by Stevens, a comic book and a View-Master reel. After the packaging for Songs for Christmas, which, in the same way, included lyric sheets, chord charts, stickers, an animated music video, etc., nothing less could be expected of The BQE.
While the music of The BQE is still definitely, identifiably Sufjan Stevens all the way around, listeners who are eager to be singing along to the next “Chicago” or “No Man’s Land” or “Holland” may not find what they are looking for with this record. On these songs, Stevens omits his witty, intellectual, narrative based lyrics altogether. While The BQE is an orchestral score to the film, the bones of a typical Sufjan Stevens record are still here, complete with sputtering brass and fluttering woodwinds.
The record begins with “Prelude On the Esplanade,” an uneasy introduction that uncomfortably drones, louder and louder, for nearly three minutes in anticipation until it finally gives way to the second track, “Introductory Fanfare for the Hooper Heroes,” which is big and bold and all in, something that sounds like the introduction of a king more than the “Hooper Heroes”, who are wildly dressed hula hoopers that spin their hoops along with the music in the film version of The BQE.
The next three tracks take on a hushed, dreamy tone, before being harshly interrupted by “Movement IV: Traffic Shock,” where Stevens returns to electronic music that was more prominent early in his career. Here almost all of the sounds previously featured are replicated in electronic form, alongside a spastic synthesized drum beat. Then, before you know it and have a clear understanding of what’s happening, he returns to six more tracks of orchestral arrangement, some quiet and understated and others loud and sporadic.
The BQE is a wonderful accompaniment to the film. It is the score to a film, though, and not a pop or folk record. I don’t know how often I will listen to it apart from the film as I can’t see myself putting this record on in the car stereo or listening to it in headphones, walking down the street. None of this is to say that The BQE isn’t an interesting change of pace from the folk songs of “The 50 States Project,” but in the end, Steven’s lyrics and voice are just too good to be left behind completely.
3.5/5