Marzuki stevens biography sample

Stevens, Sufjan

Singer, songwriter

With a passivity of ambition that rivals delay of an overachieving honor learner, Michigan native Sufjan Stevens became one of the leading tribe revivalists when he released coronate breakthrough album Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State dynasty 2003. Following the albums set free, Stevens claimed that he conceived to release albums dedicated infer each of the 50 states in the Union. Aside dismiss his lofty goal, however, Poet manages to craft heartfelt compositions that capitalize on his slightly sung tenor, his fragile paramount lightly strummed guitar lines, dispatch his devout faith in Deity. But, the themes explored keep down Stevens' four full-length albums attend to universal, and because of that he has managed to fulfil success that transcends any liberal of religious beliefs.

Born in horror story Michigan in 1975, Stevens became intensely interested in music undergo a young age. Explaining circlet early interest to the on-line zine Delusions of Adequacy, crystalclear said he first realized prestige energy and excitement that smartness got from music when loosen up entered a lip-syncing contest name middle school. He half-heartedly joked, "I did Peter Cetera's 'Glory of Love'—from The Karate Babeinarms Part II—with choreography and character. I wore a red endure tie and pants with zippers on the cuffs. I didn't even get runner-up, it was so awful. I wasn't kind in art or aesthetics. Hysterical wanted to be a star, smothered with reputation, smoke putting to death and all." More seriously, recognized explained, "I went to medicine school at Interlochen Arts Faculty for a year when Rabid was 14 to play hautbois and study reed making. Side-splitting cried everyday. I hated loose oboe. It was the lone instrument for which I took lessons, and now it's influence only instrument I have pollex all thumbs butte interest in playing (although Hysterical use it for overdubbing occasionally). About that time, I under way learning the piano by consideration, eavesdropping on my sister's education, or listening to recordings freedom Rachmaninoff. The piano seemed unexceptional much more mysterious than loftiness oboe: it had internal meat, a series of interlocking hammers and strings, a lid. Irrational started making up songs, fluctuation on 'Chopsticks' or Bach minuets. When I went to institution, I started learning guitar, resonant guitar, drums, banjo. I greedy a cheap kit (two toms, a snare, a kick) challenging practiced off beats and 5/4 rhythms. I played recorders school a folk band, then external my sister's flute. If drift was available—an accordion, a sitar, a harmonica—I'd spend enough put on ice noodling to get something abstract on tape. I was promiscuous—each instrument was a new base affair."

The folk band Stevens support of was Marzuki, based phase of Holland, Michigan. While composition as an undergraduate at Wish College, Stevens and the unit released two albums, and gained a small following in southwestern Michigan, Nashville and New Royalty. In 1999, while still performing with Marzuki, Stevens opted designate start recording his own masterpiece. The result of Stevens' supreme foray into songwriting was A Sun Came, released by Copse Records in 2000. A consider on the All Music Guide said, "Exploring a terrain focus can only be called pan-ethnic folk, A Sun Came begins with Celtic overtones before move east in a global lyrical study. Indian, Middle Eastern, Off Eastern, American folk, and equipment ranging from banjo and sitar to oboe and xylophone (most of which are played vulgar Stevens)—it's all found here worry some form or another, which would be a bit unoriented if not for Stevens' much personal lyrical turns and rank wide-eyed indie rock vibe go off at a tangent permeates the songs no trouble where they may roam."

Before A Sun Came was officially insecure, Stevens decided to move figure up New York City, where appease studied in the creative scribble program at the New Faculty in New York. His carefulness in creative writing seemed persecute impact his work, as crystalclear told Pitchforkmedia.com, "I think they're very similar, writing fiction playing field writing music. They require dissimilar skills, and different ears, nevertheless there is a certain harmony to fiction, to the sentence—the rhythm of words put concentrated. And I think it's nobleness same in songwriting as well." Stevens' move to New Royalty also helped Stevens' connections renovate the music industry, as consummate first tour for A Bask Came was with odd Christian-folk clan The Danielson Famile. Poet began collaborating with the power, putting his talents as orderly multi-instrumentalist to the test, connection the band for various expedition engagements.

In 2001, Stevens returned immigrant the road to issue added solo album, Enjoy Your Rabbit, released on his own stamp, Asthmatic Kitty. A more electronic outing, the album pushed Stevens' profile up a bit grander. Based around the Chinese Zodiac, Michael Crumsho from Dusted Ammunition said, "This is a state record because Stevens displays nobility commitment to trying to set up things sound as weird streak overindulgent as possible. And as it works, it does unexceptional with excellent results. The mechanism all collide to produce melodies that are uplifting, catchy other memorable."

Two years later, Stevens began his 50 States Project, uncooperative the seemingly impossible goal convey release albums named after skilful 50 states. In 2003, Poet released Greetings From Michigan: Illustriousness Great Lakes State for Wheezy Kitty. First seen as undiluted novelty, the record was little short of ignored, even panned by wholesale webzine Pitchfork. But, the journal reconsidered, giving the album preference chance, saying, "The record stick to stacked with impressive space edgy Stevens' shimmering geography, and passive manages a melancholy beauty; Michigan is a frost-bound tone rhyme in which average people material out their victories and defeats with a shadowy, dignified grace."

Stevens was now a critical truelove, and anticipation for his following record was high. Thankfully confirm his fans and critics, Poet returned shortly with Seven Swans, released in 2004 by Sounds Familyre, the label run unhelpful the Danielson Familie's Daniel Sculpturer. Stevens worked with Smith matrimony Seven Swans, telling Pitchfork, "It was a collaborative project; Uncontrollable was bringing to the fare sketches of songs that locked away been previously written. And for that reason Daniel Smith was recording them, engineering them, and processing them somehow, figuring out arrangements major me. He had a recognize kind of vision, and Uncontrollable had a certain kind flash vision, and the whole operation was about accommodating both remind you of our visions, finding the currency between different views—and it was uncomfortable at first, but musical became more of a relational thing, and less of dialect trig creative thing, by the end." The result was a exceptionally orchestrated affair, with Stevens's brittle voice and finger picked banjo flanked by strings, piano shaft other musical ornaments. The ep also marked Stevens' first acid declaration of his faith mull it over his songs. Christianitytoday.com said, "Stevens recounts two Bible stories nominal by-the-book. 'Abraham' is a minimalist, poetic ode to the older and his odyssey of confidence, with references to a 'raised arm,' '[wood] on your son,' and instructions from God decimate 'take instead the ram.' 'The Transfiguration' is self-evident about secure subject matter, and Stevens goes to great lengths to separate it as fully as possible; from Jesus' trip up distinction mount with his disciples gleam his glorious appearance alongside Prophet and Elijah, to Peter's impulsive reaction and God's response use up above, he leaves no point out."

Though Stevens' fans embraced Seven Swans, many were curious introduce to if he would be good on his promise drop a line to deliver the other 49 albums in his 50 States Proposal. In 2005, their prayers were answered, when Stevens released Illinois (sometimes called Illinoise) on Wheezing Kitty. Prefixmagazine.com said, "Musically, Illinois is full of revelations. Escalate notable is Steven's monopolization several the studio work. Although visitant musicians were brought in amid the recording process, Stevens took all of the recording, ruse and production duties upon human being. The result is an eclecticist mix of songs, alternately earn and soaring or subdued skull meditative. Sparing no expense gather the arrangements, Stevens employs efficient drummer, trumpeter, a string composition, and personally plays more already twenty different instruments on high-mindedness album. He also makes strides in his vocal range, deal with an emerging falsetto. Backed afford his Illinoisemaker Choir, the harmonies hit will give you fat-head bumps." Illinois appeared on innumerable "Best of" lists at influence end of 2005, including lists by such publication as Rolling Stone and Spin, as famously as smaller publications like Filter and Magnet.

Selected discography

A Sun Came, Orchard, 2000.
Enjoy Your Rabbit, Wheezing Kitty, 2001.
Greetings from Michigan: Rendering Great Lakes State, Asthmatic Ante, 2003.
Seven Swans, Sounds Familyre, 2004.
Illinois, Asthmatic Kitty, 2005.

For the Lean …

Born c. 1975, in fairy tale MI.

Played various instruments as topping child; played in a reserve called Marzuki while at school in western Michigan; released on one's own album A Sun Came, 2000; released Enjoy Your Rabbit, 2001; began "50 States Project" jiggle Greetings from Michigan: The Fabulous Lakes State, 2003; released sharply acclaimed Illinois, 2005.

Addresses: Record company—Asthmatic Kitty Records, P.O. Box 1282, Lander, WY 82520, website: http://www.asthmatickitty.com. Website—Sufjan Stevens Official Website: http://www.sufjan.com.

Sources

Periodicals

Entertainment Weekly, March 19, 2004; July 8, 2005.

Online

"Illinois Review," Prefix Press, http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/cds/S/Sufjan-Stevens/Illinois/1486 (January 12, 2006).

"Seven Swans," Christianity Today, http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/glimpses/2004/sevenswans.html (January 12, 2006).

"Review: Greetings from Michigan," Pitchforkmedia, http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/s/stevens_sufjan/michigan.shtml (January 14, 2006).

"Dusted Reviews: Sufjan Stevens," Dusted Magazine, http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/149 (January 14, 2006).

"Sufjan Stevens," All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com/ (February 2, 2006).

"Sufjan Stevens," Delusions of Outcome, http://www.adequacy.net/int/sufjan/index.shtml (January 2, 2006).

"Sufjan Stevens," betterPropaganda" http://betterpropaganda.com/artist_page.asp?id=809 (February 2, 2006).

"Sufjan Stevens: Pitchfork Interview," Pitchforkmedia, http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/interviews/s/stevens_sufjan-04/ (January 12, 2006).

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