Christmas isn’t here quite yet, but the feeling is certainly in the room.
Sufjan Stevens is back with even more holiday music suitable for any time of the year. Silver & Gold, the latest music extravaganza from Stevens, sees the musician mirroring his recent exploration of electronica with souped up renditions of holiday favorites, original ditties and thoughtful ballads all praising the most wonderful time of the year.
Currently, Stevens is on a tour called the “Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long: Seasonal Affective Disorder Yuletide Disaster Pageant on Ice.” If that’s not an indication of Christmas madness, then his latest five-disc box set will only confirm his simultaneous love and sick fascination with all things Christmas.
“Lumberjack Christmas/No One Can Save You From Christmases Past” and “Christmas Woman” are upbeat, original tracks, and Stevens even explores his funkier wild child with the ’70s-sounding “Mr. Frosty Man.”
But with sincerity, Stevens slows things down on standout “Christmas in the Room.” From the delicate keys that open the track, to the subtle quivering of his woeful voice, Stevens returns to grabbing listeners by the heartstrings.
He completes the record with his own versions of traditional carols, from the dub-filled electronic frenzy of “Good King Wenceslas” to the simple (but still quirky) “Auld Lang Syne” and “Joy to the World,” providing fresh sounds while maintaining the songs’ sentimentality.
While everyone appreciates a good Christmas album, the sheer length of Silver & Gold is enough to cause hesitation, even to biggest Christmas aficionados.
Also, while a wonderful complement to Stevens’ first Christmas compilation, listeners should prepare to hear a continuation of Stevens’ electronic side, instead of a return to his more natural folk tendencies.
Regardless, there’s still enough joy to warm even the meanest of Grinches. Grab a blanket (or a lover), curl up near the fire and be filled with the Sufjan Christmas spirit.
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