The Leader

Issue date: 8/30/06 Section: Music

There are times when a listener of Sufjan Stevens could question his logic. We could easily ask, "Really, Sufjan? The OC soundtrack?" or "Were all of the sentences in that song title really necessary?" or, on a personal note, "Why doesn't your name just come with a pronunciation key?" After the sub-radar success of Illinois, however, we are forced to turn our bold, critical examinations inward. His latest release, The Avalanche: Outtakes & Extras from the Illinois Album, does a good deal more than pick up where the troop of Illinoisemakers left off. The 21-song compilation of B-sides presents itself as more of a mirror image to its forerunner than an afterthought. The ingredients may differ, but the recipes for the two albums are undeniably similar.

Like its predecessor, The Avalanche's noteworthy tracks span from curiously meek acoustic pieces ("Pittsfield") to flourishes of irresistible brass trills and handclaps ("Adlai Stevenson"). Established Sufjan fans can appreciate a return to a simpler sound on more than one occasion. "The Avalanche," the album's title track and focal point, features all of the stripped down strings and storytelling we admired with Seven Swans and Michigan. Stevens also demonstrates his brand of the remix by including three alternate versions of the beautifully crafted "Chicago." Each accurately subtitled arrangement (the "Acoustic Version," "Adult Contemporary Easy Listening Version" and "Multiple Personality Disorder Version") successfully captures the original sentiment of the standout track.

In the spirit of Illinois, listeners could research a majority of these song titles on Wikipedia and walk away a slightly more historically educated indie-folk fan. Luckily, Stevens' artistry allows us to enjoy each narrative without having to know the coordinates of Carlyle Lake, or what date Casimir Pulaski Day falls on this year.

It is difficult to dispute that there is usually some reason a track is left off the final cut of an album. However, to dismiss The Avalanche as a collection of leftovers and second-rate outtakes would be a mistake. We can't be sure why "Dear Mr. Supercomputer" didn't make it onto Illinois, but we can be damn glad it has shown up here.

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