The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
11
new
SPILL FEATURE: THE ROLLING STONES’ UNZIPPED – A CONVERSATION WITH THEMUSEUM’S DAVID MARSKELL
SPILL FEATURE: I WAS ROCKER SPICE – A CONVERSATION WITH KATHY VALENTINE OF THE GO-GO’S
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM
SPILL NEWS: LISA GERRARD AND JULES MAXWELL (OF DEAD CAN DANCE) SIGN TO ATLANTIC CURVE + ANNOUNCE NEW BURN ALBUM TO BE RELEASED MAY 7
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: EX EN PROVENCE – “COUNTING DOWN THE SUNS”
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)
SPILL NEW MUSIC: THE MYSTICS – “BLACK WIDOW”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: TAMAR APHEK – “RUSSIAN WINTER”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Books + Movies
  • Scene Unseen
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • TOTD
    • Books + Movies
    • Scene Unseen
    • About
REGISTER
@
LOGIN
Album Reviews
68
Editor Pick
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: WILL BUTLER - GENERATIONS
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PUBLIC ENEMY - WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN THE GRID GOES DOWN?

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SUFJAN STEVENS – THE ASCENSION

Sufjan Stevens

Sufjan Stevens
The Ascension
Asthmatic Kitty

It is hard to believe, but it has been five years since Sufjan Stevens released a ‘conventional’ studio album. That doesn’t mean he has not been busy, because he has.  The Ascension is a return to form for Stevens. It is a complex album that takes the listener on a journey into Stevens’ world.

A number of singles have been released prior to the release of The Ascension, and as good as they are, they don’t do a great job representing the album. “America”, “Video Game”, and “Sugar” work much better within the context of the rest of the tracklist. Take “Video Game’ for example. It is an amazing song with a tip of the hat to old electro music, but it is a cornerstone here, his manifesto if you will. “I don’t care if everyone is into it/I don’t care if it has a popular refrain”, sings Stevens. He will not compromise its art for an instant hit. He is clearly not craving the billion streams but rather, as he has consistently done over the years, uses music as an expression, and treats it as an art form.

This is an album of twists and turns. He uses sound, rhythm, loops, and his vocals unlike anyone else, in such a way as to create a slight air of discomfort, using sound to create a cohesive record. That does not mean that the songs sound the same. “Video Game” and “Lamentations” sit side by side, but could not be more different. He then slows the proceedings down with the almost ambient “Die Happy”. It is incredible song sequencing which creates incredible flow throughout. The album ends with the epic “America”. Lyrically, it is one of the most wonderful songs Stevens’ has written, making an incredibly strong political statement, the perfect ending to the album.

The Ascension demonstrates a great deal of growth, expansion, and experimentation in Sufjan Stevens’ work.  Not only is it one of his best album–if not his best–it is clearly a contender for Album Of The Year.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Editor Pick
Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SUFJAN STEVENS – THE ASCENSION

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
9.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsasthmatic kittyjalaiahsufjan stevenssugarvideo game
album review, album reviews, asthmatic kitty, jalaiah, sufjan stevens, sugar, video game
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewsasthmatic kitty
 
8.0
Front Line Assembly
6.1

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL

by Trista Whitman on January 15, 2021
Front Line Assembly Mechanical Soul Metropolis Records After over three decades of music from industrial greats Front Line Assembly, they’ve now released their 17th album, [...]
 
9.0
Grievous Angels

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM

by Aaron Badgley on January 15, 2021
Grievous Angels The Summer Before The Storm Jimmy Boyle Records The Grievous Angels made their debut in 1986, and The Summer Before The Storm, their eighth album, is [...]
 
7.0
The Dirty Nil
8.9

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART

by Matt Owczarz on January 1, 2021
The Dirty Nil Fuck Art Dine Alone Records Fuck Art is the third studio album from the Hamilton, Ont.-based The Dirty Nil, in which they reaffirm their commitment to keeping the spirit of [...]
 
8.0
George Thorogood And The Destroyers
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS – LIVE IN BOSTON, 1982: THE COMPLETE CONCERT

by Aaron Badgley on December 18, 2020
George Thorogood And The Destroyers Live In Boston, 1982: The Complete Concert Craft Recordings George Thorogood has been making music [...]
 
10
Paul McCartney
9.2

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III

by Aaron Badgley on December 18, 2020
Paul McCartney McCartney III MPL/Capitol Paul McCartney has always used music to get through difficult times. In 1970, when the Beatles split, he came out with the classic McCartney [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
8.0
6.1
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE S...
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART
7.0
8.9
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS – LIV...
8.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
10
9.2
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on January 7, 2021
60
 

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: WARDRUNA – ‘KVITRAVN’ PRESENTATION (ONLINE PERFORMANCE)

by Samantha Wu on December 10, 2020
78
 
Evanescence

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: EVANESCENCE @ ROCK FALCON STUDIO, NASHVILLE (TN)

by Melinda Welsh on December 5, 2020
41
 
Alice In Chains

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: MoPOP PRESENTS: ALICE IN CHAINS @ MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE, SEATTLE (WA)

by Gerrod Harris on December 1, 2020
54
 
Lowest Of The Low

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LOWEST OF THE LOW @ LEE’S PALACE, TORONTO

by John Graham on November 28, 2020
1294
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL FEATURE: REMEMBERING LEX GORE: A SPILL MAGAZINE MEMORIAL – TRIBUTE BY SUSANA MEZA
2699
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN LENNON – GIMME SOME TRUTH. THE ULTIMATE MIXES
640
 
SPILL FEATURE: THAT GOOD OLD FASHIONED RAZZMATAZZ – A CONVERSATION WITH DALLON WEEKES OF I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
585
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARY HOPKIN – ANOTHER ROAD
579
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – LIVE AROUND THE WORLD
551
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
504
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALTER BRIDGE – WALK THE SKY 2.0
497
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JON ANDERSON – 1000 HANDS
467
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GUIDED BY VOICES – STYLES WE PAID FOR
457
 
SPILL FEATURE: TO FEEL OUR HUMANITY IN SOLIDARITY – A CONVERSATION WITH NINA HAGEN
441
 
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
390
 
SPILL FEATURE: GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME – A CONVERSATION WITH CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA
359
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN FOXX AND THE MATHS – HOWL
355
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES