In the absence of our regular writers, our friend, Micajah Henley, co-host of the podcast You Forgot One, has graciously blessed our blog with a deep dive into indie-music legend Sufjan Stevens' latest LP. Enjoy!
The Sufjan Cinematic Universe continues to expand in a collaboration with labelmate Angelo De Augustine. In recent years, Stevens wrote two original songs for Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name, earning him an Academy Award nomination and his one and only Grammy nomination. However, A Beginner’s Mind approaches a variety of films ranging from Wim Wender’s Wings of Desire to the straight-to-DVD sequel Bring It On Again. Dedicated to director Jonathan Demme (Stop Making Sense, Something Wild), the record’s 14 tracks are loosely inspired by different movies that are used to explore the experiences of the material and metaphysical worlds, primarily through fingerpicking guitar playing and whispery vocal harmonies.
To do so, the folk duo went on a trip to upstate New York to attempt what neither had done before—write songs with another person. The result sounds like a natural and worthy follow-up to De Augustine’s 2019 album, Tomb. On the other hand, it marks a return-to-form for Sufjan, coming off his experimental collaboration with Lowell Brams (Aporia), his most pop-forward album to date (The Ascension), and his 5-LP experimental album recorded during the pandemic based on the five stages of grief (Convocations).
Like Stevens’ other thematic works, the use of the films can be viewed as a MacGuffin, a device used to set up the album and move it forward while communicating larger ideas throughout. According to the Asthmatic Kitty, Stevens and De Augustine approached the album with a Zen Buddhist mindset, grounded in the idea of shoshin, meaning “beginner’s mind.” The Zen state of mind that emphasizes openness and viewing things with new eyes, free of judgment and preconceived notions or expectations opened the solo artists to work together effectively and beautifully. Furthermore, the Buddhist worldview saved the artists from writing on-the-nose musical adaptations of the movies.
The album starts strong with “Reach Out”—an obvious first single—as both sing together over an acoustic guitar that feels familiar for fans of both. Most importantly, it becomes clear right away that the collaboration, the Zen influence, and the framework of the films is anything but a cheap gimmick. The more they sing “Reach out, reach out to the ones who came before you / Reach out, reach out and all at once the pain restores you,” the more Sufjan’s trademark grandiose folk sound matures.
One of the other singles, “Back to Oz,” features a groovy guitar and big drum sounds followed by a catchy chorus driven by the shake of a tambourine and accented by a xylophone. It’s here that we realize what makes this musical pairing unique and the album something new and worthwhile. There are, however, instances that parallel Stevens’ other works. Just as the title “Come On! Feel the Illinoise” riffed on an ‘80s hair metal classic, “You Give Death a Bad Name” gives a comical spin to the Bon Jovi arena rock fan favorite. The song inspired by the George A. Romero’s classic fully realizes what Stevens teases with “They Are Night Zombies!!!”—it truly is Night of the Living Dead at last!
One of the album’s standout tracks, “Cimmerian Shade” is written from the point of view of Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs. In the song, the serial killer cries out to the filmmaker, “I just want you to love me / I just wanted to know myself / Fix it all, Jonathan Demme / Beauty resides where your spirit dwells.” In other versions of the chorus, De Augustine and Stevens sing “I just wanted to change myself” and “I just wanted to love myself”—a far cry from “it puts the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again” or “I’d fuck me.” In the same way Sufjan’s “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” reexamined the real-life serial killer, “Cimmerian Shade” challenges listeners to open their hearts and minds to even the most violent and deviant. It’s this subversive level of love and compassion that keeps Stevens and De Augustine from producing reductive church camp anthems.
In the 21st century, few artists have created multiple masterworks. With Illinois, The Age of Adz, and Carrie & Lowell, Sufjan demonstrates that he is one of the great songwriters and composers of our time. His various studio albums, singles, EPs, compilations, Christmas box sets, scores, and collaborations have put Stevens in a league of his own. This album may not make anyone’s list of top five Sufjan albums, and maybe none of these songs qualify as essential Sufjams. Nevertheless, the album represents what many love about the indie-folk icon. The album captures two friends putting in the work to complete the nearly impossible task of evoking mysteries of the human experience through sound and lyricism. And no one seems to come closer than Sufjan.
- Henley
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