Stevens, Sufjan: Javelin (Vinyl LP)

Javelin marks Stevens’ first solo album of songs since 2020’s The Ascension, and his first in full singer-songwriter mode since 2015’s Carrie & Lowell, bridging all these approaches like never before. Whether listened to individually or as an album, these 10 songs become something much bigger, the entire experience of Stevens’ 25-year career brought to bear in four-minute bursts of choral, orchestral, and electric wonder.

Javelin pairs musical sweep with emotional breadth. At times, it has the feel of a big team album production — but it is decidedly not: almost every sound here is the result of Stevens at home, building by himself what sometimes feels like a testament to ‘70s Los Angeles studio opulence. The contributions come from a close circle of friends – adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen, Pauline Delassus, Megan Lui and Nedelle Torrisi – who provide harmonies on many songs, and Bryce Dessner, who plays acoustic and electric guitar on “Shit Talk”. Of course, Neil Young wrote the tender and mystic album closer, “There’s A World".

Black vinyl version.

1. Goodnight Evergreen
   
2. A Running Start
   
3. Will Anybody Ever Love Me?
   
4. Everything That Rises
   
5. Genuflecting Ghost
   
6. My Red Little Fox
   
7. So You Are Tired
   
8. Javelin (To Have and To Hold)
   
9. Shit Talk
   
10. There’s a World