Monday, November 14, 2005

Between Hipsters and God, There's Sufjan Stevens

Here is an article that I quite enjoyed. It is about Sufjan Stevens who I am starting to figure out a little bit thanks to my kids' insistence that he's not as bad / weird / strange as he appeared the one time I saw him in person. With a band playing along he's supposed to be quite something. I find "O God, Where are You Now" from his Michigan album to be haunting and beautiful.

My favorite line from the article is: "That the impulse to look for hidden meanings should seem incompatible with Christian art is a sign, both of how far Fundamentalism has dumbed down the religion it claims to represent, and how much intellectuals' defensive response to Fundamentalism has left them deaf to the spiritual traditions it distorts and suppresses. "

Thanks to "C" at Scatter o' Light for pointing me to it.

5 comments:

bethany said...

Thanks for linking that. It was really well written, and helpful. I really like the Holland from the MI album, but that might be the power of nostalgia.

Bar L. said...

I have to admit, that until now, I had never heard of Sufjan Stevens, but now I can say I have!!! Thanks for introducing something new to me!

Bob K said...

I think it was, James - I've been trying to remember which show it was that he opened. I remember telling those who were with me how underwhelmed I was at great length only to find Sufjan join the woman who as sitting behind me while I prattled on. He watched the headliners one seat behind me. I think it was Over the Rhine. I know I was there with Bethany and that her friend Jeremy bought the Michigan album that night - an act which, based on his performance, I found baffling.

bethany said...

It was the Over the Rhine show. I remember it vividly. I think Sarah was with us too.

c said...

that's a funny juxtaposition, bob. you find sufjan's live show funny and weird, while the "hipsters" find his christianity funny and weird... :-)