Staff Reviews

Sufjan Stevens - The Greatest Gift

Review by Jude Clarke

An interesting side-note»

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The Greatest Gift is a mixtape of outtakes, remixes and demos from Sufjan’s 2015 album Carrie and Lowell. The release is available in translucent yellow vinyl and yellow cassette. This collection serves as a companion piece to the Carrie and Lowell Live album released earlier this year (and as an expansion to the original album). In the same way the live show featured re-interpretations of the songs from Carrie and Lowell, the mixtape unveils new remixes by several longstanding collaborators including Roberto C. Lange (aka Helado Negro), Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), and James McAlister (aka 900X). The album also features Sufjan’s own remix of Drawn to the Blood. The mixtape includes a few alternate and / or demo versions of songs from the original album. The mixtape features four previously unreleased new songs, “official” outtakes from Carrie and Lowell (they were recorded at the same time as the album). These include Wallowa Lake Monster, The Hidden River of My Life, City of Roses, and The Greatest Gift. This new material, in its investigation of love, life, death, God, and the beautiful state of Oregon, serves as a contemplative companion to the original album.
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