What exactly is it that makes this album so outstanding? It is

The secret is that it's just as underwhelming as the rest of his work outside of Illinois.

>>74501566
this but unironically

>>74501550
Suckjam Stevens isn't good.

>>74501550
idk the lyrics i guess?

>>74501739
His songwriting has always been SERIOUSLY strong.
But I think it's how I relate to the uplifting part in Should.
Or cried to Fourth of July.
C&L the song is awesome.

>>74501550
>i almost touched your blouse
>but then i went off and had gay sex instead

hmmmm

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>>74501550
I can't exactly pin it down, but something about the way he organizes the album along with simpler piano pieces pairing with his intended vocal style just meshes together well. Songs like Death With Dignity, The Only Thing, and Blue Bucket of Gold highlight how elegant and personified his voice can be, which is something that Age of Adz could never show.
>>74501566
>>74501682
Pic related

>>74501550
The fact that the songs are good. What makes his other recent albums not as good? The fact that the songs aren't good. Elaborate arrangements don't make a song good, neither do stripped down arrangements, but there's less to mess up with the latter. An emotionally effective song is a good one, and the songs on Carrie and Lowell are more emotionally effective than anything he's done since Seven Swans. That's all there is to it.

>>74501550
the stripped down style allows for Sufjan to focus mainly on his lyricism. imo, Carrie & Lowell have some of his strongest lyrics like John My Beloved or No Shade

>>74501550
>>74502383
And no it's not the orchestrations or anything "advanced". The album would be just as good with nothing but the central instruments. (it would probably be even better without the unremarkable ambient outros on all the tracks too IMO). The songs are good. That's all. There's no secret.

The fact that it's about the town where I lived and it came after a breakup of my longest relationship.

Hiking Spencer Butte listening to this was surreal and healing.

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>>74501550
>>74502353
>>74501856
>