Sufjan StevensBest Sufjan Stevens Albums Ranked

Carrie & Lowell

pitchfork

10

“Sufjan Stevens remains embarrassed by the raw grief of the 2015 album devoted to his late mother. For its 10th anniversary, Jayson Greene reflects on Carrie & Lowell’s place in his own life.”

Javelin

thelineofbestfit

10

“Sufjan Stevens delivers a passionate plea for love through Javelin”

Carrie & Lowell

consequence

9.5

“The barest and most vivid music the indie folksinger has ever made”

Javelin

pastemagazine

9.2

“The Detroit indie hero returns to singer/songwriter mode for magnificent, riveting and gorgeous songs of sacrifice”

Illinois

pitchfork

9.2

“On the second installment of his absurdly ambitious "50 States" project, Stevens presents the 74-minute spectacular Illinois. In the wake of last year's quieter Seven Swans, this album finds the baroque, full arrangements of Michigan reaching stunning, nuanced heights, with the help of a small army of backers-- including a choir and string quartet.”

Javelin

loudandquiet

9.0

“Any attempt to determine what an album is ‘about’ risks overlooking a skilled songwriter’s ability to fuse fact and fiction and obfuscate the origins of their inspiration. This is certainly the case for Sufjan Stevens, who has often preferred to maintain a safe distance from the stereotypical singer-songwriter’s transparent first-person confessionals. Although the lyrics of Javelin hardly read li”

Carrie & Lowell

ben

9.0

“Too sad for me to even listen to most of the time”