Lowell Brams and Sufjan Stevens: Music For Insomnia
Sufjan Stevens‘ month of October could not be more impressive yet clandestine at the same time. While everyone is expecting Sufjan to continue his gimmick of writing an album for every state, he is instead releasing two instrumental albums in the month of October and a contributed heavily to a third instrumental album to be released in December. These releases come amidst Sufjan’s first tour in over twelve months, though Stevens is not performing these songs during the tour. One of these albums will be released under his name, while the other two will not.
The first album will be released tomorrow, October 6th. The album is an interpretation of Sufjan Stevens’ electronic experimentation of Enjoy Your Rabbit by the string quartet, Osso, called Run Rabbit Run. As the story goes, Bryce Dessner of The National instigated this project and helped compose the interpretations. Run Rabbit Run is an intense album that is perfect to study with and listen to in the background.
The next album is one released under Sufjan Stevens’ name. It’s a soundtrack to a film he directed, produced, and filmed. The BQE is ”a cinematic suite inspired by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the Hula-Hoop. Commissioned by Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), The BQE was originally performed in the Howard Gilman Opera House in celebration of the 25th anniversary Next Wave Festival in October of 2007.”
The soundtrack to The BQE, written and recorded by Sufjan, will be released on 180-gram vinyl, along with liner notes, photographs and “the 40-page Hooper Heroes comic book.” The DVD, CD and LP will be released October 20th.
Today, Asthmatic Kitty revealed that Sufjan Stevens supported Lowell Brams (Sufjan’s father-in-law and owner of Asthmatic Kitty) along with the help of Bryce Dessner (The National), and together they, and a slew of other musicians, recorded Music for Insomnia: Volume 4. This album will be part of the Asthmatic Kitty Library Catalog Music, meant to be, “a series of instrumental albums designed for possible use in films and television, background sounds for home or office, or personal needs, such as relaxation, stimulation, meditation, concentration, or elevation.”
Sufjan Stevens – Movement I—In the Countenance of Kings
Osso – Enjoy Your Rabbit (Sufjan Stevens)