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SUFJAN STEVENS The BQE (2009 US limited edition 13-track LP pressed on 180gram VIRGIN VINYL - Sufjan Stevens presented The BQE a film and musical suite exploring New York Citys infamous Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at The Brooklyn Academy Of Musics Next Wave Festival in November 2007. The critically applauded performance featured 36 performers including a band a wind and brass ensemble string players a horn section projected film footage of the expressway and five hulahoopers. This deluxe vinyl set comprises the original motion picture soundtrack [including a code for a digital download - FLAC file] superbly presented in a tri-fold picture sleeve complete with a large-scale 32-page booklet with liner notes and photographs and a black & white version of the 40-page Super Teenage Hooper Heroes comic book housed in stickered perforated tear-strip bag)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This jointly sonic and visual exploration of New York's Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (the BQE) seems automatically to nudge the realms of JG Ballard. Stevens' focus however seems less on fetishist appeal and more on reverential quietude. Such a celebration of an otherwise functional arterial expressway however probably requires a healthy dose of both.
Either way, suffice it to say that The BQE is different from the Sufjan Stevens catalogue to date. For example, Seven Swans, which launched him out of obscurity, was lush and hushed folk music. Its widely-regarded follow up, Illinois, was an exemplary indie-folk crossover with assiduously researched lyrics all pertaining to the U.S. state of the same name.
The BQE on the other hand is almost entirely instrumental, Stevens commanding all a full orchestra has to offer. As such, in place of his trademark lyricism are grandiose arrangements and sweeping, compositional melodies. The resulting orchestral soundtrack comes sporadically punctuated with electronic interludes, minutely deviating The BQE's traffic from the plain classical. Urban orchestra this is not.
Taken in isolation, the soundtrack is a suite of work, one difficult to enter but at the beginning, user-friendly on and off ramps being few and far between. Naturally, it's all a little pretentious. Orchestral suites are often designed to be overblown and Stevens is up to this welcome challenge. However, where British Sea Power succeeded with a similar project, Stevens fairs less well.
Where Man Of Aran blended paranoid post-rock with epic string sections, squalling guitars with ebbing melodies, The BQE relies too strongly on the pedestal work of the greats. Ultimately, it aims too high, musically seeking the same symphonic ground as, say, Gershwin. Stevens' arrangements are solid, his brass lively, his reeds woozy, the overall musicianship faultless, but together they are not comparable.
The accompanying DVD of footage used in the original performance, rather than footage of the actual show, sheds a little more light on the project. In turn, it comes with an accompanying 40-page, photo-strewn booklet and now in full context, Stevens' soundtrack is unobtrusive, complementary even and although never poor still suffers from anonymity in parts.
The DVD itself even is less perhaps than what it could have been. Little can be taken from long shots of immobile traffic, even though other purposefully artistic shots offset these. Perhaps a greater dose of fetishism would have helped enliven The BQE experiment after all.
Either way, suffice it to say that The BQE is different from the Sufjan Stevens catalogue to date. For example, Seven Swans, which launched him out of obscurity, was lush and hushed folk music. Its widely-regarded follow up, Illinois, was an exemplary indie-folk crossover with assiduously researched lyrics all pertaining to the U.S. state of the same name.
The BQE on the other hand is almost entirely instrumental, Stevens commanding all a full orchestra has to offer. As such, in place of his trademark lyricism are grandiose arrangements and sweeping, compositional melodies. The resulting orchestral soundtrack comes sporadically punctuated with electronic interludes, minutely deviating The BQE's traffic from the plain classical. Urban orchestra this is not.
Taken in isolation, the soundtrack is a suite of work, one difficult to enter but at the beginning, user-friendly on and off ramps being few and far between. Naturally, it's all a little pretentious. Orchestral suites are often designed to be overblown and Stevens is up to this welcome challenge. However, where British Sea Power succeeded with a similar project, Stevens fairs less well.
Where Man Of Aran blended paranoid post-rock with epic string sections, squalling guitars with ebbing melodies, The BQE relies too strongly on the pedestal work of the greats. Ultimately, it aims too high, musically seeking the same symphonic ground as, say, Gershwin. Stevens' arrangements are solid, his brass lively, his reeds woozy, the overall musicianship faultless, but together they are not comparable.
The accompanying DVD of footage used in the original performance, rather than footage of the actual show, sheds a little more light on the project. In turn, it comes with an accompanying 40-page, photo-strewn booklet and now in full context, Stevens' soundtrack is unobtrusive, complementary even and although never poor still suffers from anonymity in parts.
The DVD itself even is less perhaps than what it could have been. Little can be taken from long shots of immobile traffic, even though other purposefully artistic shots offset these. Perhaps a greater dose of fetishism would have helped enliven The BQE experiment after all.
Format:Audio CD
This is far more than a music CD. It is an artistic experience.
This release includes a CD of the show's soundtrack, a DVD of Brooklyn-Queens Expressway footage that accompanied the original performance (not a film of the performance itself), a 40-page booklet with liner notes and photos, and a stereoscopic 3D View-Master reel and all should be consumed to get as close to the orginal experience as possible.
This is more a classical piece than anything he has produced to date, containing no vocal performance at all. Unlike many modern artists who dabble in classic composition, this doesn't feel at all forced, it's completely natural, which should probably come as no suprise considering the orchesteral nature of his most recognised works.
At 40 minutes for the music CD there is far less material that we are used to from Stevens, but one must take into account the DVD and other materiels included in the package which comprise the whole experience. For example i love having the DVD or CD playing in the background if i'm on the computer or reading.
While i'd love to have the next in his promised 'state' album project i just love seeing just what this guy is going to do next.
This release includes a CD of the show's soundtrack, a DVD of Brooklyn-Queens Expressway footage that accompanied the original performance (not a film of the performance itself), a 40-page booklet with liner notes and photos, and a stereoscopic 3D View-Master reel and all should be consumed to get as close to the orginal experience as possible.
This is more a classical piece than anything he has produced to date, containing no vocal performance at all. Unlike many modern artists who dabble in classic composition, this doesn't feel at all forced, it's completely natural, which should probably come as no suprise considering the orchesteral nature of his most recognised works.
At 40 minutes for the music CD there is far less material that we are used to from Stevens, but one must take into account the DVD and other materiels included in the package which comprise the whole experience. For example i love having the DVD or CD playing in the background if i'm on the computer or reading.
While i'd love to have the next in his promised 'state' album project i just love seeing just what this guy is going to do next.
Format:Audio CD
I see Sufjan's more recent work as pieces of art, and none moreso than this album. With the film as well, there is just so much to engage with.
In short, I feel that he has really made something new here, but it's not for everyone. I would recommend to those who appreciate musicians who are pushing boundaries and open to something that sounds a bit different.
The sound in general though is a classical feel, with some electronic modern twists. An artistic feat!
In short, I feel that he has really made something new here, but it's not for everyone. I would recommend to those who appreciate musicians who are pushing boundaries and open to something that sounds a bit different.
The sound in general though is a classical feel, with some electronic modern twists. An artistic feat!
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