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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Prelude on the Esplanade |
| 2. Introductory Fanfare for the Hooper Heroes |
| 3. Movement I-In the Countenance of Kings |
| 4. Movement II-Sleeping Invader |
| 5. Interlude I-Dream Sequence in Subi Circumnavigation |
| 6. Movement III-Linear Tableau with Intersecting Surprise |
| 7. Movement IV-Traffic Shock |
| 8. Movement V-Self-Organizing Emergent Patterns |
| 9. Interlude II-Subi Power Waltz |
| 10. Interlude III-Invisible Accidents |
| 11. Movement VI-Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges |
| 12. Movement VII (Finale)-The Emperor of Centrifuge |
| 13. Postlude-Critical Mass |
Product Description
Review
But if you need proof of his odd genius, then what about this? Stevens has recorded a classical/techno/indie epic about a bit of tarmac. And he's done it beautifully.
The BQE was originally a commission from the Brooklyn Academy of Music – Stevens was tasked with creating an audio-visual spectacular for a 2,000-seater hall – but, as with much of the man’s work, it grew upon itself and spiralled beyond its original concept and is now released as a DVD/CD/comic book spectacular. Like his lovingly assembled 2006 Christmas box set, it feels like so much love has gone into it that it'd be mean not to buy it.
This is the story of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Well actually, it is when you combine it with the other media. This is actually an abstract from Stevens’ oeuvre, but so strong is the music that you get the picture regardless. It's not really about a road, but we can still go on a journey with one of America’s greatest contemporary musicians.
At 40 minutes and comprised of seven movements, three interludes and pre- and post-ludes, this is a proper composition – no vocals, full orchestra, so get your ears primed and brain concentrating. And, unlike other pop artists who've branched out into classical – here’s looking at you, Macca – this feels like a very natural step. It’s a record that even casual listeners to Stevens could attribute to him, even minus vocals. There are moments throughout – especially the wing-fluttering woodwind and strings that punctuate the entire record – that are quintessentially him, but this is still miles away from records like Seven Swans and his two State records.
It's no wonder that Stevens has recently pondered the worth of creativity during the death-age for physical music – he’s made nine records since 2000 and explored and expanded his skill set beyond many of his peers. Where does he go from here if the album is dying? You do wonder, but whichever junction he turns off at, it's bound to be fascinating. --Will Dean
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
CD Description
The BQE is available as a double-disc format (CD/DVD), which includes the original 16mm/8mm film (in widescreen "triptych" display), the original motion picture soundtrack, a 40-page booklet (with extensive liner notes and photographs), and the stereoscopic image reel (playable in all View-Master® viewers).
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Customer Reviews
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.
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.
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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