Sufjan Stevens - I Walked

Throughout time, I’ve really come to love this new sound that Sufjan Stevens created this past year. With the All Delighted People EP (the gorgeous vinyl I just got as an awesome present from someone really awesome) he stunned with a huge wall of sound that featured clashing guitars, soft-paced ballads and intensely crafted compositions. And The Age of Adz was just as equally striking and drastically massive; albeit two entirely different recordings, as compared to the soft, muffled production of Illinois, these new creations really blew my mind.

But even through listening to all of the music, it’s amazing just how tremendous his voice sounds, as compared to before as well. On the title track, he’s declaring that he’s “lost the will to fight” and on “Get Real Get Right” he sings about getting right with the Lord and his voice sounds a lot more confident, a lot more assured, a lot more willing to take risks and in the end, everything sounds just so much better because of it. “I Walked” is your ‘typical’ heartbreak song but Stevens’ turns it into a poetic, bitter, poignant new way of explaining the process of moving on. I’ve well documented my heart many times and it’s only been through the last year or so – I’d say 2010 firmly solidified it – that I could say it’s probably entirely healed. So in many ways, I’ve finally gotten to the point where certain pasts can be closed without ever having any kind of linger in the back of the mind.

Stevens sings about being forced to walk away from someone because he has no other choice and although he’s still madly in love with her, he’s now dead in her eyes. I love how he’s directly singing to her, calling her ‘lover’ and how he depicts details of being left on the floor where they made love the last time and just crying. Ha, so he doesn’t say crying on the floor but he says “the worst has arrived” and I love how he says “for at least I deserve the respect of a kiss goodbye.” The chorus is downright beautiful and it’s a strong kiss-off, good-bye kind of “it’s my fault that you’re gone, whatever, I wish I could be strong but I’ve got nothing left to love so…I’ll walk.” Part of the inspiration comes from the schizophrenic artist Stevens takes influence from, but I’m sure there has to be some kind of personal story inside it as well and if you’re able to make the personal connections then the song’s even more affecting. It’s deeply sad but entirely uplifting at the same time; in some kind of ridiculous, or gorgeous (depends on how you see it), way very depressing music can be somewhat joyful and “I Walked” is just that. This last paragraph is just one long rant so I’ll close it at that :) Bryan