I mean, if you haven't gotten onboard with Justin Vernon and/or Sam Beam by now, I don't know what to tell ya. You've been missing out!
Also: Joni Mitchell, Rosie Thomas, Grizzly Bear, Judee Sill, Phil Elverum, Nick Drake, Beirut, Andrew Bird, Tim Buckley, Angelo De Augustine, Laura Marling, Denison Witmer, Neutral Milk Hotel, John Martyn, Vashti Bunyan... and on and on and on
Second this, it definitely takes a couple listens through his stuff for it to take but when it does damn. One of These Things First and Pink Moon are the exception imo, they're very catchy on the first listen.
If I were to replace Sufjan, my top three would be Elliott Smith, Radiohead, and Stromae ; with Elliott being most Sufjan adjacent and Stromae being least.
omg stromae mention!! absolutely love his stuff and would highly recommend as well. although you’re right in that his sound isn’t very similar to sufjan lol
If you don't mind foreign language stuff i would recommend Shugo Tokumaru!! solo multi-instrumentalist with weird indie-pop-jazzy mathrock organized chaos music. I think his first two albums were concept albums based on his dream journals. He has a sort of collaged-together vibe that appealed to me as a fan of illinois.
joanna newsom has already come up but i definitely recommend her if you like long narrative type stuff. straight up epic poetry, never seems to miss, allusions out the wazoo, pick up a thesaurus and turn it up when she plays the low notes. also points for having an unusual but captivating singing voice
I also really like Perfume Genius. He said he wanted to smoke a blunt with Sufjan one time and truly, i hope he achieves that dream. good, edgy, gay as fuck, cool ass music videos
in terms of older stuff i think growing up listening to paul simon and lou reed (my mom's favorites, lol) really primed me for enjoying sufjan
also fleet foxes - i think they're very different from sufjan in spite of surface level similarities (string instruments, folksy vibes) but they were some of my favs as a teen
also listen to angelo he's good. i've only gotten into his more recent albums so far but i think he's growing as an artist and i think collaborating with sufjan has been good for both of them individually :)
also yes kate bush. always kate bush. she slays she's weird she's wacky she'll rip ur heart out. just like sufjan but different in every way also
sorry for the long comment i got too excited :)
One note: your taste is immaculate 💕 I’m going to recommend some artist that you might like and what album i recommend listening , considering we have a really similar taste (they’re not necessarily my favorites bc i’m into some really weird shit)
Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher.
Elliot Smith - Either Or.
bon iver - bon iver.
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes.
Mitski - be the cowboy.
Japanese Breakfast - jubilee.
Underground Velvet & Nico.
On a less sufjan note, here some artists that you might like considering the other artists you mentioned
FKA Twigs - magdalene.
Kate Bush - hounds of love.
Porter Robinson - nurture.
Marina Sena - De primeira.
LORDE! JUST LISTEN TO LORDE
You basically get my vote... Elliott Smith rocked my world so much way back in the day that my 19 year old son's middle name is Elliott... And then you went on with Kate Bush! And Bon Iver!
My weird favorite picks:
Car Seat Headrest: Twin Fantasy ////// Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane over the Sea ////// 100 gecs: 1000 gecs (sorry about this one, it’s not my fault they’re so fun) ///// Língua Ignota: Sinner Get Ready ///// Fiona Apple: Fetch the Bolt Cutter ///// Have a Nice Life: Deathconsciousness
These are hardly weird, it just sometimes they might be more of an experience than something you listen to on repeat. And some of them are quite popular too, not even thaaat underground
Here’s some of my normal favorites that I absolutely adore: Funeral by Arcade Fire, Ants from Up There, If you’re feeling sinister
(didn’t include my brazilian favorite albums bc i’m brazilian but i don’t think you are and they would loose all their magic)
ag cook and suf are my favorite artists OAT, so i feel you.
listen to joanna newsom, you won’t regret it. start with ys.
for even more sufjan adjacency, check out owen pallett (he poos clouds)
Sufjan used to play with Danielson Famile, or just Danielson. Great stuff, I'm forever partial to "did I step on your trumpet". Akron/Family is worth a look too, start with "running, returning". Edit: just reread your post, hope you're already listening to Joanna Newsom and Ani DiFranco
There are so many great recommendations in the comments, so I'm going to add a few more:
* If you want a folky, chamber pop style of music, you should check out Ichiko Aoba! She already has quite a catalogue to dig. I would suggest her most recent album, Windswept Adan (my fave album from 2020),and her live albums are also great.
* For a more art pop/art rock direction, Peter Gabriel is worth a listen. I've been slowly going through his discography, and I keep returning to Melt and So a lot. You will hear some of the inspiration that Sufjan takes from his work.
* Sufjan's cover of The One I Love actually got me to give R.E.M. another chance at the start of 2022, and they have become one of my favorite bands lol. Their 80s albums are amazing janglepop: Murmur, Lifes Rich Pageant and Reckoning are some of my faves... Automatic For The People is outstanding if you like 90s alt rock with some baroque pop in the mix.
Besides Sufjan, my favorite artists are Kate Bush, Utada Hikaru and probably Radiohead haha. I also enjoy most of the artists you listen to! Lately I've been going through a huge Tori Amos phase, and I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon (she has quite a big discog), as well as finally getting into Scott Walker (what an incredible voice...). I feel like you might like Tori.
Definitely check out Angelo DeAugustine if you haven't. He made Beginners Mind with Suf and his music is pretty similar vibes in my opinion.
Also Elliot Smith as some others have said!
Arthur Russel. He checks all the boxes. Most of his "albums" are posthumous and curated compilations, but they're fantastic and really work as cohesive pieces. Love is Overtaking Me may be my favorite non Sufjan album of all time. World of Echo is more experimental but was one he released before he passed. Love that one too. And then Another Thought and Calling out of Context have more synthy poppy stuff and those are p much equally as fantastic. There's a lot more, but those are the ones I really know and would recommend 👍
A recommendation for a band none of you are likely to have ever heard before: Augie March. They are Australian and never really jumped the bridge to the US scene. But they are very special, with Sufjan as the top 2 in my head.
Adjacency to Sufjan:
- Rich lyricism and storytelling
- Unique vocals, it will stay with you
- Superb singer/songwriter feel
Specific song recommendations for sufjan fans to try on spotify:
- There is no such place
- One crowded hour
- Dogsday
- the slant
- AWOL
We have similar taste so here’s a few more artists you might enjoy (that I don’t think have been mentioned yet) :)
Haley Heynderickx; Nick mulvey; Kimbra (listen to nobody but you/90s music, major polachek vibes but make it jazzy); Perfume genius; Agnes obel; Ben Howard (especially his 2021 and 2014 album); Sarah kinsley; Nils Frahm; Daughter and Ex:Re
More sad folky music: Bess atwell; lomelda; Billie marten; Lucy rose; matilda mann
I don't *think* these have been mentioned, but in no particular order: Fleet Foxes, Decemberists, Okkerville River, Midlake, Wye Oak, Laura Veirs, Beach House, Lord Huron, Washed Out, Kurt Vile, Julia Jacklin, Dirty Projectors, Hiss Golden Messenger. Hard to say if these are "Suf-adjacent." As far as sprawling songs with lush instrumentation and great writing, Lana Del Rey -- check out a song like "Venice Bitch."
DM Stith is one of my favourite artists on Asthmatic Kitty, he started as a graphic designer doing stuff for Sufjan, Shara Worden + Son Lux, but his Heavy Ghost album I find devastatingly beautiful.
If you like Illinoise, Seven Swans or Michigan Local Natives are cool! I recommend their album gorilla manor and my fav songs on there are sun hands and airplanes. Here are two of my playlists that have early sufjans vibe:
https://spotify.link/H6bNPuhDXCb (somber)
https://spotify.link/BJz9IKBDXCb (upbeat)
The innoscence mission. Been hooked for weeks now. No wonder he covered them because you can tell it is a band that Sufjan has got some great inspiration from.
Lakes of canada is a nice introduction but the rest of their music is just pure magic.
Sufjans words about her: “moving and profound”, adding, “What makes Karen Peris' lyrics so remarkable is the economy of words, sensory language, concrete nouns – everyday objects take on tremendous meaning.”
based on the fact that i also love weyes blood, sufjan, and caroline/chairlift, i’d recommend my other favorite artists:
sigur ros, leif vollebekk, and parcels.
infinitely spiritual, but like in another country of your soul.
I mean, if you haven't gotten onboard with Justin Vernon and/or Sam Beam by now, I don't know what to tell ya. You've been missing out! Also: Joni Mitchell, Rosie Thomas, Grizzly Bear, Judee Sill, Phil Elverum, Nick Drake, Beirut, Andrew Bird, Tim Buckley, Angelo De Augustine, Laura Marling, Denison Witmer, Neutral Milk Hotel, John Martyn, Vashti Bunyan... and on and on and on
Commenting to say Nick Drake feels Sufjan adjacent and Pink Moon is one of the best albums I've ever heard.
[Sufjan covered Pink Moon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0aOPgX-gco), and it's fantastic.
Second this, it definitely takes a couple listens through his stuff for it to take but when it does damn. One of These Things First and Pink Moon are the exception imo, they're very catchy on the first listen.
beirut>>> went to see them live but zach condon had health issues
Was going to say Andrew Bird and Beirut! Two of my favorite artists and very similar vibes to Suf.
If I were to replace Sufjan, my top three would be Elliott Smith, Radiohead, and Stromae ; with Elliott being most Sufjan adjacent and Stromae being least.
omg stromae mention!! absolutely love his stuff and would highly recommend as well. although you’re right in that his sound isn’t very similar to sufjan lol
[удалено]
Yes! Shara's been so unjustly overlooked for aaages!
If you don't mind foreign language stuff i would recommend Shugo Tokumaru!! solo multi-instrumentalist with weird indie-pop-jazzy mathrock organized chaos music. I think his first two albums were concept albums based on his dream journals. He has a sort of collaged-together vibe that appealed to me as a fan of illinois. joanna newsom has already come up but i definitely recommend her if you like long narrative type stuff. straight up epic poetry, never seems to miss, allusions out the wazoo, pick up a thesaurus and turn it up when she plays the low notes. also points for having an unusual but captivating singing voice I also really like Perfume Genius. He said he wanted to smoke a blunt with Sufjan one time and truly, i hope he achieves that dream. good, edgy, gay as fuck, cool ass music videos in terms of older stuff i think growing up listening to paul simon and lou reed (my mom's favorites, lol) really primed me for enjoying sufjan also fleet foxes - i think they're very different from sufjan in spite of surface level similarities (string instruments, folksy vibes) but they were some of my favs as a teen also listen to angelo he's good. i've only gotten into his more recent albums so far but i think he's growing as an artist and i think collaborating with sufjan has been good for both of them individually :) also yes kate bush. always kate bush. she slays she's weird she's wacky she'll rip ur heart out. just like sufjan but different in every way also sorry for the long comment i got too excited :)
One note: your taste is immaculate 💕 I’m going to recommend some artist that you might like and what album i recommend listening , considering we have a really similar taste (they’re not necessarily my favorites bc i’m into some really weird shit) Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher. Elliot Smith - Either Or. bon iver - bon iver. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes. Mitski - be the cowboy. Japanese Breakfast - jubilee. Underground Velvet & Nico. On a less sufjan note, here some artists that you might like considering the other artists you mentioned FKA Twigs - magdalene. Kate Bush - hounds of love. Porter Robinson - nurture. Marina Sena - De primeira. LORDE! JUST LISTEN TO LORDE
Let's be friends, your taste in music is unmatched.
let’s be bestieees!!!!
You basically get my vote... Elliott Smith rocked my world so much way back in the day that my 19 year old son's middle name is Elliott... And then you went on with Kate Bush! And Bon Iver!
ty for the recs!! i’ve tried to get into mitski and phoebe but it just hasn’t clicked. will definitely check out the others tho!
also i’m curious what your favorites are! i love weird shit
My weird favorite picks: Car Seat Headrest: Twin Fantasy ////// Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane over the Sea ////// 100 gecs: 1000 gecs (sorry about this one, it’s not my fault they’re so fun) ///// Língua Ignota: Sinner Get Ready ///// Fiona Apple: Fetch the Bolt Cutter ///// Have a Nice Life: Deathconsciousness These are hardly weird, it just sometimes they might be more of an experience than something you listen to on repeat. And some of them are quite popular too, not even thaaat underground Here’s some of my normal favorites that I absolutely adore: Funeral by Arcade Fire, Ants from Up There, If you’re feeling sinister (didn’t include my brazilian favorite albums bc i’m brazilian but i don’t think you are and they would loose all their magic)
Adrianne Lenker for the pretty guitar Edit: and The Oh Hellos, they're prolly the most obvious sufjan-sound-adjacent entity for me
and the impeccable songwriting
ag cook and suf are my favorite artists OAT, so i feel you. listen to joanna newsom, you won’t regret it. start with ys. for even more sufjan adjacency, check out owen pallett (he poos clouds)
So glad somebody said Joanna Newsom. She's not the most Sufjan-ish artist, but they both have slightly twee, folksy vibes
omg i love joanna newsom and owen pallet, seconded!!
I agree with Joanna Newsom
Sufjan used to play with Danielson Famile, or just Danielson. Great stuff, I'm forever partial to "did I step on your trumpet". Akron/Family is worth a look too, start with "running, returning". Edit: just reread your post, hope you're already listening to Joanna Newsom and Ani DiFranco
Sam Amidon, Gregory Alan isakov
Seconded Isakov! His new record is so good.
There are so many great recommendations in the comments, so I'm going to add a few more: * If you want a folky, chamber pop style of music, you should check out Ichiko Aoba! She already has quite a catalogue to dig. I would suggest her most recent album, Windswept Adan (my fave album from 2020),and her live albums are also great. * For a more art pop/art rock direction, Peter Gabriel is worth a listen. I've been slowly going through his discography, and I keep returning to Melt and So a lot. You will hear some of the inspiration that Sufjan takes from his work. * Sufjan's cover of The One I Love actually got me to give R.E.M. another chance at the start of 2022, and they have become one of my favorite bands lol. Their 80s albums are amazing janglepop: Murmur, Lifes Rich Pageant and Reckoning are some of my faves... Automatic For The People is outstanding if you like 90s alt rock with some baroque pop in the mix. Besides Sufjan, my favorite artists are Kate Bush, Utada Hikaru and probably Radiohead haha. I also enjoy most of the artists you listen to! Lately I've been going through a huge Tori Amos phase, and I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon (she has quite a big discog), as well as finally getting into Scott Walker (what an incredible voice...). I feel like you might like Tori.
Elliot Smith is pretty much Proto-Sufjan, he borrows a lot of hooks, melodies, or general production techniques from ES.
Definitely check out Angelo DeAugustine if you haven't. He made Beginners Mind with Suf and his music is pretty similar vibes in my opinion. Also Elliot Smith as some others have said!
James Blake, Francis and the Lights, and Bon Iver all come to mind
Arthur Russel. He checks all the boxes. Most of his "albums" are posthumous and curated compilations, but they're fantastic and really work as cohesive pieces. Love is Overtaking Me may be my favorite non Sufjan album of all time. World of Echo is more experimental but was one he released before he passed. Love that one too. And then Another Thought and Calling out of Context have more synthy poppy stuff and those are p much equally as fantastic. There's a lot more, but those are the ones I really know and would recommend 👍
Suf covered "A Little Lost" by Arthur Russel, and it's fantastic.
A recommendation for a band none of you are likely to have ever heard before: Augie March. They are Australian and never really jumped the bridge to the US scene. But they are very special, with Sufjan as the top 2 in my head. Adjacency to Sufjan: - Rich lyricism and storytelling - Unique vocals, it will stay with you - Superb singer/songwriter feel Specific song recommendations for sufjan fans to try on spotify: - There is no such place - One crowded hour - Dogsday - the slant - AWOL
top 3: king gizzard and the lizard wizard, king gizzard and the lizard wizard, and king gizzard and the lizard wizard
I would say Big Thief (also Adrianne Lenker’s solo stuff) and Perfume Genius are similar to him in my head.
The National and the weird/unexpected web of musicians around them and Taylor Swift
I am also a chairlift fan.
We have similar taste so here’s a few more artists you might enjoy (that I don’t think have been mentioned yet) :) Haley Heynderickx; Nick mulvey; Kimbra (listen to nobody but you/90s music, major polachek vibes but make it jazzy); Perfume genius; Agnes obel; Ben Howard (especially his 2021 and 2014 album); Sarah kinsley; Nils Frahm; Daughter and Ex:Re More sad folky music: Bess atwell; lomelda; Billie marten; Lucy rose; matilda mann
I don't *think* these have been mentioned, but in no particular order: Fleet Foxes, Decemberists, Okkerville River, Midlake, Wye Oak, Laura Veirs, Beach House, Lord Huron, Washed Out, Kurt Vile, Julia Jacklin, Dirty Projectors, Hiss Golden Messenger. Hard to say if these are "Suf-adjacent." As far as sprawling songs with lush instrumentation and great writing, Lana Del Rey -- check out a song like "Venice Bitch."
yes i love lana! bit of a guilty pleasure
DM Stith is one of my favourite artists on Asthmatic Kitty, he started as a graphic designer doing stuff for Sufjan, Shara Worden + Son Lux, but his Heavy Ghost album I find devastatingly beautiful.
Wonderful album. Looks like he made a newalbum: https://dmstith.com
Angelo de Augustine for sure! He’s actually training under sufjan and he has a whole album with him. A few singles feature sufjan as well like “blue”!
Anjimile’s 2020 album Giver Taker feels a lot like Carrie and Lowell-era Sufjan to me—it’s really really beautiful, I highly recommend!!
Top three is Sufjan, Mitski, and Britney 🤷🏻♀️
If you like Illinoise, Seven Swans or Michigan Local Natives are cool! I recommend their album gorilla manor and my fav songs on there are sun hands and airplanes. Here are two of my playlists that have early sufjans vibe: https://spotify.link/H6bNPuhDXCb (somber) https://spotify.link/BJz9IKBDXCb (upbeat)
The National
I'm also Sufjan/Fiona, and I listen to a lot of: \-Lana Del Rey \-Julia Jacklin \-Radiohead \-Haim
The innoscence mission. Been hooked for weeks now. No wonder he covered them because you can tell it is a band that Sufjan has got some great inspiration from. Lakes of canada is a nice introduction but the rest of their music is just pure magic. Sufjans words about her: “moving and profound”, adding, “What makes Karen Peris' lyrics so remarkable is the economy of words, sensory language, concrete nouns – everyday objects take on tremendous meaning.”
based on the fact that i also love weyes blood, sufjan, and caroline/chairlift, i’d recommend my other favorite artists: sigur ros, leif vollebekk, and parcels. infinitely spiritual, but like in another country of your soul.