The Sunday Times - December 17, 2006
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December 17, 2006
Pop CD of the Week: Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmas
MARK EDWARDS
For five years, Sufjan Stevens made special Christmas EPs as presents for friends, and this boxed set gathers them all together. You get 42 songs, encompassing versions of traditional tunes such as O Come O Come Emmanuel, as well as originals. A cursory glance at the titles of Stevens’s own songs — That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!, Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved it!), Get Behind Me, Santa! — reveals that the man is prepared to embrace the full range of emotions the holiday season engenders. Although mostly done on eight-track, so smaller in scale than Stevens’s other work, the music here has clearly been subject to the usual stringent quality control, as has the sumptuous packaging — including cartoons, short stories and stickers. If you liked Illinoise and you like Christmas, this is perfect. If you liked Illinoise and you’re not too sure about Christmas, this might be even better. Four stars