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Basement Featured Album of the Week: Beginner's Mind

A Beginner's Mind
A Beginner's Mind

Indie folk multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens brings new depth to his collaborative discography with his latest work: A Beginner’s Mind. Paired with songwriter Angelo De Augustine the two embark on a dream-like journey filled with subtle references to cinema and ballads of solace. Here gentle guitar and piano melodies take center stage along with Sufjan’s signature wispy vocals accompanied by eloquent harmonizing and solos from Angelo. Following this a blanket of unique strings and droning synths become textured throughout, constructing a layered yet simple theme to the album.

Stripped-back tracks like “Murder and Crime” and “Cimmerian Shade” bring resemblance to the somber singer-songwriter acts of Nick Drake and Elliot Smith, while such a track like “Back to Oz” bring a grandiose fun pop feel to the project while still remaining a cohesive experience. Lyrically the two are poignant with thoughtful vivid imagery along with a slew of catchy hooks. With A Beginner’s Mind, Sufjan has continued to bring his mystical defining features of his established sound for fans to enjoy.

by Logan Swanson

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