Sufjan Stevens has a way of making a song sound like a prayer. His voice is almost a whisper, not forced, at ease, filled with a grace that is so touching, you want to pray with him. In this age of conservative religious righteousness, it's refreshing to listen to a talent who can share his tender thoughts about God without judging, without jingoism and without preaching. This is a spirituality that is personal and real. Stevens also creates an angelic sound out of all things - a banjo - that plucks and dances with a purity so stark, you'd think the angels traded in their harp and made that quirky country guitar the offical instrument of heaven. From the first track, the majestically and achingly beautiful, "All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands" - until the last "Transfiguration", Sufyan's deep contemplation of God, his love of his faith, and even the temptations of the devil come into fold. It's a spiritual and intellectual voice that set's Sufyan apart from most artists out there. The songs are so gorgeous in melody and texture, that I tend to wake up in the middle of the night hearing them in my head. Although "Seven Swans" may not be as punchy, and epic as his last album "Greetings from Michigan...", it shows him to be a dynamic indie artist taking new directions, down a path that God has given him. We're lucky to walk down that path with him. This is just a beauty of an album.
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