We spilled pixel after pixel in 2015 singing the praises of Sufjan Stevens’ masterful, heartbreaking album Carrie & Lowell, which ultimately was our No. 3 Best Album of 2015 (behind Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly and EL VY’s Return to the Moon–no where is that list, it’s around here somewhere?).  In the meantime we’ve been waiting anxiously for 2016’s musical Niagara Falls to start spilling, to no avail (whither Radiohead, Feist, etc.?).  We surmise everyone’s busy getting ready for the Grammys to pass (ahem) this weekend.

So we were thrilled yesterday when Stevens gave us a musical reason to live by releasing the well-captured video below of his band (Ben Lanz, Casey Foubert, Dawn Landes, and James McAlister) performing the album’s sterling title track in Charleston last November. The video evokes fond memories of Stevens’ 2015 tour and the perfectly embellished/enhanced arrangements and performances of Carrie & Lowell’s songs (not to mention super reads of some older songs).  Check it out below.

Speaking of tours, Stevens will continue his Carrie & Lowell caravan in Australia/New Zealand beginning on Feb. 22nd (see list below the video) before returning to perform at Coachella, among other festivals (tickets can be found HERE).

Monday 22 February – State Theatre, Sydney
Friday 26 February – Hamer Hall, Melbourne (sold out)
Saturday 27 February – Hamer Hall, Melbourne
Sunday 28 February – Hamer Hall, Melbourne (just added)
Monday 29 February – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Wednesday 2 March – Red Hill Auditorium, Perth
Friday 4 March – Qpac Concert Hall, Brisbane
Sunday 6 March – New Zealand Festival, Wellington
Tuesday 8 March – The Civic, Auckland