The Avalanche

It's nothing less than a joyous coincidence that Sufjan Stevens’ infinite ambition and incredible work ethic are easily matched by his talent. It now transpires that his 2005 masterpiece Illinoise - finally clocking in at a hefty 75 minutes - started life as a double set and was eventually whittled down to a 22-song album.
One might think that a collection of outtakes wouldn't amount to much, but The Avalanche is a true wonder with nary a half-hearted offering in sight.
Clearly, the less accessible half of the album - replete with studio noodling and even more expansive orchestral swells - was put on ice for a while, but that makes it no less tremblingly beautiful.
Where certain tracks on Illinoise shone with moving simplicity (‘Casimir Pulaski Day’ and ‘John Wayne Gacy Jr.’), The Avalanche is ripe with a different sort of energy and flourish. Boasting the cosmic car-crash-that-never-ends quality of Sigur Ros on occasion, Stevens again proves himself as a brilliant storyteller and an impressive instrumentalist. New versions of ‘Chicago’ and ‘Pittsfield’ will particularly interest Illinoise fans; the former is a reflective version of the more jubilant original, while the latter is a perfect slice of eerie, tear-stained balladry.
Meanwhile, ‘No Man’s Land’ is such a wide-eyed starlet of a song that it’s hard to understand it being left on the cutting room floor.
A tantalisingly bittersweet collection, The Avalanche leaves the listener shaking their head in happy wonderment and falling deeply in love with Stevens all over again.