After his brief (or ongoing, depending on how you look at it) existential artistic crisis, it seemed Sufjan needed some soul-searching. And a welcome but somewhat surprising conclusion to this soul-searching: simplification? He elaborated in an interview with Vish Khanna. “I’m trying to dissuade any kind of conceptual framework and just write music, love songs, pop songs, and just forget all that conceptual mess…” We like pop music and love songs. Double win. (Via: Stereogum)

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3. Rubber Soul Tribute Album To Feature Ted Leo, Sufjan Stevens
4. Sufjan Stevens Plays Cub Reporter Again, Depresses Fans
5. Sufjan Calls States Project “Joke”