Silver & Gold (Sufjan Stevens album)

Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6–10 is a five-EP box set of Christmas-related songs and carols recorded by Sufjan Stevens between 2006 and 2012.[12] It is a follow-up to Songs for Christmas, which was released six years prior. On October 2, 2012, it was announced that Stevens would release Silver & Gold on November 13, 2012, in digital format, CD and LP boxset.[13] On October 24, 2012, a claymation music video, animated by Lee Hardcastle, was released for "Mr. Frosty Man".[14]

Silver & Gold
Box set by
ReleasedNovember 13, 2012 (2012-11-13)
Recorded2006–2012
Genre
Length161:36
LabelAsthmatic Kitty
ProducerSufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens chronology
The Age of Adz
(2010)
Silver & Gold
(2012)
Chopped and Scrooged
(2012)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10[7]
Metacritic76/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
Consequence of Sound[3]
Paste7.5/10[8]
Pitchfork Media7.8/10[9]
PopMatters7/10[10]
Sputnikmusic4.2/5[11]

Reception

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The album has received mostly positive reviews from critics, with Pitchfork giving it a 7.8 out of 10. As Keelan H. of Sputnikmusic writes,"[T]he album exists on [a] plane where introspection meets with group sing-a-longs, depression meets with joyous outbursts, traditional meets with left-field kookiness."[11] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 76, based on 13 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6]

Track listing

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EP 1 - Glora: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Silent Night"Joseph MohrFranz Xaver Gruber2:26
2."Lumberjack Christmas / No One Can Save You from Christmases Past"Sufjan StevensAaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens3:22
3."Coventry Carol" (Featuring Marla Hansen)TraditionalTraditional2:54
4."The Midnight Clear"Sufjan StevensAaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens2:49
5."Carol of St. Benjamin the Bearded One"Sufjan StevensAaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens3:32
6."Go Nightly Cares"InstrumentalJohn Dowland1:44
7."Barcarola (You Must Be a Christmas Tree)"Sufjan StevensAaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens7:03
8."Auld Lang Syne"Robert BurnsTraditional1:35
Total length:22:36
EP 2 - I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Christ the Lord is Born"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens0:49
2."Christmas Woman"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens5:33
3."Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light"J.S. BachJohann Schop1:09
4."Happy Family Christmas"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens1:23
5."Jingle Bells"James Lord PierpontJames Lord Pierpont1:19
6."Mysteries of the Christmas Mist!"InstrumentalSufjan Stevens2:10
7."Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates"Georg WeisselThomas Williams1:20
8."We Wish You a Merry Christmas"TraditionalTraditional1:16
9."Ah Holy Jesus"Johann HeermannJohann Crüger2:42
10."Behold! The Birth of Man, the Face of Glory"InstrumentalSufjan Stevens1:09
11."Ding-a-ling-a-ring-a-ling"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens1:50
12."How Shall I Fitly Meet Thee?"InstrumentalJ.S. Bach2:09
13."Mr. Frosty Man"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens1:50
14."Make Haste to See the Baby"InstrumentalSufjan Stevens1:23
15."Ah Holy Jesus" (with reed organ)Johann CrügerJohann Crüger1:29
16."Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"Charles WesleyFelix Mendelssohn1:51
17."Morning"InstrumentalAmos Pilsbury2:28
18."Idumea"Charles WesleyAnanias Davisson3:50
19."Eternal Happiness or Woe"InstrumentalSufjan Stevens1:23
20."Ah Holy Jesus" (a capella)Johann CrügerJohann Crüger1:00
21."I Am Santa's Helper"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens1:52
22."Ma'oz Tzur' (Rock of Ages)"Traditional Jewish HymnTraditional Jewish Hymn0:42
23."Even the Earth Will Perish and the Universe Give Way"InstrumentalSufjan Stevens2:01
Total length:42:38
EP 3 - Christmas infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Angels We Have Heard on High" (based on the original hymn)Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens4:04
2."Do You Hear What I Hear?"Noël RegneyGloria Shayne9:14
3."Christmas in the Room"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens4:23
4."It Came Upon the Midnight Clear"Edmund SearsRichard Storrs Willis0:48
5."Good King Wenceslas"John Mason NealeTraditional4:18
6."Alphabet St."PrincePrince1:36
7."Particle Physics"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens1:04
8."Joy to the World"Isaac WattsLowell Mason5:25
9."The Child With the Star on His Head"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens15:30
Total length:46:22
EP 4 - Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."I'll Be Home for Christmas"Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck RamWalter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram3:22
2."Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"J. Fred Coots, Haven GillespieJ. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie2:32
3."The Sleigh in the Moon" (Featuring Cat Martino)Cat MartinoCat Martino1:44
4."Sleigh Ride"Leroy Anderson and Mitchell ParishLeroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish2:28
5."Ave Maria" (featuring Cat Martino)TraditionalFranz Schubert2:09
6."X-Mas Spirit Catcher"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens3:31
7."Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"Jule Styne and Sammy CahnJule Styne and Sammy Cahn2:17
8."A Holly Jolly Christmas"Johnny MarksJohnny Marks2:27
9."Christmas Face" (featuring Sebastian Krueger)Sebastian KruegerSebastian Krueger0:40
Total length:21:10
EP 5 - Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"Hugh Martin and Ralph BlaneHugh Martin and Ralph Blane3:42
2."It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"Edmund SearsRichard Storrs Willis0:40
3."Up on the Housetop" (featuring Vesper Stamper)Benjamin HanbyBenjamin Hanby4:21
4."Angels We Have Heard on High" (traditional French carol)TraditionalTraditional0:52
5."We Need a Little Christmas"Jerry HermanJerry Herman2:03
6."Happy Karma Christmas"Sufjan StevensSufjan Stevens3:36
7."We Three Kings"InstrumentalJohn Henry Hopkins Jr.0:52
8."Justice Delivers Its Death" (based on the song "Silver & Gold" by Johnny Marks)Johnny MarksJohnny Marks3:16
9."Christmas Unicorn" (includes "Love Will Tear Us Apart", by Joy Division)Sufjan Stevens, Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, and Bernard SumnerSufjan Stevens, Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, and Bernard Sumner12:28
Total length:31:50

Charts

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References

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  1. ^ "Album: Sufjan Stevens, Silver & Gold (Asthmatic Kitty)". The Independent. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Sufjan Stevens Silver & Gold". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b Bosman, Chris (2012-11-21). "Album Review: Sufjan Stevens – Silver & Gold". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  4. ^ "SUFJAN STEVENS - CARRIE & LOWELL". Record Collector. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Sufjan Stevens – Silver and Gold". The Line Of Best Fit. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Silver & Gold Boxset Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic.
  7. ^ "Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold". anydecentmusic.com. AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  8. ^ Reed, Ryan (2012-11-20). "Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold". Pastemagazine. Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  9. ^ Dombal, Ryan (2012-11-14). "Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  10. ^ Houle, Zachary (2012-11-21). "Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas – Volumes Six-10". PopMatters. Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  11. ^ a b Keelan H. (Jan 24, 2013). "Album Review - Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  12. ^ Battan, Carrie (2012-10-02). "Sufjan Stevens Announces New Christmas Box Set". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  13. ^ "Sufjan Stevens to Release New Christmas Boxset". Asthmatic Kitty Records. Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  14. ^ Battan, Carrie (2012-10-24). "Watch the Gory Claymation Video for Sufjan Stevens' "Mr. Frosty Man"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
  15. ^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  16. ^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  17. ^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  18. ^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  19. ^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  20. ^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  21. ^ "Americana/Folk Albums - Year-End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
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