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]
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]
EP 1 - Glora: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI Title Lyrics Music 1. "Silent Night " Joseph Mohr Franz Xaver Gruber 2:26 2. "Lumberjack Christmas / No One Can Save You from Christmases Past" Sufjan Stevens Aaron Dessner , Bryce Dessner , Sufjan Stevens3:22 3. "Coventry Carol " (Featuring Marla Hansen) Traditional Traditional 2:54 4. "The Midnight Clear" Sufjan Stevens Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens 2:49 5. "Carol of St. Benjamin the Bearded One" Sufjan Stevens Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens 3:32 6. "Go Nightly Cares" Instrumental John Dowland 1:44 7. "Barcarola (You Must Be a Christmas Tree)" Sufjan Stevens Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens 7:03 8. "Auld Lang Syne " Robert Burns Traditional 1:35 Total length: 22:36
EP 2 - I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII Title Lyrics Music 1. "Christ the Lord is Born" Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens 0:49 2. "Christmas Woman" Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens 5:33 3. "Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light" J.S. Bach Johann Schop 1:09 4. "Happy Family Christmas" Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens 1:23 5. "Jingle Bells " James Lord Pierpont James Lord Pierpont 1:19 6. "Mysteries of the Christmas Mist!" Instrumental Sufjan Stevens 2:10 7. "Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates" Georg Weissel Thomas Williams 1:20 8. "We Wish You a Merry Christmas " Traditional Traditional 1:16 9. "Ah Holy Jesus" Johann Heermann Johann Crüger 2:42 10. "Behold! The Birth of Man, the Face of Glory" Instrumental Sufjan Stevens 1:09 11. "Ding-a-ling-a-ring-a-ling" Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens 1:50 12. "How Shall I Fitly Meet Thee?" Instrumental J.S. Bach 2:09 13. "Mr. Frosty Man" Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens 1:50 14. "Make Haste to See the Baby" Instrumental Sufjan Stevens 1:23 15. "Ah Holy Jesus" (with reed organ) Johann Crüger Johann Crüger 1:29 16. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing " Charles Wesley Felix Mendelssohn 1:51 17. "Morning" Instrumental Amos Pilsbury 2:28 18. "Idumea " Charles Wesley Ananias Davisson 3:50 19. "Eternal Happiness or Woe" Instrumental Sufjan Stevens 1:23 20. "Ah Holy Jesus" (a capella) Johann Crüger Johann Crüger 1:00 21. "I Am Santa's Helper" Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens 1:52 22. "Ma'oz Tzur' (Rock of Ages)" Traditional Jewish Hymn Traditional Jewish Hymn 0:42 23. "Even the Earth Will Perish and the Universe Give Way" Instrumental Sufjan Stevens 2:01 Total length: 42:38
EP 5 - Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X Title Lyrics Music 1. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas " Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane 3:42 2. "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear " Edmund Sears Richard Storrs Willis 0:40 3. "Up on the Housetop " (featuring Vesper Stamper) Benjamin Hanby Benjamin Hanby 4:21 4. "Angels We Have Heard on High " (traditional French carol) Traditional Traditional 0:52 5. "We Need a Little Christmas " Jerry Herman Jerry Herman 2:03 6. "Happy Karma Christmas" Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens 3:36 7. "We Three Kings " Instrumental John Henry Hopkins Jr. 0:52 8. "Justice Delivers Its Death" (based on the song "Silver & Gold" by Johnny Marks ) Johnny Marks Johnny Marks 3:16 9. "Christmas Unicorn" (includes "Love Will Tear Us Apart ", by Joy Division ) Sufjan Stevens, Ian Curtis , Peter Hook , Stephen Morris , and Bernard Sumner Sufjan Stevens, Ian Curtis , Peter Hook , Stephen Morris , and Bernard Sumner 12:28 Total length: 31:50
^ "Album: Sufjan Stevens, Silver & Gold (Asthmatic Kitty)" . The Independent . 20 December 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2016 .
^ "Sufjan Stevens Silver & Gold" . Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016 .
^ a b Bosman, Chris (2012-11-21). "Album Review: Sufjan Stevens – Silver & Gold" . Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 29, 2012 .
^ "SUFJAN STEVENS - CARRIE & LOWELL" . Record Collector . Retrieved 6 August 2016 .
^ "Sufjan Stevens – Silver and Gold" . The Line Of Best Fit . Retrieved 6 August 2016 .
^ a b "Silver & Gold Boxset Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More" . Metacritic .
^ "Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold" . anydecentmusic.com . AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved 29 May 2018 .
^ Reed, Ryan (2012-11-20). "Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold" . Pastemagazine. Retrieved 2012-11-29 .
^ Dombal, Ryan (2012-11-14). "Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold | Album Reviews" . Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-11-29 .
^ Houle, Zachary (2012-11-21). "Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas – Volumes Six-10" . PopMatters. Retrieved 2012-11-29 .
^ a b Keelan H. (Jan 24, 2013). "Album Review - Sufjan Stevens: Silver & Gold" . Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 25 January 2013 .
^ Battan, Carrie (2012-10-02). "Sufjan Stevens Announces New Christmas Box Set" . Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-10-02 .
^ "Sufjan Stevens to Release New Christmas Boxset" . Asthmatic Kitty Records. Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2012-10-04 .
^ Battan, Carrie (2012-10-24). "Watch the Gory Claymation Video for Sufjan Stevens' "Mr. Frosty Man" " . Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-10-27 .
^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Holiday Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Independent Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Top Rock Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Americana/Folk Albums - Year-End 2013" . Billboard . Retrieved May 31, 2021 .