A Beginner’s Mind: Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine’s Return to Quintessential Indie
By Anna Miller
Sujan Stevens and Angelo De Augstine’s collaborative album, A Beginner’s Mind, released on September 24th and has since gained a lot of attention. It is a loosely conceptual album that's inspired by a series of films Stevens and Augustine watched every night before they started writing the next day; from The Wizard of Oz (“Back To Oz”) to Silence of The Lambs (“Cimmerian Shade”), A Beginner’s Mind recounts the themes of these films through an alternate narrative. Although the concept is not entirely coherent — to no surprise — the album ebbs and flows beautifully. Instead of reading like one narrative, A Beginner's Mind serves as a collection of mythological tales with underlying themes of self-discovery and individuality.
In terms of musicality and genre, there has been a lot of talk around Stevens returning to the style of music that initially put him on the map. While some have expressed that Stevens is pandering to indie enthusiasts, others believe A Beginner’s Mind is a return to Steven’s roots. There’s no doubt that the album reflects Steven’s older work, which can especially be heard during some of the softer songs like “Murder and Crime.” Various notable influences can also be heard throughout the album, specifically sounds from The Velvet Underground, Nico, and Elliott Smith. The groove in “Lady Macbeth in Chains” is very “Sunday Morning,” and “Murder and Crime” is very much in the style of Elliott. Stevens and Augustine capitalize on their ability to write imaginative, soft, brooding indie music, which has recently regained popularity. However, A Beginner's Mind avoids falling into the fray, holding a lot of personality, and being dynamic enough to stand out from the crowd.
A Beginner’s Mind opens with a personal favorite, “Reach Out.” Initially released as a single, it’s the perfect thesis to the entire album. The verse tugs at the heart strings with melancholic lyrics like “I have a memory/ of a time and place where history resigned/ Now my apology/ All the light came in to fulminate my mind.” The song continues to uplift through the chorus, like a glimmer of hope, before returning back to the form of the verse. After the stanza “Home is where you’ve called my name/ I’ve gone as far as the eye can blame/ You said love may have lost its way,” there’s a dramatic pause emphasized by a sliding base, and then followed by a surge of energy. The final build up, accompanied by a glimmering xylophone, feels like Stevens and Augustine are riding waves of aspiration.
The following song “Lady MacBeth in Chains” is one of the more dynamic songs on the album. Each segment feels like an entirely different song, which may come off as unappealing, but the chugging drum line throughout the majority of the song sews it all together. The verses are dark and ominous, with a heavy down-strumming acoustic, but then open up to an airy, catchy chorus. “Lady Macbeth in Chains” is also lyrically compelling. It’s a commentary on the film All About Eve, where Stevens and Augstine have an interesting take on Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis), comparing her to a certain Shakespearean lady-antagonist.
The titular song, “A Beginner’s Mind” is another beautiful lament written from the POV of Patrick Swayze’s character in Point Break. The verses of this song are jam packed with syllables, like the words don’t fit. Although, the jarring verses frame the chorus beautifully, making the repetition and simplicity engaging and refreshing.
“Murder And Crime” is another album hit, being one of the more softer and heartbreaking songs (as if this album couldn’t get sadder). This song is very evocative of Elliott Smith as Stevens and Augustine use some of the same vocal inflections as Smith is traditionally known for. The pairing of acoustic piano and guitar on the track create a quintessential indie pairing of two passionate lovers (musical sex). But this song is anything but love and passion, reflecting on the cruelty of the world inflicted through religion. The lyricism on “Murder And Crime” is some of the best on the album, and possibly some of Steven’s best. The last stanza is potent enough to leave one staring at the bedroom ceiling for hours, “Evidence known, march on/ Oh god, I’m lost in the antiphon/ Where does everything go when everything’s gone?/ For my heart cannot break much more.”
The album continues to explore the themes of individuality, spirituality, and self-discovery through Steven and Augustine’s incredible writing. The song “Cimmerian Shade” has a terribly heart wrenching chorus, but songs like “It’s Your Own Body and Mind” offer a moment of gratitude. The push and pull of A Beginner's Mind is like an emotionally satisfying character arch, finally ending with “Lacrimae” in which Steven and Augustine’s voices are almost indistinguishable, adding an eeriness to the album’s theme of individuality. Overall, this album feels like a homecoming. Whether Steven and Augustine are simply pandering to the reborn soft-indie heads or not this album is still one of the best to come out of the pandemic. Not to mention, the two compliment each other incredibly well. Augstines style is full of whimsy and adds texture to Steven’s straightforward writing. The two continue along in the resurgence of stripped down, intimate songwriting in indie music, executing it with spine-shivering emotionality. It is the perfect album to marinate in your misery on a cold and rainy day.