One of Sufjan's best - an almost acoustic album, but with beautiful songs. At times Sufjan stands alone on the stage singing and playing quietly with a banjo, and what you hear and see and feel is pure power. Minds and hearts are changed. Sufjan Stevens writes songs. He also writes fiction, is a record producer, plays every instrument known to modern man, is a graphic designer, and has knitted for Martha Stewart. But Seven Swans, a brilliant follow-up to the critically acclaimed Michigan (July 2003), is a testament to Sufjan's songwriting, first and foremost. The songs are the foundation, and Sufjan's voice, the instruments, and his friends all dance around the songs to celebrate where they come from. Where do they come from?