Rosie Thomas, Sufjan, & their baby

I always knew Sufjan was a Christian but I didn’t know he would succumb to the ring around the campfire worship song. And with most of the songs on Rosie Thomas’ These Friends of Mine camouflaging themselves in that hold-your-hands-up-in-praise awkwardness, it’s an uncomfortable, though easy, listen even if the mention of Christ is minimized to a side plot story about Rosie’s mother’s tears. In all honesty, the sound that is more than apparent on These Friends of Mine demands a lot more mention of the Savior than is portrayed. And that tension between the expectation of the music and the actual delivery of lyric is enough to drive someone mad.

But once that roadblock is overcome you find yourself traveling on smooth, back country roads with mist kissed sunsets and recollections of the more tender, quieter moments of life. The report (now proved to be a hoax) that Rosie was carrying Sufjan’s child brings an interesting twist to the sound that Sufjan accompanies on much of the album with his usual hush puppy vocals and warm banjo. It could almost be imagined that the two have put together an album of lullabies for the child that never was or the child that is still supposed to be.

These Friends of Mine doesn't come out till March 13 but right now you can download the entire album over at eMusic.

[www] Rosie Thomas – The One I Love (featuring Sufjan Stevens)
[mp3] Rosie Thomas - I Play Music (from Only With Laughter Can You Win)
[mp3] Rosie Thomas - Two Dollar Shoes (from When We Wer Small)
[mp3] Rosie Thomas – Pretty Dress (from If Songs Could Be Held)

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