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The album centers on Stevens' tumultuous childhood with his mother, Carrie, and her struggles with mental illness and substance abuse. The other half of the album's title refers to Stevens' stepfather, Lowell, who remains a positive influence on his life.

Stevens ties it all together with his starkest instrumentation since 2004's 'Seven Swans.' The orchestral music and art-rock are all but gone, replaced by acoustic guitars and subtle synths. That simplicity gives Stevens' brilliant lyrics an emotional wallop.

Mar 30, 2015 - CLEVELAND, Ohio - Indie fans who first fell in love with Sufjan Stevens on his 2005 album 'Illinois,' may find Steven's latest effort, 'Carrie.

On 'Should Have Known Better,' Stevens sings about abandonment: 'When I was three, maybe four, she left us at the video store. Nothing can be changed. The past is still the past.'

'Carrie & Lowell' covers a variety of emotions, from unrequited love ('All of Me Wants All of You') and suicidal thoughts ('The Only Thing') to more abandonment ('Carrie & Lowell'). It's all caused Stevens, one of the best musicians of his generation, to question his place in the world: 'What's the point of singing songs, if they'll never even hear you?' As previously stated, most of these emotions originate with Stevens' mother. Yet, despite all of the pain, he still longs for her love.

On 'Fourth of July,' a touching song about her death, Stevens expresses his desire to bring her back to life, as he examines his own sense of mortality. But it's not all doom and gloom. Stevens does reveal fond memories of seeing his niece on 'Should Have Known Better.' He also labels the time Lowell was married to Carrie as a 'season of hope' on the moving title track. The album's stunning, final three-track sequence focuses on Stevens' attempt to reconcile his fear of death with his need for faith.

'Jesus I need you, be near, come shield me,' he sings on 'John My Beloved.' It's in those final 12 or so minutes we discover 'Carrie & Lowell's' defining message. The album is about fighting through despair in order to find something to hold onto. 'Carrie & Lowell' fits with the emotionally delicate nature of an artist just a few months shy of turning 40. In the grander scheme of things, 'Carrie & Lowell' is an album showcasing the kind of impactful vulnerability found in the best work of artists like Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple and even Bob Dylan. This may be Stevens' best work to date, which is saying a lot. 'Carrie & Lowell' may not be an 'art project,' but it is certainly a work of art.