Song of the Day 12/17: Sufjan Stevens, “Star of Wonder”

No 21st-century singer has released more holiday material than multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens. In 2006, riding the crest of his critical acclaim (his LP “Illinois” was the highest-rated album of 2005 on Metacritic), released a 5-EP set called “Songs for Christmas.” Four of the discs had been recorded and gifted to friends and family, one each year, a project the religiously inclined musician said he undertook so he could “appreciate” Christmas more. Most of the songs are familiar entries in the holiday canon, often cut down to a single verse and chorus, but some, like this one, are originals.

“Songs for Christmas” was followed in 2012 by “Silver and Gold,” for which Stevens recorded 58 more pieces, bringing his total holiday output to 100 songs. Mannheim Steamroller has released as many, but it’s taken Chip Davis and his collaborators nearly 40 years to do it.