There are certain songs so vulnerable and fragile that listening almost feels like trespassing upon a person's soul. "Fourth of July" by Sufjan Stevens is simply one of the most painstakingly heartfelt songs I've heard in quite some time.

The song is about the death of his mother, a woman who deserted him as a child as she was wrapped in addiction. But his love remains. It's a back and forth as Stevens speaks posthumously with his mother...