Sufjan Stevens & St. Vincent Cover Phil Collins In Brooklyn

Enjoy a snippet of this weekend's take on 'In The Air Tonight' in the clip below.


MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #592

Sufjan Stevens - We're Going To The Country

This tune can be found on Noel: Songs For Xmas, Volume 1.

Visit Asthmatic Kitty Records here.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - We're Going... [alt link]

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #565

Sufjan Stevens - Free Man In Paris

A beautiful Joni Mitchell cover.

Visit Suf at his MySpace page.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Free Man... [alt link]

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #377

Sufjan Stevens - For Clyde Tombaugh

A forgotten gem from the Illinois outtakes LP, The Avalanche.

Head to Suf's official site here.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - For Clyde Tombaugh [alt link]

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #327

Sufjan Stevens - We Wish You A Merry Xmas

Yes, another fantastic Sufjan holiday tune.

This one can be found on A Familyre Christmas - Vol. 1.

The short-player includes Danielson, Lenny Smith, Half-Handed Cloud and The Singing Mechanic.

Download the entire EP here!

MP3: Sufjan - We Wish You A Merry Xmas [alt link]

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #321

Sufjan Stevens - In The Words Of The Governor

Suf goes garage.

And the result = brilliance.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - In The Words... [alt link]

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #308

Sufjan Stevens - Only At Christmas Time

Only at Christmas time
Only a tree to climb
Only at Christmas time
If you can read the sign
Only at Christmas time
Everything lost will find
Only at Christmas time
Only at Christmas time

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Only At Xmas Time [alt link]

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #278

Sufjan Stevens - Holy, Holy, Etc.

Consider this one a precursor to 'Holy, Holy, Holy'.

Purchase Sufjan's Xmas box set here.

Visit Suf at his MySpace page.

Photo courtesy of Spin.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Holy, Holy, Etc. [alt link]

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #254

Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans (live)

A beautiful solo rendition from his '04 Euro tour.

Complete with accompanying story!

For more Sufjan, head over to Asthmatic Kitty.

Purchase Seven Swans here at Amazon.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans

The Great Sufjan Song Xmas Xchange

Suf's label, Asthmatic Kitty, explains: *Here's how it works: write an original Christmas song, record it, and email the song to us. Asthmatic Kitty will pick a winner, and that person will trade rights to their song for rights to Sufjan's song. Just like a gift exchange, Sufjan's song becomes your song. You can hoard it for yourself, sell it to a major soft drink corporation, use it in your daughter's first Christmas video, or share it for free on your website. No one except Sufjan and you will hear his song, unless you decide otherwise. You get the song and all legal rights to it. We get the same rights to your song.* Enter the contest here! Best of luck. Sufjan MP3 below.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Sister Winter

Sufjan Bringing 'Illinois' To Australia & Japan

All forthcoming Suf dates below.

Check out my review of Sufjan @ BAM here.

2008-01-10 Brisbane - Australia - The Tivoli

2008-01-12 Sydney - Australia - State Theatre

2008-01-13 Sydney - Australia - State Theatre

2008-01-14 Sydney - Australia - State Theatre

2008-01-16 Melbourne - Australia - Forum

2008-01-21 Osaka - Japan - Club Quattro

2008-01-22 Tokyo - Japan - Club Quattro

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Holland

Sufjan Stevens @ BAM: 'The BQE', Night 2

Last night marked the second of three consecutive sold-out performances of Sufjan Stevens' latest project, The BQE. For those not native to the New York tri-state, The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) is a stretch of highway, built in the 1960s, that runs from southern Brooklyn to central Queens (for a further description check here). Suf's half-hour interpretation of the heavily trafficked road included hula hoopers, a cinematic triptych (highlighting everything from auto repair shops to carnival rides) and most importantly, a breathtaking & grandiose score. With certain pieces harboring chaos, and other portions accentuating grace, the production was nothing short of brilliant. Following a brief intermission, the Michigan native returned with his extended orchestra, yet again, for eleven of his hits. The focal points of that act included 'The Predatory Wasp' (and its accompanying story) off of Illinois, and a transcendent rendering of the unreleased fan-favorite, 'Majesty Snowbird'. Truly sensational. Photos below courtesy of Metrolens.

Setlist: [Part 1] The BQE. [Part 2] Seven Swans. The UFO Sighting. The Black Hawk War. The Avalanche. Detroit. John Wayne Gacy, Jr. The Predatory Wasp. Barn Owl. Casimir Pulaski Day. Majesty Snowbird. Chicago.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

Sufjan Releases 'BQE' Teaser

His orchestra recently stopped by WNYC for a taste of what's to come during next month's trio of sold-out gigs at The Brooklyn Academy Of Music. Learn more about the project here.


MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella (alternate link)

Sufjan The Panelist

NME reports: *Sufjan Stevens is set to appear at a literary event in New York. However, the Michigan indie-folk darling will be speaking rather than performing at the PENultimate Lit event on November 28. He will also be appearing alongside British musician John Wesley Harding at the occasion, hosted by 'Ice Storm' author Rick Moody at Brooklyn's Southpaw venue. The topic will be 'What Makes Writing Matter In The 21st Century?'*

Learn more about PEN here.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Tornado

Sufjan & Death Cab Featured On X-Mas Lullaby Compilation

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions Of Christmas Rock Classics will be released next Tuesday all across the globe. CMJ explains more on the LP: *Featuring 13 instrumental classic songs from contemporary acts like Sufjan Stevens, Death Cab For Cutie, Blink 182 and the Killers, the album promises to put little tots to sleep with music that the parents can enjoy.* Full track listing for the holiday record can be found below. Download a Sufjan Stevens Christmas track at bottom.

1. Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time - Sufjan
2. 2000 Miles - The Pretenders
3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - DCFC
4. Merry Christmas - The Ramones
5. Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid
6. Happy Xmas (The War Is Over) - John Lennon
7. Christmastime - Smashing Pumpkins
8. Oi TO The World - No Doubt
9. Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
10. Great Big Sled - The Killers
11. Father Christmas - The Kinks
12. I Wont Be Home For Christmas - Blink 182
13. Some Day At Christmas - Pearl Jam

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Ding! Dong!

Sufjan BQE BAM Tix On Sale Today!

Purchase a pair via this link. Here are all the full details on the event courtesy of BAM's official site:

*THE BQE - COMPOSED AND PERFORMED BY SUFJAN STEVENS - NOV 1—3 AT 8PM

BAM HOWARD GILMAN OPERA HOUSE
RUNNING TIME: APPROX 90MIN
TICKETS: $20, 25, 35, 50

A prolific singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer with a penchant for storytelling, Sufjan Stevens reveals the epic in the everyday in songs infusing the vernacular of Midwestern folk with a distinctly orchestral grandeur. Stevens pairs orchestrated selections of both new and old material with the 25th Next Wave Festival commission/world premiere of The BQE—a symphonic and cinematic exploration of one of New York's least celebrated monuments: the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

Robert Moses' controversial 11.7-mile roadway tears through neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens with the brute force of modern urban planning, and in Stevens' hands becomes an evocation of the intersection of intimate experience and the American Dream. Merging a virtual road trip shot on film with a live band and orchestral ensemble, The BQE discovers abstract patterns and stories in the snaking traffic, potholed pavement, billboards, badly marked exits, and beautiful city views, revealing what happens when Manifest Destiny converges with urban blight.*

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Jason

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #60

Sufjan Stevens - The Star Spangled Banner

Recorded live at NYC's South Street Seaport on Independence Day of 2004, Suf's take on 'The Star Spangled Banner' served as the encore to a near-perfect summer evening. Shortly after this appearance, Sufjan became a household name with countless memorable shows around the city - most notably his stints at Town Hall, Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge.

However, the first time I saw Suf, at this particular gig, still holds a special place in my heart. Check out the national anthem, as performed by Sufjan, below. It's spectacular.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - The Star Spangled Banner

Sufjan Explains Upcoming BQE-Inspired Piece

In case you haven't already heard, Sufjan Stevens will be orchestrating 'new and old material with the 25th Next Wave Festival commission-world premiere of The BQE-a symphonic and cinematic exploration of one of New York's least celebrated monuments: the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.' (read more on the press release over at Brooklyn Vegan).

In a recent entry on Suf's official site, posted just hours ago, he explains the inspiration behind his latest project. He declares that it will center on 'abstract patterns and stories in the snaking traffic, potholed pavement, billboards, badly marked exits, and beautiful city views, revealing what happens when Manifest Destiny converges with urban blight.'

Can't wait for this one. It will premiere November 1st, 2nd and 3rd at BAM.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Springfield

Sufjan Plays Cincinnati Rooftop

The fine folks over at La Blogotheque somehow convinced Sufjan Stevens to perform atop Cincy's Memorial Hall immediately following completion of the city's MusicNOW festival a few short weeks ago. While at first, Suf attemps Seven Swans fave, 'He Woke Me Up Again', after a line or two he ends the song pleading with La Blogotheque to head back indoors because of the cold, windy weather. Eventually though, Sufjan gets coaxed into staying on the roof and performing a brilliant cover of The Innocence Mission's 'Lakes Of Canada'. Suf declared it 'the perfect song' during a visit to NPR three years back. Check out the full clip below.

MP3: The Innocence Mission - Lakes Of Canada

Sufjan's 'Swans' Gets Reissued With Bonus Tracks

Sounds Familyre, the label that puts out Sufjan Stevens' records, will be re-releasing Suf's '04 masterpiece, Seven Swans on 12" vinyl.

According to a blurb on SF's site, expect to see a (physically) thicker record, better mastering, a matte cover (v. original shiny) and most importantly, 'a bonus 7″ of two Sufjan songs from the “Seven Swans” sessions that are not available in any other format'.

Can't wait? Grab one of the two bonus tracks over at Shameless Complacency. Check out one of our favorite Sufjan B-sides below.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens - Variation on 'Commemorative Transfiguration & Communion at Magruder Park'