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In an interview last year, Sufjan briefly mentioned Jimmy Scott. The Observer posted a longer piece by Sufjan about the influential jazz singer for their American legends series: “There’s this joy that he has, a joyful presence. When he’s singing he’s so grateful to be there, and so alive.. He’s just beautiful and unique.”

Add comment March 7th, 2010 one good naysayer

Today Clem Snide release their latest album, The Meat Of Life, which includes the song “I Got High.” It starts off with the lyric, “I got high with a Sufjan Stevens fan in Normal, Illinois…“

Clem Snide’s singer/guitarist Eef Barzelay explains the song to Magnet:

I think for me “I Got High” was a way to alchemize some nasty old-man bitterness I was starting to feel playing alone in boomy gymnasiums to mostly indifferent college kids. But the show that night in Normal was one of the best I’ve ever had. It was in a beautiful theater with great sound and the crowd just hung on my every sweet and tender note. Also, some local Sufjan fans may have hooked me up with a smoky treat that night as well. I secretly want “I Got High” to play like a classic-rock anthem, cell phones waving the air.

Buy “I Got High” at Amazon OR iTunes

Listen to “I Got High” at Last.fm

OK, ‘fess up… which one of you was this?

Add comment February 23rd, 2010 one good naysayer

Pitchfork news: “this year’s Big Ears Festival [Knoxville, TN - Mar 27] will host a special performance of the new Clogs album The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton in its entirety. In the only currently scheduled performance of the album with all of its guest vocalists, Clogs will be joined by Sufjan Stevens, Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner of the National, and Shara Worden aka My Brightest Diamond.”

1 comment February 17th, 2010 one good naysayer

On her portfolio site, Vesper recounts the story behind “the dream-fulfilling, the ecstasy inducing.. LuvInIdleness.. produced by Sufjan Stevens.” Stereogum has the video premiere for “Singing Swords.” And the downloadable lyric sheet and instructional video are available on Ben+Vesper’s official site.

Add comment February 16th, 2010 one good naysayer

As previously reported, Sufjan Stevens and Shara Worden make guest appearances on the upcoming Clogs release. Shara sings on six songs while Sufjan and The National’s Matt Berninger each appear on one song. Brassland has scheduled release of The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton for March 2.

Release Date: March 02, 2010

Preorder at Insound or Amazon

Listen to “We Were Here” featuring Sufjan Stevens and Shara Worden on Asthmatic Kitty’s AKRadio

Watch a video of We Were Here and view tracklist…

Add comment February 8th, 2010 one good naysayer

The National’s Matt Berninger tells Pitchfork about cameos on the band’s upcoming release: “Sufjan did something that we are going to keep on a song. He sang some weird little backing vocal melodies — no words. It was on a song that had just the right sort of odd, creepy vibe… I’m pretty sure that the little Sufjan vocal thing is going to be in there. It really did something special with that song.”

Add comment February 3rd, 2010 one good naysayer

At the end of last summer, Ben + Vesper played a series of shows to debut songs from their new EP, LuvInIdleness. Only a few handmade copies of the Sufjan-produced EP were available at the shows. On February 9th, Sounds Familyre will release the EP on CD and MP3.

Join Ben + Vesper on March 8th at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY for the EP release party. The show is part of A Familyre Drive Spring 2010 Tour with Ortolan and Danielson.

Release Date: February 09, 2010

Pre-order LuvInIdleness at Insound OR Amazon

1. Singing Swords
2. The Big Conversation
3. I Ask Because I Can
4. LuvInIdleness
5. Oarless Oracle

Add comment January 22nd, 2010 one good naysayer

Hype Machine took a novel approach to their end of year list by inviting “50 visual artists.. to create a new piece of work inspired by and including the band name” of the Top 50 frequently blogged about artists of 2009. Sufjan came in #39 on the list and was illustrated by Patrick Moberg.

Add comment January 14th, 2010 one good naysayer

The Welcome Wagon recently released a 4-song EP of songs that didn’t fit on their debut Welcome To The Welcome Wagon which was “recorded, produced and given sonic shape by their friend, Sufjan Stevens.” Purity Of Heart Is To Will One Thing is available now exclusively at iTunes. All proceeds will benefit Freeset, “a fair-trade business in India that helps to liberate and empower women escaping the sex trade in the largest red-light district in Kolkata (Calcutta), India.”

Buy the EP at iTunes

Read More:
News article at Asthmatic Kitty
EP release page at Asthmatic Kitty

1. O Christ, Our Hope
2. Up On A Mountain (demo)
3. I Am Not Skilled To Understand
4. There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood

1 comment December 30th, 2009 one good naysayer

..as explained by macrobiotic star people and Aunt Harriet’s magic Ouija board

Enjoy your Christmas with this story Sufjan wrote a few years ago for The Independent.

(click thumbnails for full-size images)

Add comment December 25th, 2009 one good naysayer

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