Sufjan Stevens has announced a 20th anniversary deluxe edition of Seven Swans, his fourth album. It’s set to come out June 21 via Asthmatic Kitty. The expanded version of the record includes the B-sides “I Went Dancing With My Sister” and “Waste of What Your Kids Won’t Have,” marking their first appearance on the digital version of the album. Physical versions of Seven Swans (Deluxe Edition) include silver and split-colored vinyl, a zoetrope picture disc, CD, and more. See the complete tracklist below.
Seven Swans is the rare record in Stevens catalog that he didn’t produce himself, as he typically does. Instead, Stevens worked with Daniel Smith, leader of the folk collective Danielson Famile, to track the songs in Clarksboro, New Jersey. Smith also joined Stevens on backing vocals, drums, and keyboard on various tracks.
Javelin, Stevens’ most recent album that features the singles “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” and “So You Are Tired,” came out last October. He dedicated it to his late partner, Evans Richardson IV, who died in April 2023 at the age of 43. “He was an absolute gem of a person, full of life, love, laughter, curiosity, integrity, and joy,” Stevens wrote of Richardson. “He was one of those rare and beautiful ones you find only once in a lifetime—precious, impeccable, and absolutely exceptional in every way.”
Stevens underwent intensive treatment for Guillain-Barré syndrome last year, and has been sharing regular updates on his Tumblr about his status and the care he receives for the rare auto-immune disorder. Illinoise, the dance-musical by Justin Peck that’s based on Stevens’ 2005 album Illinois, was recently nominated for several Tony Awards, including Best Musical. And, on Friday, May 31, Nonesuch will digitally release the original Illinoise cast recording album.
Read about Javelin at No. 6 on “The 50 Best Albums of 2023” and revisit “Sufjan Stevens Is at His Intimate and Uplifting Best on Javelin.”
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Seven Swans (Deluxe Edition):
01 All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands
02 The Dress Looks Nice on You
03 In the Devil’s Territory
04 To Be Alone with You
05 Abraham
06 Sister
07 Size Too Small
08 We Won’t Need Legs to Stand
09 A Good Man Is Hard to Find
10 He Woke Me Up Again
11 Seven Swans
12 The Transfiguration
13 I Went Dancing With My Sister (Bonus Track)
14 Waste of What Your Kids Won’t Have (Bonus Track)