{"product_id":"sufjan-stevens-seven-swans-20th-anniversary-akr-dinked-excluisve","title":"Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans (20th Anniversary Dinked Excluisve)","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe follow-up to 2003’s \u003cem\u003eMichigan\u003c\/em\u003e, Sufjan Stevens’ \u003cem\u003eSeven Swans\u003c\/em\u003e was originally released on the 16th of March 2004. At the time the Guardian dubbed it “a record of remarkable delicacy,” and Billboard called it a “consistently moving, subtly beautiful experience.” And in the twenty years since its release, \u003cem\u003eSeven Swans\u003c\/em\u003e has cemented its place as a seminal album in Sufjan's catalog.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eTo celebrate the 20th anniversary of this beloved record, AKR is delighted to release an expanded deluxe physical package. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eTo celebrate the 20th anniversary of this beloved record, AKR is delighted to release an expanded deluxe physical package. The split color LP is housed in a special jacket -- the text and the swan on the front have been embossed and hit with a spot gloss finish for added pop. Also included in the package is a flexi disc featuring two bonus tracks, \"I Went Dancing With My Sister\" and \"Waste Of What Your Kids Won't Have,\" both previously released on 7\" but which have long been out of press. Also included are seven pieces of origami paper and an instruction sheet for how to make origami swans.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe delicate folk songs of Sufjan’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeven Swans\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e occupy a singular space in Sufjan’s catalog. The quiet, psalm-like music arrived less than a year after his 2003 breakthrough album, \u003cem\u003eMichigan\u003c\/em\u003e and his much-publicized announcement to write an album for each of the 50 states. Just as wider audiences were becoming acquainted with the ever-evolving artist—who had, by this point, released a lo-fi folk-pop collage (2000’s \u003cem\u003eA Sun Came\u003c\/em\u003e), a Zodiac-inspired electronic suite (2001’s \u003cem\u003eEnjoy Your Rabbit\u003c\/em\u003e), and a grand, orchestral epic to kickstart his exploration of the country (\u003cem\u003eMichigan\u003c\/em\u003e)—he re-introduced himself in hushed tones.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor Stevens, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeven Swans\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehas remained a work in constant motion, something to revisit and reinvent at each stage in his evolution. 20-years after its initial release, it marks a definitive moment in the artist's body of work. With an atmosphere that feels equally cozy and cosmic, the album is carried by the refined pluck of Stevens’ banjo and acoustic guitar, the confessional tug of his voice, the tension of his melodies, and the profound questions of devotion and doubt that drive his songwriting to this day.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the years since its release, Stevens himself has frequently reinterpreted this material over the years. If you caught his 2006 tour with the “Illinoisemakers” band, you may have seen him \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/pga0GOT6gcE?si=PfbMMcIYq3Z2w1WY\u0026amp;t=48\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eemerge on stage with wings affixed to his back\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, leading his accompanists through an electric, Crazy Horse-style overture that comprises more than half the runtime of “Sister.” On the technicolor live shows behind 2011’s noise-pop overhaul \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Age of Adz\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Stevens \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zxxW8NEAIkI\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eopened his sets\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeven Swans\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e’ bracing title track, embellishing its operatic arc with newfound drama and theatrics.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eDespite cultivating a vast influence that spans genres, \u003cem\u003eSeven Swans\u003c\/em\u003e is defined by its sense of intimacy. Think of it as Stevens’ self-penned book of prayer, a talisman that’s never been far from reach. Listening to \u003cem\u003eSeven Swans\u003c\/em\u003e leaves us with enough hope, mystery, and wisdom to make it feel alive and exalting whenever we return.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sufjan Stevens","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42828489523271,"sku":"AKR130LP-DINKED","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0185\/9528\/files\/DSC_1040.jpg?v=1779991085","url":"https:\/\/store.asthmatickitty.com\/products\/sufjan-stevens-seven-swans-20th-anniversary-akr-dinked-excluisve","provider":"Asthmatic Kitty Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}