Last fall, On Joyful Wings announced a Sufjan Stevens-approved covers album featuring new renditions of all the songs off Stevens’ brilliant 2004 LP Seven Swans by Bonnie “Prince” Billy, DM Stith, the Gregory Brothers (of Auto-Tune the News fame), Carl Hauck, Inlets, and eight others. Now the album, Seven Swans Reimagined, is available to pre-order on Bandcamp with all proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Before the record arrives next Tuesday (pre-orders come with an immediate download of Inlets’ take on “Borderline” and a full album download a few days before the release), you can preview Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s gorgeous take on “All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands” with Meg Baird, Emmett Kelly, Ben Boye, Van Campbell, Sabrina Rush, and Danny Kiely below. Purchase the album/contribute to a great cause here and check out our exclusive stream, alongside a quote from Will Oldham on Seven Swans, after the jump.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy – “All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands” (Sufjan Stevens Cover)
From Will Oldham:
I can’t for the life of me remember how or where I came upon SEVEN SWANS. It was in my possession by the early aughts, and on tour each night I’d smoke a bowl deep and lay in my sleeping bag and listen to “Transfiguration”. I’ve never listened to another of Stevens’ records. I’m not sure about the source of the faith expressed in the lyrics of the record. In the end it doesn’t matter; it’s just music. “Trees Clap” is a quiet introduction. I could not try “Transfiguration” as I find the rendition on SEVEN SWANS to be flawless. It was very special to work with Daniel Smith on the recording of our rendition of “All the Trees of the field will clap their hands.”