Sufjan Stevens has unveiled Javelin, his first collection of stripped-down, singer-songwriter songs in eight years. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify.
Stevens’ tenth solo album was self-produced and features contributions from The National guitarist Bryce Dessner, adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen, Mina Tindle, Megan Lui, and Nedelle Torrisi. Along with lead single “So You Are Tired” and our former Song of the Week “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” the 10-track project includes a cover of the Neil Young deep cut “Thereʼs a World” from 1972’s Harvest.
Update: Stevens dedicates the album to his partner, Evan Richardson, who passed away earlier this year.
In September, Stevens revealed on his website that he had been diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barre Syndrome and was recovering in physical therapy to “learn to walk again.” He cautioned that “most people who have GBS learn to walk again on their own within a year” but reassured fans that rehab was “going really well” and added that “I’m committed to getting better, I’m in good spirits, and I’m surrounded by a really great team.”
Javelin caps a busy year that already saw Stevens release the ballet score Reflections in May and a vinyl reissue of 2003’s Michigan in June. He also debuted a musical based on 2005’s Illinois over the summer at Bard College in New York.
Javelin Artwork:
Javelin Tracklist:
01. Goodbye Evergreen
02. A Running Start
03. Will Anybody Ever Love Me?
04. Everything That Rises
05. Genuflecting Ghost
06. My Red Little Fox
07. So You Are Tired
08. Javelin (To Have and To Hold)
09. Shit Talk
10. Thereʼs a World
