UPDATE Sufjan Stevens has yet to tire of virally promoting his latest Christmas collection, most recently releasing a series of faux infomercials and vignettes hawking the box-set. Pitchfork describes the byte-sized videos best: “They are very, very silly.” Check out “Silver and Gold Infomercial,” “Betwixt Two Furs,” “Monster Trucks,” “It’s Just Sheila,” “Law Office,” “Sheila Campaign,” and “Friendship Sleight Ride” all at Pitchfork’s website here.
UPDATE 11/13/2012
To celebrate the release of Sufjan Stevens’ holiday album today, here’s a look at the singer’s take on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” In case you’d like to preview the collection before adding it to your own, Stevens has made the 58-song set available for streaming here.
UPDATE 10/12/2012
Sufjan Stevens has released a new song off his forthcoming Christmas album, entitled “Ding-a-ling-a-ring-a-ling.” With most of the lyrics already handily included in the track’s title, you don’t need to be familiar with the Stevens original to join right in on the sing-along fun. Take a listen to the new holiday tune below:
Original Post
If you thought Fiona Apple’s latest album title was a mouthful, you haven’t mumbled through anything yet. Sufjan Stevens, he of the morose ballad seemingly made for the winter months, is once again bringing his folk sensibilities to bear on a new collection of Christmas songs, and a new cross-country tour: “The Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long: Seasonal Affective Disorder Yuletide Pageant On Ice” tour. Try saying that five times fast, and you may end up looking as glum as Stevens’ Santa above. Or Fiona Apple.
The singer’s first box-set of seasonal tunes, Songs for Christmas, was released back in 2006. Classics such as “Oh Holy Night” and “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” as well as several tracks penned by the songwriter himself, were spread over five albums. This time around, 18 of the holiday offerings are Stevens originals. However, Silver and Gold: Songs for Christmas Vols. 6-10 is far from a solo affair: members of The National and Arcade Fire have also lent their vocal support to a package that includes stickers, temporary tattoos, a paper ornament, and other goodies that hope to rival in eclecticism anything else you might receive Christmas morning. As an early present, we suggest checking out Sufjan Stevens at one of his upcoming Sing-Along shows below:
Sufjan Stevens Christmas Tour Tickets
Sufjan Stevens Christmas Tour Dates 2012
Date
City
State
Venue
11/23/2012
Philadelphia
PA
Union Transfer
11/24/2012
Washington
DC
9:30 Club
11/25/2012
Saxapahaw
NC
The Haw River Ballroom
11/26/2012
Athens
GA
Georgia Theatre
11/27/2012
Chattanooga
TN
Track 29
11/28/2012
Oxford
MS
The Lyric Oxford
11/30/2012
Dallas
TX
Granada Theater
12/1/2012
Austin
TX
Emo’s East
12/3/2012
Tucson
AZ
Rialto Theatre
12/4/2012
Los Angeles
CA
Fonda Theatre
12/5/2012
San Francisco
CA
Great American Music Hall
12/6/2012
Portland
OR
Aladdin Theater
12/8/2012
Seattle
WA
Neptune Theatre
12/9/2012
Missoula
MT
Wilma Theatre
12/12/2012
Minneapolis
MN
Mill City Nights
12/13/2012
Milwaukee
WI
Turner Hall
12/14/2012
Indianapolis
IN
Deluxe
12/15/2012
Chicago
IL
Metro
12/16/2012
Cleveland
OH
Beachland Ballroom
12/18/2012
Buffalo
NY
Asbury Hall
12/19/2012
Providence
RI
Fete
12/20/2012
Boston
MA
Royale
12/21/2012
New York
NY
Bowery Ballroom
12/22/2012
New York
NY
Bowery Ballroom
Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas: Vols 1-5 Song List
Disc One
Track
Song
1
Silent Night
2
O Come O Come Emmanuel
3
We’re Goin’ To the Country!
4
Lo! How A Rose E’er Blooming
5
It’s Christmas! Let’s Be Glad!
6
Holy Holy, etc.
7
Amazing Grace
Disc Two
Track
Song
1
Angels We Have Heard on High
2
Put the Lights On the Tree
3
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
4
I Saw Three Ships
5
Only at Christmas Time
6
Once in Royal David’s City
7
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!
8
What Child Is This Anyway?
9
Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Disc Three
Track
Song
1
O Come O Come Emmanuel
2
Come on! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!
3
We Three Kings
4
O Holy Night
5
That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!
6
Ding! Dong!
7
All the King’s Horns
8
The Friendly Beasts
Disc Four
Track
Song
1
The Little Drummer Boy
2
Away In A Manger
3
Hey Guys! It’s Christmas Time!
4
The First Noel
5
Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)
