Seven Swans

Seven Swans
Studio album by Sufjan Stevens
Released March 16, 2004 (2004-03-16)
Genre Indie folk[1]
Length 46:19
Label Sounds Familyre
Producer Daniel Smith
Sufjan Stevens chronology
Michigan
(2003)		 Seven Swans
(2004)		 Illinois
(2005)
Singles from Seven Swans
  1. "The Dress Looks Nice on You"
    Released: March 8, 2004

Seven Swans is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens, released on March 16, 2004. It includes songs about Christian spiritual themes, figures such as Abraham, and Christ's Transfiguration.[2][3] The songs are primarily "lush acoustic compositions" with Stevens' banjo.[2] The album was released on compact disc and vinyl LP; the vinyl was released by Burnt Toast Vinyl.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic87/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[6]
The Guardian[7]
Mojo[8]
Pitchfork Media8.1/10[2]
Rolling Stone[9]
SpinA−[10]
Uncut[11]

Seven Swans has a score of 87 out of 100 based on 23 reviews at Metacritic, indicating a "universal acclaim" rating from the site.[4] The Guardian called it "a record of remarkable delicacy"[7] and Spin described the album as sounding "like Elliott Smith after ten years of Sunday school".[10]

Thematic elements

Many of the songs on Seven Swans tell stories directly from the Bible. "Abraham" references the bible story wherein Abraham is tested by God and told to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Abraham, at the last moment and with knife in hand, is stopped by an angel and instead sacrifices a ram to God. The final song, "Transfiguration", is a "bittersweet note of Jesus' requisite suffering".[2] "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" is based on a first-person account by The Misfit character from Flannery O'Connor short story of the same name.[2] The lyrics of the title song, "Seven Swans," loosely allude to the events of the Book of Revelation.

Track listing

All songs written by Sufjan Stevens.

  1. "All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands"  – 4:14
  2. "The Dress Looks Nice on You"  – 2:32
  3. "In the Devil's Territory"  – 4:57
  4. "To Be Alone with You"  – 2:44
  5. "Abraham"  – 2:33
  6. "Sister"  – 6:00
  7. "Size Too Small"  – 3:04
  8. "We Won't Need Legs to Stand"  – 2:12
  9. "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"  – 3:16
  10. "He Woke Me Up Again"  – 2:43
  11. "Seven Swans"  – 6:33
  12. "The Transfiguration"  – 5:18
Bonus 7"
  1. "I Went Dancing with My Sister"
  2. "Waste of What Your Kids Won't Have"

Personnel

"The Dress Looks Nice on You"

"The Dress Looks Nice on You"
Single by Sufjan Stevens
from the album Seven Swans
A-side The Dress Looks Nice on You
B-side Borderline
Released March 8, 2004 (2004-03-08)
Format 7" vinyl, Compact Disc (promo only)
Length 5:57
Label Rough Trade
Writer(s) Sufjan Stevens
Producer(s) Daniel Smith
Sufjan Stevens singles chronology
"The Dress Looks Nice on You"
(2004)		 "I Walked"
(2010)

A 7" limited edition single of "The Dress Looks Nice on You" was released by Rough Trade in support of the album on March 8, 2004. The single features the song "Borderline" as a B-side.

  1. "The Dress Looks Nice on You"  – 2:32
  2. "Borderline"  – 3:25

References

  1. ↑ "Sufjan Stevens All Delighted People". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Sylvester, Nick (March 16, 2004). "Sufjan Stevens: Seven Swans". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  3. ↑ Farias, Andree,"Seven Swans" The Fish, October 26, 2010
  4. 1 2 "Reviews for Seven Swans by Sufjan Stevens". Metacritic. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  5. ↑ Monger, James Christopher. "Seven Swans – Sufjan Stevens". AllMusic. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  6. ↑ Weingarten, Marc (March 19, 2004). "Seven Swans". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Peschek, David (March 26, 2004). "Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans". The Guardian. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Sufjan Stevens: Seven Swans". Mojo (126): 105. May 2004.
  9. ↑ Gensler, Andy (April 29, 2004). "Sufjan Stevens: Seven Swans". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 2, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Breakdown". Spin. 20 (5): 108. May 2004. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Sufjan Stevens: Seven Swans". Uncut (83): 92. April 2004.
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