Seven Swans

Seven Swans
Studio album by Sufjan Stevens
Released March 16, 2004
Genre Indie folk
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. It includes songs about Christian spiritual themes, figures such as Abraham, and Christ's Transfiguration.[1][2] The songs are primarily "sparse, acoustic compositions" with Stevens' banjo.[1] The album was released on Compact Disc and vinyl LP; the vinyl was released by Burnt Toast Vinyl.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [3]
Spin A- [4]
Pitchfork Media (8.1/10) [1]
Rolling Stone [5]
The Guardian [6]

Seven Swans has a score of 87 out of 100 based on 23 reviews at Metacritic, indicating a 'universal acclaim' rating from the site.[7] The Guardian called it "a record of remarkable delicacy"[6] and Spin magazine described the album as sounding "like Elliott Smith after ten years of Sunday school".[4]

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 is, at the last moment and with knife in hand, stopped by an angel and instead sacrifices a ram to God and the final song, "Transfiguration", a "the bittersweet note of Jesus' requisite suffering".[1] "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" is based on the Flannery O'Connor short story of the same name.[1] The lyrics of 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
Format 7" vinyl, Compact Disc (promo only)
Genre Folk
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. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Pitchfork review
  2. ↑ Farias, Andree,"Seven Swans" The Fish, October 26, 2010
  3. ↑ Allmusic review
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Spin review
  5. ↑ Rolling Stone review
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans
  7. ↑ Metacritic Reviews

External links