Sufjan Stevens share video for new single ‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’

SUFJAN STEVENS SHARES VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE ‘WILL ANYBODY EVER LOVE ME?‘

NEW ALBUM JAVELIN OUT 6 OCTOBER VIA ASTHMATIC KITTY RECORDS

19 SEPTEMBER LISTENING PARTIES ANNOUNCED

“The work of a master”
Sunday Times ‘Hottest Tracks’

“A devastatingly beautiful breakup song from the master of understated heartache”
The Observer ‘Hot Tracks’

Watch the video for ‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’ here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLeCIRC4taY

Instagram | Website | Asthmatic Kitty

Sufjan Stevens today releases his new single/video, ‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’, from his highly anticipated forthcoming album, Javelin, out 6 October on Asthmatic Kitty Records.Javelin bridges all of Stevens’ approaches like never before, and ‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’ fuses the acoustic intimacy of his early work with the orchestral and electronic grandeur of his most recent. Following lead single ‘So You Are Tired‘, named ‘Best New Track‘ by Pitchfork for its “effortless elegance”, ‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’ offers another heart shattering glimpse at Javelin’s vulnerable contours. Beginning with just finger-plucked strings and Stevens’ inimitable voice, ‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’ reaches one of the most cathartic heights of his storied discography: “Will anybody ever love me?/For good reasons/Without grievance, not for sport/Will anybody ever love me?/In every season/Pledge allegiance to my heart/Pledge allegiance to my burning heart.”

With the accompanying video directed by long-time collaborator Stephen Halker, on the self-produced ‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’ Stevens plays every instrument with additional vocals from adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen, and Megan Lui. Each comments on working with Stevens:

“The first time I sang the song I started crying, I was so moved by the honesty of the questions. Sufjan is an impossibly brave and gifted writer.”
– adrienne maree brown

“Being in the studio with Sufjan is like watching an alchemist at work. He creates a new realm, building our voices from a gentle choir, then morphing us into sirens raging from the sea.”
– Hannah Cohen

“‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’ felt like a glimpse into Sufjan’s past records but spins into an epic collage of voices and instruments. His vision of melody and composition are astonishing and working with him and Hannah in the room was pure joy.”
– Megan Lui

Javelin pairs musical sweep with emotional breadth. At times, it has the feel of a big team album production — but it is decidedly not: almost every sound here is the result of Stevens at home, building by himself what sometimes feels like a testament to ‘70s Los Angeles studio opulence. Whether listened to individually or as an album, Javelin’s ten songs become something much bigger, the entire experience of Stevens’ 25-year career brought to bear in four-minute bursts of choral, orchestral, and electric wonder. As Stevens’ first album in full singer-songwriter mode since 2015’s Carrie & Lowell, Javelin begins like a self-portrait, detailed yet understated. This is Stevens at his most intimate, calling back to Seven Swans or Carrie & Lowell and then calling you close to share in its internal reckoning.

Javelin is accompanied by a 48-page book of art and essays all created by Stevens, including a series of meticulous collages, cut-up catalog fantasies, puff-paint word clouds, and iterative colour fields. The 10 short essays — alternatively funny, tragic, poignant, obtuse, and specific — offer little glimpses into loves and losses that have shaped him, and, in turn, these songs.

Independent record stores across the world will be hosting Javelin listening parties on 19 September outside of North America and October 3rd in North America. Participating stores and times in the UK are included below, and a full list of international cities and stores is available here. The events are free to attend. Each store will have wristbands for pickup in advance to reserve a spot, and the first 30 attendees at each store will be given a poster. Additionally, the album will be available for early purchase.

Pre-order Javelin here:
https://sufjanstevens.lnk.to/javelin

Photo Courtesy of Sufjan StevensHigh-res images can be found here

UK listening parties, 19 September:

Preston @ Action Records
Dundee @ Assai
Edinburgh @ Assai
Glasgow @ Assai
Sheffield @ Bear Tree
Leeds @ Crash
Totnes @ Drift
Leeds @ Jumbo Records
Glasgow @ Monorail
Manchester @ piccadilly records
Southsea @ Pie&Vinyl
Newcastle Upon Tyne @ Reflex
Brighton @ Resident
Bristol @ Rough Trade
Nottingham @ Rough Trade
London @ Rough Trade West
London @ Rough Trade Soho
Cardiff @ Spillers
Oxford @ Truck
Southampton @ Vinilo
Bury @ Wax and Beans

Full list of participating stores worldwide and details can be found here:
https://asthmatickitty.com/announcing-the-sufjan-stevens-javelin-global-listening-event/