Music Blog

If there's one thing Sufjan Stevens loves even more than Michigan and Illinois(e), it's Christmas. If you'll recall, he previously released the 42-track box set Songs for Christmas back in 2006, collecting a dizzying array of traditional ("Silent Night") and not so traditional ("That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!") takes on the hoiday season, secular and otherwise.

Sufjan apparently has yuletide on the brain once again-- now comes the 58-track Silver & Gold limited edition box set, just in time for the season and with a tour to match. Now, to be clear, the new collection repeats at least some of the tracks from the original box set (one can only write so many Christmas songs, it must be assumed), but others are most definitely available here for the first time (including "Ding-a-ling-a-ring-a-ling" and the epic "Christmas Unicorn", both of which you can hear below). The full-on edition of the collection (only 273 of 2000 left as of this writing) also includes stickers, temporary tattoos, an ornament, and a poster described as "apocalyptic." If you're into that kind of stuff.

More importantly, perhaps, is the fact that Stevens is taking his show on the holiday road with a sing-a-long tour he's dubbed "The Sirfjam Stephanapolous Christmas Sing-A-Long Seasonal Affective Disorder Spectacular Music Pageant Variety Show Distaster" (obvious!). Of note, his band will consist of the likes of Rosie Thomas, Nedelle Torissi and Casey Foubert, among others, and Sheila Saputo opens. Songsheets will be passed out, and the Stevens camp is further warning to expect "plenty of low-production props and gags, dollar-store giveaways, inflatable unicorns, cheap confetti, make-shift costumes, and Gloria in excelsis deo." A snowless Portland will find its steely reserve challenged December 6th at the Aladdin Theater!