Sufjan Stevens acoustic banjo??

June 2, 2011 10:14 AM

Where can I find some more hopefully banjo heavy acoustic Sufjan Stevens songs. My brother is obsessed with them and I want to find one like this.

Thanks for any help in advance. It would be great if it was Sufjan alone and not with a band.

posted by timpanogos to media & arts (5 answers total)

PS: I am the girl who bought a banjo (and has been taking lessons) because of this thread.
posted by timpanogos at 10:15 AM on June 2, 2011

His entire album Seven Swans is mostly him, banjo and some light back up singing, if I'm not mistaken.
posted by the foreground at 10:17 AM on June 2, 2011

Do you know where I could find that sheet music on the internet? I'd like to learn them.
posted by timpanogos at 10:22 AM on June 2, 2011

Seven Swans! There's also a few great banjo songs on The Avalanche (I like this one the most) plus this cover of Lakes of Canada which I don't think appears on any albums. One thing to note: Sufjan Stevens basically plays his banjo like it's a four-string guitar, so if you're learning Scruggs or clawhammer it's not going to help you much. That said, his banjo songs are mostly pretty easy to play - I bet you could pick All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands after spending an hour with this tab (that is, if you read tabulature).
posted by theodolite at 10:25 AM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]

Vito's Ordination Song!

Also much of Michigan and yes, Seven Swans.

Looks like this site has some Sufjan Banjo tabs, among others.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:44 AM on June 2, 2011