Shannon Stephens "Pull It Together"

Shannon Stephens, a Seattle-based singer/songwriter who started her career playing with Sufjan Stevens in Marzuki and has had her music covered by Bonnie Prince Billy, has just released her third album "Pull It Together" via Asthmatic Kitty. 



DM Stith – piano & choir

by Asthmatic Kitty

 
Shannon Stephens - Care of You, from "Pull It Together"


Stephens’ increased confidence also transformed her method of recording for this third release. Where previously she added orchestral players to fill out her songs, this time she took a blues approach to her arrangements. Drawing together a new band of accomplished musicians, she gave them the freedom to explore and create. With Jeff Fielder (Mark Lanegan, Isobel Campbell) on guitars, James McAlister (Sufjan Stevens, Pedro the Lion) on drums and Steve Moore (Sufjan Stevens, Laura Veirs) on keyboards, Stephens found herself discovering new facets of her own compositions.

Pull It Together is treated with warm, intimate production thanks to the contributions of Grammy winning engineer Kory Kruckenberg (Rose Thomas, Damien Jurado). Kruckenberg’s light approach to mixing preserved the spontaneity and the vintage spark of the band’s 8-track recordings. The album features a collaboration with DM Stith and backing vocals by Galen Disston of Pickwick.



Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (Will Oldham) - duet vocals


stobaugh14


Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I'll Be Glad
3/12/09 in Bloomington at the Buskirk Bonnie 
'Prince' Billy covered Stephens' song 'I'll Be Glad' on his 2008 album "Lie Down In The Light," the song was originally appeared on her self-titled debut full-length (2000) from Asthmatic Kitty, Re-pressed on 2010.