Eleven years after releasing the indie-rock touchstone Epic, Sharon Van Etten has enlisted an impressive group of artists from Fiona Apple to Courtney Barnett — to cover the entirety of her debut album.
The latest preview of Epic Ten, the deluxe version of Van Etten’s debut due next month, comes from roots singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. Williams slows down her selection, “Save Yourself,” transforming the song’s sprightly indie riff-rock into murky Louisiana blues.
“I am in tears listening to Lucinda Williams’ interpretation of ‘Save Yourself’ — owning my words, watching her perform, giving it her heart,” Sharon Van Etten tells Rolling Stone in a statement. “How does one express waking up from a dream and the feeling that a legend in your eyes is connecting with your music? Not many get to see and hear it happen. In these distant and impalpable moments, I am touched. Lucinda represents not just a singer and writer, but a poet — one who has helped me reconnect with my mother and find a new voice in my own music as I continue to explore songwriting beyond my melodies and my voice, but through my words and stories.
“Lucinda and her band covering my song helps me feel my narrative isn’t isolated and living in my diary,” Van Etten continues, “but a page that everyone can rip out in some way and paste in their own journal.”
Epic Ten will be released April 16th and contains the original 2010 record as well as the tracks covered by Apple (“Love More”), Barnett and Vagabon (“Don’t Do It), and more.
From Rolling Stone US
