Mavis Staples Announces New Album, Shares New Cover of Kevin Morby's "Beautiful Strangers"
Briefly

Mavis Staples will release Sad and Beautiful World, produced by Brad Cook, on November 7 via Anti-. The album blends original material with covers of songs by Tom Waits, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Frank Ocean, Curtis Mayfield, and Leonard Cohen. Staples released a rendition of Frank Ocean's "Godspeed" in June and has shared a version of Kevin Morby's "Beautiful Strangers." Kevin Morby praised Staples' interpretation and called her version better. Guest contributors include Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, Katie Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, and Justin Vernon. A ten-track listing accompanies the release.
Mavis Staples has announced a new album. Produced by Brad Cook, Sad and Beautiful World combines original material with covers of songs by Tom Waits, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Frank Ocean, Curtis Mayfield, and Leonard Cohen, among others. In June, Staples shared her rendition of Ocean's " Godspeed," and, today, she's shared her take on Kevin Morby's " Beautiful Strangers." Listen to the new song below.
"It isn't easy to put into words what it feels like having one of the best, most important vocalists and cultural figures of both the 20th and 21st century sing one of my songs," Morby shared in a press statement. "But hearing Mavis sing 'Beautiful Strangers' is hands down the greatest moment and highest honor of my career. Far beyond any kind of accolade or acclaim-having one of my biggest heroes sing something I wrote is the most validating and flattering thing that could ever happen to me as a songwriter and person. Thank you, Mavis."
"Mavis also wields that extremely rare power to take a song somebody else wrote and make it entirely her own. As the person who penned 'Beautiful Strangers,' I feel I have every right to say; her version is better."
Read at Pitchfork
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