DOWNLOAD: I Heart Lung - Let It Snow [mp3]
DOWNLOAD: I Heart Lung - Carol of the Bells [mp3]
DOWNLOAD: I Heart Lung - Little Drummer Boy [mp3]
DOWNLOAD: I Heart Lung - Silent Night, Holy Night [mp3]
DOWNLOAD: I Heart Lung - Santa Claus Vs. Dracula [mp3]

I Heart Lung’s Christmas EP is full of free-form improvisations based loosely on themes from Christmas carols. “Little Drummer Boy” is the most interesting and coherent of the bunch. It takes its time getting around to the theme from the actual song, first delivered on hovering e-bowed guitar around four minutes in. Even then, you really have to concentrate to realize that the drawn-out phrases are echoing the “pah-rum-pah-pum-pums” we’re all used to. [Pfork]

Southpaw, Park Slope Brooklyn—A Pen America Center's "PENultimate Lit" series continued Monday night as Rick Moody inverviewed both Sufjan Stevens and Wesley Stace about how writing shapes and informs their music. During the Q&A, an audience member asked which comes first the music or lyrics? Sufjan said that the music; while for Wesley, the lyrics. Sufjan's favorite authors? Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor and Sherwood Anderson. [dietrich]

What else?

I hear it's the flu...

Due to unforeseeable circumstances, tonight's show has been canceled. Please stay tuned for details about a rescheduled show.

The picture you see above is the cover of Asthmatic Kitty's 2007 Christmas Advent Calendar. It was designed by Tom Eaton, costs $5.00, or is free with purchase of the Sufjan Christmas box set.

Sufjan Stevens collaborator Chris Schlarb has a new record coming out, and some upcoming shows as well.