“epic represents a crossroads for me as an artist. Going from intern to
artist at Ba Da Bing, from solo folk singer to playing with a band for the first
time and beginning to play shows on tour where people showed up. I am in awe of
the artists who wanted to participate in celebrating my anniversary and reissue,
from young inspiring musicians, to artists who took me under their wing, who
I met on tour, and to artists I’ve looked up to since I was a teenager. Each
one of these artists continue to influence my writing and provide a sense of
camaraderie during this new era of sharing music.” – Sharon Van Etten
Sharon Van Etten’s career since the release of her second album is
well-known; critically lauded albums, films, and television shows have
continually displayed her expanding artistry. Upon its release, epic laid a
romantic melancholy over the gravel and dirt of heartbreak without one honest
thought or feeling spared. Her songs covered betrayal, obsession, egotism, and
all the other emotions we dislike in others and recognize in ourselves. Van
Etten's grounded and clenched vocals conveyed a sense of hope–the notion that
beauty can arise from the worst of circumstances.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of this special album’s release, and to
acknowledge the convergence of Van Etten’s present and past work, she asked
fellow artists she admired to participate in an expanded reissue, where each
artist would cover one different song from epic in their own style. Some are
musicians Van Etten herself admired in her early days (Fiona Apple, Lucinda
Williams, and Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon of Big Red Machine), some are
peers (Courtney Barnett, IDLES), and others are part of a younger generation of
innovators (Shamir, St. Panther). What they all share is embodied by epic–a
musician frankly communicating themself through the power of music.