Mavis Staples announces new album, Sad And Beautiful World

Mavis Staples has announced details of a new studio album, Sad And Beautiful World, which is released on November 7 on ANTI-. You can hear her rendition of Kevin Morby‘s “Beautiful Strangers” below.

Produced by Brad Cook (Bon Iver, Waxahatchee, Nathaniel Rateliff), Sad And Beautiful World also includes cameos by artists who have become part of Staples’ world: Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, Derek Trucks, Katie Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, Justin Vernon. 

“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,” explains Morby on the impact of Staples recording his song.  

“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.”

The tracklisting for Sad And Beautiful World is:

Chicago 
Beautiful Strangers
Sad And Beautiful World 
Human Mind 
Hard Times 
Godspeed
We Got To Have Peace 
Anthem 
Satisfied Mind 
Everybody Needs Love 

Click here to pre-order the album.