Asthmatic Kitty is proud to announce the re-press of Shannon Stephens’ self-titled debut (2000). Produced by Stephens and her former Marzuki band-mates Sufjan Stevens and Matt Haseltine in 2000, this superb collection of Shannon’s own songs includes contributions by Marzuki cellist Jamie Kempkers, Kenny Hutson (Vigilantes of Love) on pedal steel guitar, Mews and Mews Too contributors Roman Bolks and Jason Brouwer, and folk mainstay Jason Harrod. With new artwork and two previously unreleased bonus tracks, this release will delight newcomers and faithful fans. Shannon Stephens was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the daughter of a hymn-singing mother who played the piano in high heels and a hootenanny-hosting father with red pants and a sonorous Roy Orbison voice. Shannon began writing songs at age seven with a number entitled “Where is my pie?” She learned to play the acoustic guitar during the particularly boring summer of 1992. She moved to Michigan shortly thereafter, and met Sufjan Stevens at a concert. She became the voice of the band Marzuki, a Celtic-inspired folk-rock ensemble comprised of Shannon, Sufjan, Matthew Haseltine and Jamie Kempkers. Marzuki played a lot of shows in Michigan, and a few ill-fated shows in New York City. They released two albums in the five years that they were together, all out of print. After Marzuki disbanded, Shannon began to play local venues on her own. She released her self-titled debut LP in 2000, the same year she moved to Seattle