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Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
Retail Price (not our price): $14.98
Release Date: 2005-07-05
Manufacturer: Asthmatic Kitty
Format: Audio CD
Discs: 1

Track List
Now here, for your listening pleasure, the tracks...

Disc 1

Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):

1) Amazon.com
Illinois sounds like The Sea and Cake collaborating with the high-school band from a Wes Anderson film on banjo-driven, pulsing meditations on Vince Guaraldi's music for Peanuts. Sufjan Stevens, the singer-songwriter behind the endeavor, is an earnest and whimsical young man who aims to record an album based on every state in the union, though this is just his second attempt since 2003's Michigan. Lavish praise has been heaped upon this precocious twenty-something, who weaves personal recollections, historical narratives, and strange facts together to create lush portraits of Midwestern life. It's not maudlin stuff, and the atypical instrumentation (strings, choirs, trumpets, vibes) is beyond gimmick. Halfway through "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.," when Stevens has you feeling true empathy for a serial killer, it's clear that he really is an artist of the highest order. These are weird and lovely middlebrow ditties; we eagerly await the Broadway adaptation. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5

1) Quirky, Brilliant, Easy on the Ears   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
A friend introduced me to Sufjan Stevens, and I'm so glad she did: from the very first track, this CD is quietly addictive. It's been a long time since I've found a CD I could enjoy from beginning to end, that is mellow enough to be background music yet not at all depressing (a la Nick Drake or Elliot Smith). Stevens has a pretty voice (yes, he's a guy, but you'll see what I mean) which he accompanies beautifully with harmonies and guitar. I'll look forward to many replays of this CD and to hearing not just the melodies, but the lyrical stories they each tell.

2) Poetic masterpiece   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Illinois contains a wealth of catchy melodies and gripping imagery, plus plenty of variety in theme, musical style and presentation. The music is an original blend of soulful folk-pop with orchestral infusions. There are some scattered bursts of electrical guitar here and there but the banjo is prominent throughout. Interspersed with colorfully titled brief instrumental snippets, the songs embrace a range of emotions from joy to melancholy. For all its dazzling variety, the album is surprisingly cohesive.The following are my personal favorites:The celebratory Come On Feel The Illinoise with its intricate arrangement, the buoyant Decatur with its witty rhyme scheme and lilting beat, the poignant and solemn Casimir Pulaski Day, the sensitive treatment of a horrible subject like John Wayne Gacy, the mix of sadness and elation in the rousing tune Chicago, Man Of Metropolis with its segments of hard rock guitar and the tender Tallest Man.On these exquisite melodies, Sufjan's intimate voice is often framed by elegant backing vocals over a complex and stirring instrumental mix. Infused with an appealing sense of spirituality, Illinois offers an inspiring and uplifting listening experience.

3) It's Always Great to Hear a Talented 'New' Artist   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Illionois was the first Sufjan Stevens CD I had purchased. I was so impressed with his music, I ended up buying his whole collection. He is extremely talented and versatile. You cannot pin him down to one type of music, but I will say he makes excellent usage of horns, and other instruments. He has already made an excellent Michigan album, and I look forward to hearing the remaining 48 states he plans to make.

4) !!...How did I miss this?? WOW..   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
I've never heard of this guy until I happened to hear "Chicago" on my local radio station, WXRT. It is rare that I hear a song this perfect. A perfect mix of strings, woodwinds and brass. I immediately wrote down the artist's name, incorrectly.. After a few hours of searching I found "Illinoise" and downloaded "Chicago" and a few other tracks. This stuff is simply amazing. Such rich, melodious, thoughtful music. Hmm, soo good!Do yourself a favor, buy this CD. It is a great cure for that toxic, top 40 goop.

5) Original, creative, musical,...what more could you want?   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
I received this as a Christmas gift, and I'd have to say it's one of the best gifts I received. At a time when so much of the new music being produced is either boring, derivative, or just plain non-musical, this was a refreshing surprise.I hear traces of Alan Parsons Project with a smattering of Renaissance and even Polyphonic Spree; but in no way is it a direct emulation of any of them. The styles of the tracks drift from rock to jazz to folk, with even a fairly strong Phillip Glass influence to many of the compositions. In other words, this album is hard to put into any specific classification, which no doubt will limit its sales, sad to say.If all that wasn't good enough, the album is available on vinyl (which is the version I have).