Illinois

Talented but slow paced

The production alone makes this album stand out from so many things I've heard recently. Beautiful production, both simple and complex when it calls for it. Lyrics are interesting too. I haven't listened to much Sufjan Stevens before now, all I know is Tonya Harding (which I love) but I think I'm a fan now

Quite good and interesting

fabulous song titles, felt mostly like the same note throughout with the occasional v good song

Interesting

I felt like I couldn’t fully understand it and that’s probably on me, but either musically it is beautiful.

I’d probably give it a 2.8 if given the chance. His writing and music in general definitely progressed massively with time. The album definitely has it stronger songs I personally liked John Wayne gacy jr, Chicago and the man of metropolis - but it also has a lot of weak points. Pretty mellow sound which can be vaguely repetitive or uninteresting in certain points. Also a side note but I don’t think this album cover matches the sound enough and don’t like it bc of that lol

Interesting

im unsure about the use of that one colorful insturment that kids use

Quite a clever album, enjoyed the concept but overall not my thing and at times I found it pretty pretentious. Did enjoy some of it tho. Come On! Feel the Illinoise! Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition / Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream was my fav song and first listen of the album

Lowkey expected more from this album so I’m sad, but I also think I just don’t like his voice much

This was the album, or at least the song Chicago, that I first heard of Sufjan Stevens. At that time the 50 state project was a thing. I had heard concept albums before but I think this was the first time I had heard the equivalent of local ballads and folk tales and I was all about that. There is a comedian in the UK called Mark Steel and he often does 'Mark Steel in town' gigs where his routine is all about local places and stories that people will tell him as he prepares for the gig. There is something special about connecting at such a local level that appeals to me and whilst this isn't going to be something to all tastes the effort and love that is poured into the making of you can certainly hear. Even if you just listen to Chicago again and again you will never get sick of it.

5/10 not for me, great storytelling though

Pehmeää ja melankolista indie/folk/poppia 2000-luvun alusta, eli ei ihan meikäläisen makuun täsmäävää musiikkia. Eihän tämä huono ollut, mutta ei tämäntyylisestä musasta oikein saa kunnon otetta. Liian "taidekoulumaista" minulle.

Day 226 The high points are very high and I’ll be checking out other albums but not sure I’d return to the album itself very often. Highlights Chicago Zombies..

I was not fucking with this one as much as I expected to, tbh, but I bet this shit went crazy when it came out and was the first of its kind.

Good album but listening to it back to back is a bit long. Not their best album

This one was a bit of a challenge. Like Father John Misty, this is not really my vibe. I had to play this one 3 times through before I was able to make any connection with these songs. This is not too say that they are not beautifully realized and the lyrics somewhat engaging, because they certainly are. It’s just that these songs are really background music until you force yourself to engage with them. The piano is tinkly, the other instruments- strings, flute, a freaking choir take the historical references and turn them into marching band productions with numerous non rock time signatures and arrangements. Jazz and classical music components are used to great effect for those who can appreciate these nuances. I do not. Which is the reason why for me, I had to force myself to engage with the music and that is the real issue. Music should resonate with the listener. Sure it may take time to find the vibe but it will resonate and the experience is enjoyable. Forcing it makes it work and it not therefore not enjoyable. Again, this is not a slight to Sufjan. This is his art and it connects with his audience. Does it belong on this list? For me - no. My life was not changed by hearing this record - one way or another. I will say that it has some soul. I can feel that. That is to say it’s not a Steely Fucking Dan record which is music for the soulless. Good on you Sufjan. 3/5

The length of these song titles is making it very difficult to discern what is actually playing. Aside from Chicago, which ofc I love.

It's okay, none of the songs are bad in the album, but neither are any outstanding (at least to me). all are well composed and written.

Love the variety of instruments & theme of the album. Glad to have been exposed to this album.

it was good but felt all over the place and a little dragged out

It's nothing special

Good but outstays its welcome. Would be much better with a tighter edit.

Ehh

A bit bland

This is a perfectly fine album, it's pleasant and inoffensive throughout, but it definitely overstays its welcome. There’s a good album in here, it just feels buried under too much material. Trim about 30 minutes off, and it would be a much stronger listen overall.

16 tracks in and I'm exhausted. There are some songs I like on here so far. Some of them I like quite a bit, but the album is just too long. You can't put out an album this long and have it be this boring. 3 stars

Lindo álbum, tiene momentos hermosos y oscuros. No entiendo por que dura una hora y siete minutos. Me parece demasiado. Termina cansando. 6/10

The beats are fun, the lyrics amusing. I got a bit tired of the style by the end

Whole Foods soundtrack.

I liked it, probably not an everyday listen for me.

Agradable. Un disco para poner de fondo mientras se está haciendo alguna otra actividad.

like if a musical was an album. not my vibe. much prefer carrie and lowell. super long too.

pieno di pezzi carini, simpatico

Non l’ho finito ma mi stava piacendo. Album che mischia vari generi, sicuramente un progetto interessante

1001 albums generator

I can appreciate it from a technical and storytelling standpoint, but it's not for me and that's okay

Known to me. Some bangers.

I could see this growing on me with more listens. Some of the arrangements were enjoyable. Overall, on a first listen, it's okay.

I heard beforehand that this had received some very bad reviews, was so was on the fence going in. But I found it much better than expected. It's definitely too long, and there are some things that rubs me the wrong way. First and foremost, the naming of the songs is extremely pretentious and nauseating. Know this was a trend for a while, but it really is the worst. Speaking of himself in third person as in 'A Conjunction of Drones Simulating the Way in Which Sufjan Stevens..." is also barf. Listening to Sufjan singing gets a bit annoying after a while as well. He has a great voice, but it can feel a bit too meek and soft after a while. Something which is enhanced by the composition. It just gets a bit too sugary overall. That aside, I did find MANY good songs in here that really stuck on me. The first half of the album is the strongest, with Track 3 and 5 being really catchy. If the album could've just been condensed a bit and the other aforementioned problems toned down, this could be a real solid one. For now it'll get a strong 3 for me.

Grandiose is the definition that seems most fitting. I want to like this more than I do. Something I can't put my finger on keeps from outright loving it. Favorite track: The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts

Произошло возвращение Джедая. Именно этот альбом отбил у меня охоту от челленджа, слишком медленным и невыразительным он мне показался. Но сейчас готова отдать должное его концепту и звучанию . Как будто прослушала большой Американский роман

top 3 - Jacksonville, They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbours!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!, The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders (Part I: The Great Frontier / Part II: Come to Me Only with Playthings Now.) It's fine, don't have much to say about it. Will try giving it another listen at some point.

Instrumental pero guay

Kinda of musical-esque, I wasn’t fully locked in as I was working out but there were some fun ones on here.

first song being what habits of my heart was sampled from is so cool! i don’t really like this kind of music, it sounds like the artist is just talking a lot of the time trying to be profound. sounds like band kid music lol. but i will say i really enjoyed the instrumentals of the album, heard some cool bass and twangy guitar & some sad melodies in there as well. idk if i’ll ever listen again but i enjoyed it way more than i thought i would!

6/10 - quite an original album, soft indie rock with some orchestreal elements

Great album but I don't think I would regularly listen to it. Definitely one of the most unique albums I've heard. Makes me think how it is a shame Farewell Transmission by Songs of Ohia isn't on the list. Couple years ago when I first had a gabb phone, I went through a Sufjan Stevens phase for the Planetarium Album, which includes Bryce Dessner and James McAlister. Some great acoustic sets, but I not a huge fan of Sufjan's voice insolated like it is in those. I like more or the upbeat choral and rocking songs. Favorite Discoveries: "Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (Part I: The World’s Columbian Exposition – Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream)" "Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts"

Irgendwie würde ich denken, dass ich das mögen würde, aber ist irgendwie überorchestriert und dann doch zu flüchtig. e Eigentlich mag ich kurze Songs, aber ist mir ein wenig zu skizzenhaft manchmal. Höre ich mir aber zu Hause nochmal mit Konzentration auf die Texte an. Insgesamt aber schön.

Uh-oh. A 2000s indie rock album appears! Unlike most indie rock albums, this one is over an hour long and has some of the longest and dumbest song titles I've ever seen. What those long titles can't mask is that this sounds pretty much exactly like every 2000s indie rock album, with strings, detached vocals, and artsy lyrics. Surprisingly, however, it's actually a good album. It's not boring or annoying for the most part, which instantly puts it above most of the indie rock albums I've had so far. There is actual songwriting skill here, and the musical backgrounds are surprisingly interesting. However, it doesn't do enough to justify its length, and the interludes are just filler that could easily be removed. While it's nowhere close to the masterpiece many say it is, it's still miles ahead of, say, Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid or even Arcade Fire's Neon Bible. If ever an album could both be good and overrated, this is it.

I know this is considered a masterpiece and I wish I liked it more. I have listened to it a few times over the years and my opinion has remained the same. The scope and ambition are impressive, especially as a lyrical rhapsody for the state of Illinois. It was the music that left me somewhat unaffected. It sounds too much like a “musical” - which it is, of course - and maybe I just don’t like musicals.

Muy lindo y pintoresco, me di cuenta al toque que era el mismo chabon que hizo musica para call me ny your name

Not to shabby not to good

chilling pero me aburri

No sabía que iba a escuchar y la verdad que me ha gustado, musicalmente es una maravilla, perfecta introducción a la música de Sufjan

chill but interesting 3/5

Pretty soothing music. But I feel like this sound has been the staple for mainstream Indian indie music and I'm kinda sick of it. But that's my opinion. Objectively it's a pretty okay album.

Why did I think this was a jazz album and not a soft boi indie album? It’s ok, not really my taste, but well made.

I honestly can't tell if I like it or not. Some of the instrumentals are really nice, but I did find it a bit hard to stay interested for the whole album. A lot of songs follow the same formula of just repeating one melody for 5 minutes and ending with a choir in the bg

Litt Disney-musikalmusikk, litt Owl City, litt Coldplay og litt Dixie Chicks. Syns det funker mest når det lener seg mot country/folk. Ellers så skjønner jeg ikke hvordan Sufjan Stevens har så mye mer cred enn Coldplay. Syns til og med Coldplay har holdt seg bedre enn dette. En singer/songwriter skulle skrive noen originals til en Disney-film på midten av 2000-tallet?

Very pleasant throughout, punctuated by moments of pure genius. I feel like a true Illinoisan (Illini? Illinoiser?). Multiple complex layers of sound from start to end. Just ran a little longer than I hoped, but I understand why. I might listen to this again. 3 stars

First Listen; 3.5; Very distinct vibe and emotion. Is very delicate yet lush and layered. Brings out a thoughtful and pensive feeling. More than most other albums I've listened too, this very much sets a mood. For the most part this really works. At the same time, I was really underwhelmed by the guitars. It was very basic sounding, and kinda contributed to the sense that this was just a lot of basic music layered on top of each other. Favorite Track: Chicago

Very experimental and creative. Liked most of it. But maybe it was a little long

Definitely experimental and sonically cool. A lot of the songs seemed to wander and not really get anywhere. If that doesn't bother you, this is a great album. I would, for sure, listen to this one again, just maybe in the background of doing something else.

6/10

Wasn't sure what to expect. More folk revival it seems. Lavish arrangements with folk instruments, strings, brass - must have cost a bomb to record. And what on earth is he singing about. Does he even know himself? Ulysses makes more sense. Yet here I am wanting to listen again. A 3 today, maybe a 4 in the future...

A really beautiful sounding album, with so much unique character and texture. Sufjan's voice and lyrics are gorgeous. Maybe not an enjoyable everyday listen but a brilliant album to dive into every so often.

I've been waiting for this. I had a girlfriend once who liked Sufjan. No, I have no idea how to pronounce that name either. This can go one of three ways; it'll be the hipster tripe I anticipate. It'll be great and I'll love it. Or it'll be the latest in the long line of critical darlings which is actually just bland and forgettable, if harmless. First thing - there's a lot of songs. Points for the ambition and I know the guy is prolific. But for one album it's a lot. It's not exactly The Wall, or my own 46 song concept album about potato picking (which is superior to Illinois), but it's worth calling out. Unlike those two albums, this one doesn't have much variance, so a sense of sameness creeps in long before the halfway point. Plus points for not having a crap voice and making the album size a pain. It does have a lot of throwaway garbage, which is to be expected from something of this size and style. A lot of it is twee and plenty of it deals with people and places that nobody outside of the US cares about. I mean, Abraham Lincoln? Who the hell is that!? Couple the twee nature of the bulk of the music with the overly saturated brass sounds and the slice of life lyrics and whatever emotion is supposed to be on display gets sapped for me. I know there are songs where I'm supposed to feel sad and others where I'm supposed to feel happy, but the do-di-do rhythms like a commercial for the latest broadband deal, and the 'jimmy was a boy, he had a bike, I thought that was, a lovely sight' lyrical approach is too child-like. Yet in other places it comes together successfully. Lots of ideas, lots of ambition, some good melodies, but on a single listen not much hits the mark. I think I would get more out of this with more sittings, but I'll grab a few songs, slap them on the playlist, and see if they become favourites or irritants.

I'm sorry Sufjan, you haven't earned my whimsy yet.

First time listening. I liked it. The only one I have heard beside this is Carrie and Lowell. Not the same but good.

(4/7) the music is fine. but after all his effort and research, did he really not come across the proper spelling of "Illinois"? and what's with these song titles that are so long they don't even fit in the space allotted on spotify? I wanted to listen to music, not read a book. next time, let's keep song titles to 140 characters and the album length to 45 minutes

I’m surprised at just how much I enjoyed this - on the face of the length, and the name of the songs, I wasn’t expecting to. But it was lovely.

It was an interesting concept, and I did enjoy parts of it. I can see why they made a musical out of it. Overall, it made me pretty bored, and was a little too long. I also can't really parse the lyrics as they come at me, so it's tough to connect many of the songs to the Illinois theme.

This is a tough one to review. Circa 2005, Sufjan was my jam. I blared Chicago in my car, saw him play when he visited my city on the Illinois tour, and learned how to play his songs. I have a very distinct memory of being stricken while listening to Casimir Pulaski Day while riding my bike one afternoon. What a terrible, beautiful song. From the start, I preferred his albums which came out before this, and then had trouble with all Sufjan’s output afterward, with the exception of Carrie & Lowell. The problem is mostly in regard to editing. Illinois is a long album with overly long songs. A companion album of outtakes called ‘The Avalanche’ was also released, and that album is also overlong. The first Christmas album box set is unlistenable. Recently, I revisited Sufjan’s discography. The blast of fresh air that he and his fellow Indie tidal wave of musicians brought to the world has aged and now sounds of a distant time. I sense from Illinois-era Sufjan, a lack of determined identity. He was somewhat closeted at the time, trying to justify his religious outlook with his sexuality by singing love songs to Jesus (see Seven Swans). It’s a bit cringy to look at in retrospect. This same indecision and Sunday School religiosity is stamped all over Illinois. When I blasted Chicago in my car earlier this year with a fellow past fan, we both admitted it had become stale. The song was always ponderous, seeking a triumphant end, but always only was a rambling journey. One feels the indecision in Sufjan’s life not allowing him to reach a point of definition in his songs. The research behind the construction of this album is admirable. I can see why he wouldn’t want to study that much again for another state. I imagine he set himself up with a lot of pressure and shackled himself away from creative freedom by saying he was going to do an album for all fifty. Kitsch and attention grabbing though it was, he lost me as a listener when he poopooed his fifty states mission. I would have listened to all of those albums. He would’ve had a significant fanbase no matter what he put on those albums, because if you’re say, an Iowan, who else is making an album called ‘Iowa’ all about your state’s history? After Illinois, Sufjan frankly betrayed his fanbase. These days, he’s more honest with himself and more honest in his music. He is and always has been very good. But Illinois strikes a sad note in my heart. It’s the quick end of what might’ve been, but also, in being the second state, an exercise in what never should have been. We might’ve been better off with just a Michigan album, seeing as that was Sufjan’s home state, and a project seriously close to his heart… Unless he does eventually keep going… I’d love to hear Sufjan’s Hawaii album.

Best Track - "Chicago"

Illinois is an ambitious and interesting album, packed with musical ideas and lots of instrumentation. It was more expansive and orchestral than I expected, especially since most of what I knew of Sufjan Stevens leaned toward quieter, folksy guitar songs. There’s real musical value here and moments that are genuinely fun to listen to, but the album is very long and can feel a bit unfocused. While it’s clearly well-crafted, nothing really stands out or feels especially inspiring on repeat listens. A good album overall, just not one that fully grabs me.

Inoffensive, maybe a smidge anodyne, but I like gentle folk-rock. I'll probably give this another go.

im glad ive come across this. most of the stuff feels bland and ordinary but at the same time super dreamy. its like what you hear in your dreams when you go near a stream and there are nymphs that are laughing in the background for some reason ya know?

ik vind de muziek zelf heel mooi, maar vind het mooier als hij niet zingt want ik hou niet zo van zijn stem also ik snap de yoghurt comment wel die is heel valid

Long and lilting. Some nice storytelling and a few catchy tunes, but very samey.

bons vocais e bons arranjos, sinto que é muito bem estruturado e quer passar uma mensagem, parece até a trilha sonora de um filme. Bom álbum! 6/10

definitely an album not for everyone, i personally enjoyed it more than i thought i would but it still didn't impress me. i like the concept for this work, as i was listening i thought at times (especially during "come on! feel the illinoise!...") that these songs would fit really well into a musical which turned out to be a correct assumption after reading the album's wikipedia page hahaha, coming back, i really appreciate the way in which sufjan stevens built this, especially the interludes which were nicely executed in terms of the idea for the whole album. i also believe i have to comeback to it at some point in the future to explore the lyrical layer in bigger detail but for now this album was simply okay and quite pleasant, some songs were less "interesting" than the others - just nothing eye-opening or mind-blowing but as i previously said, it is certainly a well constructed and executed concept album

Too long but some were good. Wanted to listen to sufjan stevens a while. Feel like I should've started elsewhere

honestly didn't know he had songs that didn't sound diabolically sad. was a fun morning listen

Not bad but a bit over hyped. Now I am not saying that I would change it if it came on a Playlist, but I wouldn't seek it out.

This was good. I’d like to listen again

some great ones. but sufjan is kinda weird

This was an interesting listen, as I had no clue what kind of genre it would be. I found myself really enjoying some songs but others I found a bit boring. I like it and would listen to it again, but I'm not in a rush to own it.

I enjoyed this, but not as much as I was expecting to. Another 3.5 star!

This album wasn’t for me.

Okay I went into this one kinda dreading it and I low key really enjoyed this! It was a lot of fun! It was original and interesting throughout! It felt like a movie soundtrack. This was cool Liked Songs: I am not writing out these long af titles, but this was good and there was good stuff here lol

Not bad. Some tracks were more enjoyable than others. 3.5/5

der erste track war richtig gut und hat mir Hoffnung gemacht, dass das ganze Album so ist. Leider gab es nur ein paar Lieder die sich ähnlich angehört haben. Die meisten Lieder hatten so einen Zirkus vibe zu sich. Fand ich jetzt ned so gut.

So that’s where all that annoying 2010s indie came from. Poor imitations of this, for sure. Thoughtful instrumentation and storytelling, even if it’s not really my thing.

Long album, was unsure about this one but grew on me towards the end.

i think with what it's trying to do, it does very well. unfortunately i just didn't vibe with it that much. made me feel weirdly sad and it didn't help with how long it is. also kinda reminded me of the whole millenial optimism trend, i'm sure they were eating this up

хз,тема так то прікольна,но мені не зашла,7/10

Always thought of this album as sort of like being a Belle and Sebastian wannabe? But on this listen, I'm realizing that the arrangements here are much more complex than anything Belle and Sebastian ever did, even though at the same time most of the songs are weaker. That being said, if you tried to tell me that something like "Come On Feel the Illinoise", "Chicago", or "Casimir Pulaski Day" surpasses Belle and Sebastian, I wouldn't exactly agree but I couldn't really rush to tell you that you're obviously wrong, you know?

Mer fan av de nyeste bangerne hans. Dette blir litt for mye musikal for min smak. Eller filmmusikk for en sånn rar europeisk film

Toggling between intrigued and annoyed with this one. Zappa-esque in places. I kinda like it in small doses.

This was a long album! There were a few songs that I especially liked, but most were just average; nice to listen to but nothing that I’d listen to again.

I like Sufjan, he has a couple of albums I think are excellent, and some others that are solid and a few I don't care for at all. This one is considered his best, but not even close for me. Some incredible songs (Casimir Pulaski Day is excellent) and some pretty good ones and a whole lot of filler and excessively fussy orchestration. Those excellent SS records I mentioned? Seven Swans and Carrie and Lowell, both very stripped down, which really showcases his songwriting and avoids his tendency towards MORE. This is the height of Sufjan excess and sometimes it works but most of the time it's just a hat on a hat

these song titles are sooo longgg holy he’s got a beautiful voice wow chicago is sooo good the transitions in this album are smooooth tho very music heavy; not much lyricism this album was just okay! it wasn’t really my vibe, because i like more upbeat things that keep building throughout the song. there were a few songs i liked; only two i put on my playlists. i think my main grievance with this album was what i said earlier: it was too musical, with an extreme lack of lyricism. as someone who bases what she likes off the complexity of the lyricism, this was a let down for me. also— the intros were TOO long. when a song wasn’t just purely instrumental, it still took wayyyy too long to get to the fist verse, so that knocked the album down a few notches. again, it’s not a BAD album, just not for me because it doesn’t align with what i already like. but, i do think sufjan stevens has a beautiful voice & that this album has a great uniqueness in its sound. overall, i’d give this album a 4/10.

Enjoyable, inoffensive songs. The album about the state of Illinois I never know I needed.

Well this was a nice and harmless listen. Maybe a little too clever for its own good in the arrangements but very well recorded nonetheless. There’s a mellow, progressive folk thing going on here which doesn’t change too much for the course of its 74 minute run time which makes it seem a bit bland by the end but every song does have some interesting things happening in them. This does fit very much in its time as I’ve heard many bands from this era try this kind of music. They are all very interesting but there’s an overly intellectual vibe that makes me turn towards something a bit more emotionally intense. Some may say its a bit pretentious but I do understand the intellectual approach to this kind of songwriting so I’m not offended. I probably won’t ever listen to this again but if I heard it playing somewhere I would probably enjoy it.

This was a weird, fun album. To me or felt like a cross between the soundtrack to a very obscure independent film and a love letter to IL. Overall, I liked the album. It was a good mix of genres.

Run'o'the mill singer song writer. Some interesting melodies. En trea

Interesting titles and lyrics :3 Fave song: chicago

This sounds a little like a film score in places. Also what the heck is with the song about a serial killer? Overall, yes it's musically quite nice, but I'm not sure about the lyrics. Gonna give the album a 3 overall (2 for lyrics, 4 for music as I do like the orchestral bits. It's a lot more exciting than some of the guitar-heavy indieboi music one hears).

Casimir Pulaski Day made me ugly cry while doing the dishes…

This album was not my vibe. I found it very boring

Never listened to Sufjan Stevens before with any intent and he's an interestig musician. Album was long but pretty cohesive. Elements of indie, folk, pop, gospel, and even broadway? "Chicago" was the highlight, understandable given the album's name, but I also enjoyed "Decatur", "Casimir Pulaski Day", and "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us"

I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could.

I enjoy most songs here and don’t have a lot of negatives other than I’d be hard pressed to identify the uniqueness of each track as they kind of blend into a melange that is inoffensive.

Weird

Folky but so so unique. I loved Carrie and Lowell but this was quite different.

Eclectic mix of experimental pop with orchestral/country/jazz flourishes. Soft vocals are a bit grating though, like it was recorded in a bedroom trying not to wake up the rest of the house. Seems a bit self-indulgent/opaque. Not sure what it's about or what the point is. Best track - Jacksonville, Decatur 3 stars

ok

Quite liked this.

Quirky and listenable, although perhaps a relief that he didn't complete an album for all 50 States.

Pai da Phoebe Bridgers. Album bom mas talvez eu tenha ouvido na hora errada. Deve ser ótimo ouvir com tempo e com calma, pra relaxar.

Pleasant and mellow music to play when working from home. Sufjan has a nice voice and the album theme is fun.

Listenable. Not really my thing but pleasant listening.

Very nice. Nothing really stood out. An easy and enjoyable listen. Might check out some more of his stuff after this.

Sad Boy Sings Sad Songs Somewhere

This was an unexpected experience. I loved this when it came out, and now I can't really remember why. It has not aged well. It is still pleasant to have on. It has a lot of nice instrumentation. Whatever emotions it spoke to at the time aren't connecting anymore. It also doesn't hit me with the nostalgia high that some music from the era does. Maybe I'm just dead inside, but this is the most 3/5 stars I've heard so far.

I didn't know this artist. Good background music while working. A good album overall.

não imaginei que ia gostar, mas tem músicas muito legais. as mais lentas são bem chatinhas, o que dá uma puxada pra baixo na nota, mas no geral foi interessante de conhecer. singer songwriter segue sendo loteria......

Super interesting. I’m not a huge fan this kind of orchestration for pop/rock music, but in this case it was done extremely well. I still think I would probably prefer a re-recorded version of these songs in a more typical rock band format, but the songs and the vocals are outstanding.

This one's a weird one for me. On the one hand, I can really appreciate both the lyrical and musical intricacies of the album. Sufjan Stevens is a great storyteller, and an equally good musician. On the other hand, I just... wasn't captured by the album? Though I wouldn't turn it off, I also didn't find myself remembering a lot of what was going on. This might be a case of 'wrong place wrong time', or maybe the album just isn't for me. My favourite song on the project was 'Calimir Pulaski days'

technisch gezien een geweldig album, maar sufjan is gewoon niet mijn ding, helaas. genoot wel erg van z'n hele bandje met alle toeters en bellen + die man kan goed titels verzinnen. helaas, in een ander leven had ik het geweldig gevonden

3/5 because it's not something I would normally go for. It was just too mellow for me. This was an entertaining album and was well crafted. The songs all paint a wonderful picture. This was my first dive into Sufjan Stevens and while it's not my cup of tea, it was quite enjoyable.

Not too appealing to me, a little bit bland and repetitive. There are some redeemable moments; "Chicago" is good. I don't think I'm a big indie fan.

Ah this was adapted to a musical. That makes sense. This is ambitious but long and pretentious and there are nice pieces but this could've used an editor (especially on the track titles). Top tracks: "Chicago," "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts," "The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience but You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, 'I Have Fought the Big Knives and Will Continue to Fight Them Until They Are Off Our Lands!'"

Instrumental heavy, very soothing. Vibe changes a lot. Started off with overlooking city lights from top of a hill feeling. But changed to super orchestral, dark room with vibrant yellow lights feeling. Some Euphoria church vibes too. Banjo use also slows down the album midway. A lot going on musically in every song tho. Made me go to the John Wayne Gacy Jr. wikipedia only to learn that prior to the murders, he had already been convicted for a terrible crime but only served 18 months of his 10 year imprisonment. Did not like that. Personally, it changes tones a bit too much for me to really look at this as something I would want to listen to completely in 1 sitting as an album. 3.5/5

Good soundtrack for listening to the bus. Not my typical music genre since it doesn’t have a lot of singing parts, but it was pleasant.

not my favorite from sufjan but still a hell of an album. well made, beautiful arrangements for the strings and piano

I like him but this is an average album.

felt like a musical soundtrack, like the song titles and the instrumental songs in between, flows very easily when you listen from top to bottom, everything felt a little too similar, nothing stood out to me

funky! reminds me of something I would have listened to when I was young. kinda deathcab for cutie-esque, but not what I prefer to listen to.

Pretty nice folky stuff but it goes on for way too long. Cool production choices though and some good songwriting moments

Brought back memories

Chicago is a great song. It reminds me of early 2000s summer. The rest of the album doesn’t grab me nearly as much but I should give it a few more listens before I make up my mind.

A concept album with a nice storytelling, great instrumentals, moving like a painting. I am not fond of this kind of albums nor Sufjan Stevens, so i can’t tell if it’s great or not. It’s nice produced but too long imo. Fav track they are night zombies !!…

I didn’t realise this guy had been around that long. Track 3 - I can definitely hear S Club 7 Reach in there At other times, there’s a bit of Polyphonic Spree in there too. Enjoyed it more than I’d thought. 3.5 rounded down.

It is nice to listen to, I love the jazzy instrumental and some of the songs are great, but as an album is slightly monotone and the songs are SO long, it made me want to not finish them. The album is a bit too long aswell. Still, I will listen more of Sufjan Steven because I liked his vibe. Ultimately the rating is 3 stars because it is wayyy too long without much change.

Concerning the UFO sighting near highland, Illinois 15/20 The Black Hawk War / instrumental/20 Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition – Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream) 8/20 John Wayne Gacy Jr.14/20 Jacksonville 10/20 A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, but for Very Good Reasons /instrumental/20 Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! 9/20 One Last "Whoo-Hoo!" for the Pullman transition/20 Chicago 10/20 Casimir Pulaski Day 12/20 To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament /instrumental/20 The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts 11/20 Prairie Fire That Wanders About 8/20 A Conjunction of Drones Simulating the Way in Which Sufjan Stevens Has an Existential Crisis in the Great Godfrey Maze instrumental/20 The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us! 12/20 They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh! 9/20 Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All the Way Out in Bushnell instrumental/20 In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth instrumental/20 The Seer's Tower 18/20 The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders (Part I: The Great Frontier — Part II: Come to Me Only with Playthings Now) 9/20 Riffs and Variations on a Single Note instrumental/20 Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run instrumental/20 Album 11,15/20 Amazing voice Great lyrics Some tracks sound very similar though

3ish is fine.

Beautiful voice and music but some of the lyrics are a little silly. Would like to hear other stuff from him.

I gave this a try, a bit too twee for my liking although I like the indie folk foundation. It’s meant to be quite influential

An insane undertaking. What possesses someone to dedicate this amount of effort and creativity in this way? Incredible music but the lyrics are just wild.

2.7 2x catchup 12/17, a little too indie sounding, but overall it's pretty good

Vibes: 2/5 Instruments: 2/5 Production: 2/5 Emotional Value: 3/5 Storytelling: 5/5 Album Cover: +0.5 Stand Outs: Jacksonville, Casimir Pulaski Day Overall Rating: 2.9

The composition isn’t bad, and I like the chamber pop orchestral vibes. But, the female backup singer arrangements are locked in time in the early 2000s and his breathy whiny affect irks me.

Super strange, but not bad

*2005. *Very pleasant, lots of piano and soft vocals. There are some interesting songs here and a lot of variety. *This album is way too long. I lost interest after a few songs and did quite a bit of fastforwarding. May be worth a revisit, but I doubt I'll do that. RATING - 6/10

This will be one I have to come back to, because my thoughts aren't fully formulated yet. The backing music was better than I was expecting for an indie folk album. Sufjan's voice is cloying on some tracks and fits in well on others. I appreciated the generally upbeat and melodic sound of most of the tracks. It's a long album, and as with most long albums, there's a bit of hit and miss. Giving it three stars now, but I'll return to it for a more in-depth listen.

It's OK, honestly. I think a bit dated now, but might come back around in the future. Some nice songs on here.

I have tried to get into Sufjan Stevens. There are individual songs that I do enjoy, even a few on this album. His music has always been more ambitious than quality in my mind. Chicago is a good song. It's all very twee and I can't say I hate the music here, because it's obvious a lot of thought has been put into every single note that is played. I don't think it's for me. I know Stevens said it was a joke that he wasn't going to write an album about every state, but it is a little odd he did two states and then just quit. Did he feel compelled to write albums about Michigan and Illinois and then thought the joke was over? Not bad and worth a listen. It's a little too cutesy for me to listen to for almost 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Nice easy listening.

Good

durchaus interessant, zu ruhig für die aktuelle Laune

What did I just listen to?

Kul! Inte hört hela innan, bara några hits. Imponerande krångligt men ändå lent, men har lite svårt för hans röst. Förstår att det finns massor av snygga textgrejer här som jag inte orkar sätta mig in i.

Ok so I absolutely hate the breathy style of singing - reminiscent of those CDs of children singing popular or religious songs. Setting that aside, the lyrics and moreso the music were interesting engaging and entertaining even if a bit repetitive. The album should have shed about 30 minutes. In the end it comes off as meh. 3/5

Musically this is great. Lyrically what the?

Very good album, 3.5

Not bad. Easy to have on while working.

A few cool tracks

I found this enigmatic and frustrating; the music is engaging and interesting and he clearly has a poetic eye for a lyric. However the narrative and theme of the album and songs was weak and a bit juvenile. You can be too enamoured of your own wit. It’s also overlong. I was left feeling like this guy had betrayed his talent by creating a novelty piece when he’d actually be capable of something quite profound.

mycket mycket bra indie….. mums! men det berör.. inte? synd! kanske om jag lyssnade mer noggrant men har en stackars småbarnsmamma tid till det? ack nej…

Håller med föregående talare. Är bra, men skulle högst troligen vara möcke bra om man fick köpa CD-skivan, lyssna och läsa innerkonvolutet i två månader

Some songs were nice and some songs were a bit annoying. Overall, positively surprised, but there were some which I just couldn't handle.

Not sure what to make of this. I like the sounds, but can’t get into it. It keeps fading into background noise and my mind drifts. Pleasant sounding, but not engaging. 3/5

Diversifié

Strangely entertaining

Sudan’s steamiest

Seems like it would have lots of depth on repeated listens.

When I think of the indie-folk stuff that was emerging in the 2000's, this is pretty much what I think of. A collection of random topics and events that centralize around Illinois were thrown into a hat and Sufjan picked some at random to make a song about. It's like he was playing Cards Against Humanity: Illinois edition. Just because he wrote a song about something obscure like a random UFO sighting, doesn't mean that it's a good topic to write a song about. Props for making songs not about the cliche topics, but good song-writing and creativity to me means a bit more than flipping to a random page in the Illinois Encyclopedia Britannica and making that your song. Now that that's out of the way, what IS extremely impressive is that he pretty much made this entire album himself. The music is composed beautifully and it's incredible he did it all himself. It really is a beautiful album, BUT it's also not something I could really listen to after today. It feels like an academic version of a music album. Like reading The Catcher in the Rye in class and studying it even through the book is not entertaining at all and you're slogging through it specifically with the intent of writing an essay on it and then selling the book off. Of course, there's always one pretentious weirdo that thinks The Catcher in the Rye is their favorite book.

This was a cool indie/alternative album.

Ok so this is kinda tough. This is another example where I wish I could just rate the album based off talent and nothing else cause this would easily get a 5. The instrumentation and composition on this album is stellar and flawless. Musically it’s one of the most engaging albums I’ve had from a singer/songwriter type album. Plus I think not only is the cover totally iconic for the genre but the adorably long song titles are really endearing. I love just about everything about this album, but I just didn’t click with it. I never felt an instant personal connection with it like I have with other albums on this list. And there wasn’t quiet enough variety in sound to fully hold my attention between the interludes, which are soft and angelic, but also sleep inducing. Honestly the biggest problem with this album is that it’s coming from such a honest and emotional place that I can’t connect with it cause it doesn’t have any sense of silliness or joy. No joy might be an exaggeration but I do like alittle comedy to my music. Not cause I need to laugh, but in order for me to connect with the music I need to see that you don’t take yourself too seriously as an artist. Honestly, like I said previously, this album is a total flawless piece of wildly honest and emotional musical talent on display that even glows during interludes, but I just didn’t personally “click” with it, but I will admit this album will probably grow on me, and if we are ever given the ability to edit our reviews, this one might look different in the future.

Never really loved much indie and I do not love Monsieur Stevens, but I respect it.

Honestly, this was such a thing in my youth and i really only like the same songs I did then

I guess I got this on the wrong day but I was uninspired. I’m sure its good

Très chill, plutôt cool parfois mais j'ai pas adoré non plus.

Very interesting indie album. Great conpositions, warm lyrics, but it was a bit too long and "filler" at some points. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I'll keep it in the back of my mind

While there's some really interesting orchestration on this album and a great deal of effort has clearly gone into the production, 'Illinois' is just a bit too....all over the place for me. Sufjan Stevens is certainly a visionary when it comes to musical scope and direction, and 'Illinois' almost plays like a stage musical in the way it weaves from track to track, but there's not a lot that really grabs me here. I hear Ben Folds a lot here, but I prefer Ben Folds if I'm being honest. It's certainly an intriguing album, just not my cup of tea. Best songs: Not really a clear standout, more so a collective of oddities

Singer songwriter. Heard of the name, but never actively listened to him. Chill music.

I distinctly remember when all of the hipsters in my high school discovered this album and deified Sufjan for about a week. He’s got a good voice and I definitely understand how some people really enjoy this album, but around track 10 I started to get the feeling I’ve heard all there was to hear with this one and I was ready to tap out. 1089 albums is such a huge undertaking, and I’m trying to keep my DNFs under 10. I got really close to skipping halfway through but I managed to finish.

Steht schon ewig auf der Liste, bisher nie komplett gehört. Ist sicherlich ein Grower, vom ersten Hören „nur“ 3 Sterne.

Ich mag Sufjan Stevens eigentlich ganz gerne, aber das Album war mir etwas too much. Da haben mir frühere und spätere Alben besser gefallen. Ist sicherlich auch ein Grower, aber der nächste Durchgang wird noch etwas warten müssen.

Sehr schönes Album. Aber hinten raus zieht es sich zu lang. Hätte mit etwas weniger Länge einen Stern mehr gekriegt.

Musikalisch schon spannend, aber viel zu lang und als 'Konzeptalbum' auch irgendwie für mich nicht aufgegangen

Hmm, schwierig. Mir ging das noch nicht so gut ins Ohr, aber das schiebe ich zum größeren Teil auf meinen eigenen beschränkten Horizont. Stellenweise gibt es aber schon einige Längen.

I thought I’d dislike it more than I did. Know idea what the fuck he’s talking about half the time but the production made it listenable. Sounds like a musical

Maybe give it another go but lost interest

Soft. Strange. Ethereal. Sweeping.

It's refreshing to have a modern album after a while of poorly mastered rock music. It's a relatively calming album, well mastered and very interesting. Each song has it's own story, and listening puts you into that "world". For my tastes, however, it falls a bit short in the music part. I like it, but I don't like it enough to want to listen to any of the songs again or put them on a playlist.

me, in 2005, looking at a copy of Illinois in a record store: "I'll get around to that someday." me, in 2025, finally getting around to it: "Ohhh, so it's pronounced /ˈsuːfjɑːn/"

There is a 4 star album in here somewhere, it’s just too darn long…

Not for me

Concept album (I hope?) that is too aggressively hipster in its overall execution for my tastes. He certainly has a good sound, but I didn't find myself blown away by anything in particular. The chorals are nice. I think it is a very neat concept and a lot of work went into this, but I don't see myself putting any tracks on repeat. Favorite track: The Black Hawk War.

3.5

Alternative folksy pop? Straddles the line between uniquely creative and pretentious.

A little like simon and Garfunkel.

Was good but a little too long and sleepy for me

Very noughties. I never got around to listening to it Sufjan. I know people ADORE Sufjan. I liked it. With a bit more time I think it could really seep in. It was fine.

Likte dette bedre før. Syntes det ble litt omstendelig denne gjennomhøringen og litt for mye låter som ikke gikk noen vei. Et par høydepunkter er det som Casimir Pulasky Day, Chicago og John Wayne Gacy Jr. Carrie and Lowel av samme artist er ganske mye bedre, men tviler det er på denne lista 🤷

Some great stuff here: amazing songwriting ("John Wayne Gacy, Jr.") and fantastic arrangements ("Chicago"). It just goes on a little too long. Trimming 15 minutes or so would have helped a bunch. Trimming it would also help Sufjan fulfill his 'promise' of an album for every state. I'd love to hear songs about the Standard Oil Explosion, Major Taylor, or Herb Baumeister. Rounding down half a star for that loss of potential alone.

Enjoyable.

To be quite honest this album didn’t click with me. The album has strong instrumentation for a folk album and excellent vocals (maybe even too good in a way) but the lyrics weren’t really resonating with me throughout this project. That isn’t to say they’re bad, they’re not corny or bland or anything like that. It’s just that in my current mindset, it’s not clicking. In the limited time I’ve had with this album I can only give it a 3, but I’m going to try and give it another listen when I’m in a different state of mind. The only real flaw I can give to this album, is that it’s too long considering it’s limited soundscape. Favorite tracks: Jacksonville Chicago Casimir Pulaski Day Worst track: Nothing is so bad on this album that it makes me think “Wow this is terrible what song is that.” The worst tracks are the one that were just so forgettable that I couldn’t bother to remember them.

New to me, and musically a little more interesting than I expected. Some nice arrangements. Long, and at least one song on here I never need to hear again.

Exquisitely crafted and arranged, just like Sufjan’s singing, but this is definitely a case of less is more. Songs like “The Predatory Wasp…” and “John a Wayne Gacy” are soul-crushingly good, cutting to the bone lyrically and sonically. But a lot gets muddled in the composition, missing what makes his songs so good in the first place. It makes for an uneven listen, but one that at least gives me the desire to see where it led.

3.5/5 Very much enjoyed this album, very whimsical and fun. It feels very nostalgic to me despite not listening to it before Song: the man of metropolis steals our hearts

I resisted listening to this for some bad reason I don't remember. The first three tracks are great. John Wayne Gacy Jr loses me and then the rest just feels a little too simultaneously earnest and gentle but in a way that feels saccharine to me. I like the recording quality and instrumentation and how it is cohesive without being strictly a concept album.

Funish.

honestly i liked it but some of them were a big sluggish and i couldnt be assed

Some of these tracks were definitely used after somebody died on Grey's Anatomy

A name that I have seen pop up in so many indie playlist but just never could get into. This album felt mostly instrumental and when the singing came in it wasn’t super memorable. It wasn’t bad but again not very memorable. 6/10

Just based on the creative track titles alone, I really wanted to enjoy this quirky and very clearly self-styled (and self-produced) album. But for a variety of reasons--some reasonable (like how it felt like yet another off-angle collection of ditties a la Radiohead/Magnetic Fields/Rufus Wainwright/Gary Jules/Jason Mraz/etc), some not so much (trying to catch up on a backlog of "1001 Albums" albums, and cursing at yet another hour-plus indulgence)--I just couldn't really get into this oddball collection of excursions into Illinois-themed history and personalities. That said, a few tracks really worked: "John Wayne Gacy, Jr" (despite how irredeemable the subject is), "Casimir Pulaski Day" (banjos and all), and "They are night zombies!! They are neighbors!! They have come back from the dead!! Ahhhh!". I think everyone, including himself, was grateful that he only did "Michigan" and "Illinois" in the US States collection and moved on to more fertile fields. But I'm also glad this was included in the collection, even if it didn't work as well as I'd hoped.

Nice voice and lovely music passes through your ears and very little sticks. His songs are a little like the songs you make up while you're going about your day "chopping broccoli, etc"

It was okay! More of a 2.5. The song titles were pretentious and a lot of the songs were forgettable but some had some good beats

No doubt talented artist but this album is very one paced and monotonous, maybe I didn't get the sentiment

hay un par que están solidas

It surprised me! I didn't have high expectations but the album was a nice experience, some highs and not many lows, makes it a 3/5 or a solid 7 to a feint 8 out of 10

It wasn't bad, great background music. But nothing that stood out to me that I would listen to again.

Coil

Different. Unexpected. New and enjoyed.

Nicht Cat/Yusof Stevens ..aber eigentlich ziemlich guter Emo-Folk-Pop. c

Stephen 7r3d o

I’m a day behind and really tried to catch up with this one, but am ashamed to admit that I threw in the towel by the fifteenth track. It’s brimming with ideas, and there are some truly lovely moments, but, just as a single fondant fancy is delicious, I don’t want to eat 22 of them.

концептуальный альбом, совершенно ничего особенного не представляющий собой музыкально, но рассказывающий какую-то глубокую умную историю в текстах, которую я не понимаю? спасибо, неинтересно. а ведь увидев имя суфьян стивенс я очень обрадовалась...мда

A Sufjan album is too much Sufjan.

Concept album on paper/in the track listing, but very accessible sweetness. This threw me back into lovely sad boys Bon Iver and Ben Howard

I was not that interested in those too ‘Americana’ things

Some beautiful sad, real sentiments and washy lush sonic-scapes. The wrestling with God is both appealing and off-putting for me. I got quite bored and had to take a break about 2/3rds of the way in though. I had listened to some of the somgs off this before but not the whole album. Quite samey in places with occasional flourishes. Feels like it would benefit from cutting down to the old school 45 mins maybe. Again very of its time.

I dunno, I didn't find this offensive but also not all that interesting. Quite twee and I felt unremarkable I doubt I would remember any particular songs from this. The piano was nice.

I like this more as a project and a concept than as a thing to listen to, but it is fun and has some good stuff in there. Just not the kind of thing I see myself reaching for too often.

Jacksonville is great

It's fine. It has good lyrics. It's too long.

Technically it's a great album. The production, the lyrics, the talent. It feels a little long, but not terrible. I can handle a little Sufjan at a time, but a whole album was more then I prefer. Still it's a really good album. 3.5/5

I guess I knew the song Chicago, but I'd never heard this or any other Sufjan Stevens album. I do, however, have a passing familiarity with the art-rock gang Black Country, New Road, and I was under the impression that they were making new-sounding music. Turns out they sound a lot like this guy! It's too long and self-important, but it's possible that he really is making a contribution to music and it's pleasant to listen to.

3.5 if it were an option

I'm not sure I like this baroque pop but at times is very pleasant, other times is not really heartfelt for me

Misspelled his own album title on the cover! Oh dearie! Everything about this is wrong and I have no idea what to think except "huh, that was kind of good, I guess." And that's probably wrong too. Regardless, there's so much musical content here that it's a little overwhelming. And none of it is particularly mind-blowing, save maybe for the catchy and instantly memorable track Chicago buried somewhere in the middle of the record. The "title" track, Come On!, is also solid, along with some of the proggy songs like The Tallest Man and The Predatory Wasp that move through several distinct sections. Can't really go wrong with that. The album is dotted with unusual time signatures – maybe not quite as impressive in 2005 as it is in 20th century records but still a cool addition. The "make every name way longer than it should be" gig gets stale pretty fast, though I'll give Stevens props for the opening track. The title "Concerning the UFO sighting near Highland, Illinois" goes kind of hard. Stevens has an almost comically stereotypical voice for any male 2000s singer-songwriter artist. He also sounds like a slightly happier Elliott Smith (may he rest in peace). I'm on the fence as to whether it's necessarily *good* (or, for that matter, enjoyable) but it gets the job done. The instrumentation is a scattershot of weirdness that employs everything but the kitchen sink and any kind of standard rock instrument. We bounce everywhere from marimbas to brass bands to airy violins to light, exotic percussion. And weird synths/SFX (I think). The two final tracks, Riffs & Variations and Out of Egypt, suffer particularly from the strange instruments because they're the only tracks completely devoid of anything found in mainstream music of the time. Out of Egypt is entirely marimbas (and/or marimba-adjacent instruments) and lacks any kind of melody, let alone a catchy one. Riffs & Variations, like most of the sub-one-minute tracks here, should've been cut entirely. 3/5 Key tracks: Come On! Feel the Illinoise!, Chicago, The Predatory Wasp, The Tallest Man

He just takes too long. I can hear and see why it´s objectively good, but goddamn, get to the point man.

2,5

kind of grating to be honest

perfectly funday for monday. thank you sufjan

Great album but more my partner's taste than mine

Hmmmm!... Great arrangements and production, and I find the artist's voice pleasant enough. However, this is just not my kind of music, and I did find it pretty bland, boring, and over-long.

niceee i think sufjan is so clever when it comes to sounds, blends so many influences i love it think i prefer carrie more, even though it makes me so so sad listening

Certainly not breaking any new ground.. just straightforward 2000s indie rock. As a fan of the genre, I’d say it’s decent, but nothing amazing

It was better then i was expecting. Not sure if i'd listen again.

Sort of a weird idea for a concept album, but it was decent. Not great.

Pas transcendant mais pas horrible

"Singing softly, going nowhere, four syllables, I just don't care." This is the best that the 2000s era of indie/pop/folk/rock has to offer, but it's still not good. It certainly doesn't sound unpleasant, but it has the musical depth of potato salad from Jewel Osco; is good enough to bring to a get together but I'm not enjoying it at home.

I grooved.

Some really good stuff on this album but also what feels like a lot of filler.

"Hey, ChatGPT, generate me a concept album, but, like, *real* arty." Four songs in, my conclusion is: I do not like Sufjan Stevens. ...of course, I've decided that by song four or five (c'mon, "John Wayne Gacy, Jr."? Your stepmother in Decatur?), and then I discover I kind of liked "Chicago" and was genuinely moved by "Casimir Pulaski Day". Even with that said, though, I understand why critics liked this album, and I also understand why I don't.

Chicago rules

Long album. Made it about 60% through. Solid calm vocals with fun lyrics. Good instrumentals. 3.5/5

This was definitely an interesting album. Glad I listened, but couldn't tell you any of the songs now.

2.7/5 it was very pleasant on the ears but I just didn’t really vibe to it

Interesting - pleasantly surprised.

Facile pop music for people who don't listen to a lot of music. Not bad tho!

cool singer songwriter stuff from the 2000's, and if an album has as much trumpet in it as this does, i'm gonna enjoy it. also what a cool album concept wise

An interesting concept album that went places, and I'm not surprised this album was chosen for this list. Flows nicely, but not my thing.

Sok

It’s not bad. Just wasn’t for me. Solid 3

The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts is a slow burn with adventurous melodies and intriguing lyrics that hint at deeper rewards over time, though it often feels overstuffed and could benefit from some thoughtful editing, an enjoyable but occasionally overwrought listen.

Happy songs are happy and awesome quality. Sad songs made me sad.

A bit sickly sweet and indulgent really

A very pleasant sounding album with some great songs. It does overstay its welcome though.

I love a lot of Sufjan, but this wasn't my favorite by his. A lot of it felt dragged on and bloated - I'm not sure where this falls in the discography, but if I had to guess, this sounded like an artist still finding their voice. It was still great, but not along the lines of the more recent Sufjan projects that resonate with me more deeply and feel more cohesive. Favorites off of this project were: "Chicago," "The Man of Metropolis...," "The Predatory Wasp...," and "They Are Night Zombies!..." Definitely, definitely planning to dive into the full discog sometime.

not bad

Denne platen ble dessverre for lang og noenlunde ensformig for min del. Der er en del å sette pris på her, deriblant vakker instrumentering, fine melodier, og noen engasjerende tekster som forsterker konseptet om staten Illinois sin historie og kultur. Jeg liker godt inspirasjonen han tok fra komponister som Steve Reich og Philip Glass på visse sanger. Men i sin helhet er det mange sanger som gjør lite inntrykk på meg. Jeg har også forståelse for de som misliker Stevens sin sangstemme. Han lider generelt av noen tidstypiske troper og trender innen totusentallets uavhengig musikk, for eksempel den hviskete og pustete syngingen. De altfor lange sangtitlene syns jeg også blir teit, unødvendig og usympatisk. Det virker kanskje pirkete å klage på, men alt påvirker helhetsinntrykket.

Absolutely fine album. Very pleasant background music but it just kinda faded into the background. I listened to this album maybe 10 times because I kept forgetting it was on and would take my headphones off to do something else.

While Sufjan is great at structuring intricate and lush instrumentals, I find his christian leanings preachy and the songs to listen a bit pretentious. Illinois is also a bit bloated, with many of the songs on the second half of the album not feeling necessary. A good album, but flawed nonetheless. 3/5

More interesting than good, but there's value also in there. 6/10

Not familiar Favorite song: Chicago

I like the indie folk stuff, but I could do without the baroque pop. John Wayne Gacy Jr. is such a sad, beautiful song. There are a few other tracks on the album that are pretty good, but there's a lot of filler as well.

2,8/5

I know this is a good album, just not much my style.

College flashbacks but never really truly hooked me

The first time I ever heard of this guy it was from a dude I met in a hostel who invited me to eat vegan pizza with him that tasted like plastic. That’s sort of the impression I’ve always had of sufjan stevens. It isn’t the worst. I’m glad I tried it and I’m glad it’s there for people who need it but id be lying if I didn’t say that I find it a little insufferable.

My car broke down during the first and so far only time I've listened to this album. I thought the album was fine. Guess I'll see if that changes. It's so long. Some songs are interesting, many are not. It's a real mixed bag for me, personally. It all seems well-made and "good," but *I* didn't enjoy it.

This was an interesting and eclectic mix of music.

Could never get that into this album and I guess that’s still the case. Still sounds nice though.

It was good but not sure if I'll listen to it again

Might first intro to this artist. So I had no expectations. But I'm still pretty sure I couldn't have expected this. Really good writing and really good musicianship. Reminds me of musical theater. And just like musicals, I have lots of respect for the talent, but it's just not a style I like.

Hilarious timing, I heard the demo of Chicago last night rewatching the TV show The Bear binging for season 4. Blind album and artist. I had no clue who this person was, but was pleasantly surprised by this album. Great soft listening with emotional impact.

Modern sound for a somewhat old album, but not to my taste.

There are some interesting textures and time signatures on this album. Stevens is pretty clearly a creative songwriter and I appreciate that. The album is way to long and he lingers on some ideas for too long as s well.

Safe to say I was totally surprised by this main. I had no expectations going in other than the album cover and name. Sufjan is mellow, even though many of his song topics are not. This is most certainly an album that is made to be part of a summer road trip playlist.

I think this was good, although need to listen again.

Why the long song names? Is that supoosed to make it more unique? Generic and kind of repetitive to me.. idk it's mellow sounding, doesn't make me feel much

Very relaxing, the lyrics were well written and combination of different instruments kept the songs fresh. I do feel like the execution could have been better though, there were times where it felt a bit amature and the songs got very repetitive after a while

Sufjan Stevens has always been a weird artist for me. While I think he's objectively a talented guy, his sensibilities are a bit at odds with what I want out of music. Where I tend to lean into music that's raw, loose, and minimal, Sufjan tends to lean into this sound that's very ornate and precious with these kitchen sink arrangements. I feel like if you took Sufjan Stevens to one of those places where you can build your own sundae, he's the guy who puts every conceivable topping on it -- sprinkles, gummy worms, bacon, kiwi fruit, fresh basil... I think there's some good songs in here, but his overall vibe kind of wears me out. 3 stars.