Illinois

Baš volim ovakve albume. Pogotovo kad slušam zajedno s Miom, pa se bondamo u hejtanju. Pa fino poseremo uzduž i poprijeko rad u koji je netko stavio dušu i tijelo Prije nego je album krenuo, par minusa 1. Album od preko sat vremena 2. Konceptualni album 3. Kršćanska konotacija u opisu albuma Kad je album krenuo, na prve dvije minute sam znao da ovaj album nije za mene Singer songwriter spike stvarno nisu za mene. Zadnja misao, ljudima koji nemaju problema s autodestruktivnim ponašanjem ili povijesti istoga nije mjesto u glazbi. Možda da se okrenu bankama, politici ili nekim drugim poslovima gdje ne treba imati dušu.

So. boring.

Boring stuff

Fucking sucked!!!

wow, this certainly was one of the albums of all time. it had some tracks with great instrumentation and overall i thought the production was well done. despite that, i found myself counting down the seconds with over half an hour left in the runtime. the extended length makes the album feel like incredibly bloated mess full of half baked ideas. the genre feels like arcade fire covering bob dylan, which is another way to say that this may be the least listenable genres around. the thought of having to ever hear another song by Sufjan makes me physically ill and i pray that no more of his albums are on the list so i dont have to hear anymore of this hipster garbage.

Not my type of music

I just couldn’t this morning… It’s not bad, but it’s too much for me.

No, sorry. I'm not going to listen to this one. I'm not a fan of what I've heard from Sufjan, so I’m going to pass.

Ele-fuckin'-vator music (so far). Great musicianship from everybody so far and I know people are really into Sufjan Stevens. Maybe I just need to give it a few listens. After listening to the whole album there are a few bright spots that had me slightly more interested in the album overall but not enough to make me want to listen to any more from Sufjan.

This album makes me hate Chicago. You know this was background music for mid college bros trying to get laid and probably succeeding. This album is an affront to every instrument used in its creation.

What a load of self-indulgent bollox. Utter trash.

Utter misery and dross, this is completely unlistenable, the worst thing I’ve heard in a long time. There’s no folk vibe, no soul, no feeling, it’s just coffee shop easy listening without a heart. Awful.

Church Music Chamber Music Circus Music Broadway Play (which it HAS turned into) Something for everyone... except me. That one song I heard a LOT in 2005-2007 is pretty good (Chicago) but the rest of this album is dismissible

Oh my gosh now THIS made me annoyed. This was like theatre music that lasted a week long and I was taped to a chair and forced to listen to it. This album made me lose respect for this list (not really) but it just kept going and I was dying of boredom yet pain.

I really really tried to enjoy this. I read everything I could about its concept album genius. I respect Stevens as an artist. I enjoy his music. But all I could swallow from this one was Casimir Pulaski Day, which I recorded and sang to a friend two years ago because she requested it. I just don't get it. And I don't want to get it. Which reveals my own limitations more than anything. But I think I'll put it in a little box and open it again when I'm 70, and see if it sings to me then.

Pleasant enough but not really my thing. One of the songs I thought was an Elbow tune until I heard it on this album. And having never been to Illinois, the 'concept' of this is perhaps somewhat lost on me.

C'mon man, you couldn't fit in a slide whistle?

Well isn't this album just so precious. What a sensitive and thoughtful exploration of.. the emotions of... the midwest.. I guess? This concept album is pretentious and boring as hell, emotions presented like a breadstick under a faucet, so soft & fragile they're completely unappealing as they wash away. I was always skeptical about this guy and now I know why my intuition was right. Glad I stayed away from this sad sack of shit. The pretention is laid on pretty thick, like he thinks he's being sooooo clever at every twist and turn of this album. For instance, if he wants to write a chapter of a book for every title of a song just be a novelist, then, god it's insufferable. Sonically as well, like in the "Man of Metropolis Who blah blah whatever..." where he bait & switches with a blistering fuzz pedal intro set to volume 10, just to cut it for the entire rest of the song. As if he's subverting expectations by using a "rock guitar" ironically. Not saying you can't be a brainy little art school fucker in music, but at least give some real substance here. The only time he lands is when he stays in a straightforward lane, such as the twang of "Jacksonville" or the refined groove of "They Are Night Zombies!!.... blah blah". Even then, however, this guy does not pull off "down home" or "funky" authentically whatsoever. There's nothing wrong with pondering or being sad, but what the hell are you going to do with it?

Maybe if your from Illinois this is a cool album.

Who would have thought that you could write an album about a state? While some of the lyrics and music were good, this album is not for me.

BOring AF

Not really my cup of tea, none of tracks stood out for me

Not a fan.

I didnt think it could possibly sound as pretentious as those song titles indicated. I was wrong. I've never heard so many instruments sound so misplaced at once. Every song doesnt need some quirky glockenspiel sound. Hated it lyrically as well. Glad to know ill never have to willingly listen to it again

Weepy

Couldn’t even make it two songs in without hating this

1. ufo - 0 2. black hauuk - 0 3. come on - 0 4. john uuayne - 1 5. jackzonville - 0 6. mary todd - 0 7. ztep mother - 0 8. pullman - 0 9. chicago - 0 10. cazimir - 1 11. rock river - 1 12. the man - 0 13. prairie fire - 0 14. dronez - 0 15. uuazp - 0 16. zombiez - 0 17. ztring - 0 18. temple - 0 19. touuer - 1 20. tallezt man - 21. riffz - 0 22. egypt - 0

No way

Did not enjoy

Nothing notable

Nursing home music....but not the one I might end up in.

Never heard of this singer. Listened to 2 songs then stopped. Why am I getting albums for people I never heard of or do not listen to?

Oh man, I hate this guy. The very definition of pretentious critic darling. Ok, let’s get through the slog. Concerning The UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois: Oh man, starts with piano and flute. Earnest singing. Ugh. Still, 1 point for UFOs. 1/5 The Black Hawk War, or the incredibly long song name: Not a song but pretty cool, originally thought it was the end of the first song. 1/5 Come On! Feel The Illinoise! : Has a Charlie Brown beginning and then becomes a mariachi tune. Ok, whatever. Completely zoned out listening but the ending brought me back. 1/5 John Wayne Gacy Day: My wife likes true crime. Me not so much. Honestly, it’s like filth you can’t scrub off. We did watch the JWG documentary. Not the typical serial killer. Like he was a successful business guy. 1/5 Jacksonville: This is a legitimately good song. Well written. Civil rights. I’m with it. 3/5 maybe 4/5. A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But For Very Good Reasons: the filler must be stopped. I keep thinking it’s the end of a song. 0/5 Decatur, or Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! : at first I hated this song, but then read the lyrics which are very inspired. My stepmom is awesome too but I didn’t realize that until I was an adult. 2/5 Something something about Pullman: really 6 second filler? This is meant to fuck with my shuffle. 0/5 Chicago: this is a good, maybe great song. I guess songs that name check a city are worth listening to. If Jacksonville song is a 3/5 this is a 4/5. Casimir Pulaski Day: I hope this isn’t about another serial killer. After listening I have no idea. Dull. 1/5 To The Workers of the Rock … : I think I’m done with these long titles. I’m doing this all on a phone, have pity on me. And it’s filler! Fuuuuuuuck. 0/5 The Man of Metropolis …. : Boring boring Rock Part! Back to boring Rock Part!! Slowly peters out. Is this the end? Thank god. 1/5 Prairie Fire That Wanders … : kinda cool filler. Some of the filler is actually better than the songs. 2/5 A Conjunction of Drones … : oh man missed this one. It came and went. 0/5 The Predatory Wasp … : were I grew up we had a massive wasp we were scared to death of, but it was ultimately harmless. Apparently not like this one, and I bet this wasp is only half its length. This song is scarier then the John Wayne Gacy song. 2/5 They Are Night Zombies! … : title’s more interesting than the song. Boring. 1/5 Let’s Hear The String Part …: fill…, fuck it I’m so done with these. 0/5 In This Temple …. : back to back filler!! What fresh hell. 0/5 The Seer’s Tower: OMG a normal song title. I miss Sears. The occult take is interesting, but the song sounds like something to play at someone’s death bed. If you did that please kill me before the song ends. 1/5 The Tallest Man …. : Eh, kinda tuned out. I’m sure it’s a song somebody will enjoy somewhere. Guy does have a knack for good endings. 1/5 Riffs And Variations …: trumpet filler. 0/5 Out of Egypt …: um, what? 0/5 oh now I see that the last 3 songs are tacked on, this is the ending that’s why, instead of insufferable filler. 0/5 John Galaxy’s ….: is this an actual remix? It’s not some I’m trying to be funny title? Skip 0/5 The Avala…: heavy sigh. 0/5 The T…: heavier sigh. Rough sledding these last two. 0/5 S…: I can’t do it anymore. I can’t. 0/5 Ok, I kinda get why this is on the list, but quality really drops on the 2nd half of the album. The indie singer-songwriter is definitely a thing, but was this really the one? I can think of half-a-dozen pretentious critic darling that I would much rather suffer through. Who am I kidding? I’m sure they are on the 1001 list somewhere. Overall insufferable, but Jacksonville, Chicago and maybe the stepmom song have replay value. 1/5

This is bad

Not my thing. Tried a few times. Just not my thing. As someone else said, if yoghurt made an album, this would be it.

Have tried to get into this many times. Let's try again.... No, it's just the kind of music that critics think is deep and wonderful. It's boring, I just don't get it. Maybe it resonates more in America. And it's TOO LONG. Boring!

Muy malo no me gusta nada

Not my style

Llevamos muchos días con truños impresentables. A ver si vamos cambiando.

I really don’t like this

mid af

no es mi estilo, aunque la tematica es interesante

not for me

I hated everything about this album

To quote the movie "The Rock" "I dont listen to that soft shit"

This is a vastly different album than what I was expecting with a name like "Illinoise." I was expecting (hoping for) a hip hop, Beastie Boys-esque, album, or "Cum On Feel the Noize" by Slade or Quiet Riot, but instead, this is more indie folk or lo-fi background music, with Christian soft rock and splashes of elevator jazz. As far as being important, influential, or best in popular music, this album is a swing and a miss. The highlight of this album is the sweet and pure trumpet sprinkled throughout which loosely reminds me of "Pictures at an Exhibition."

3/10 - not the greatest to many songs - nice if you like melancholy indie has some uplifting songs though - skipped some thought

Really not for me

Not good. Hard to listen to.

Pretty but not my thing

Forcing myself to listen to this feels like the scene in Animal House where Bluto smashes the guitar.

I feel like i'm supposed to be impressed by this. It's produced well enough. Good use of instumentation. No memorable tracks.

I couldn't finish listening to this album. It was just too slow and too boring

Shit Album

If Charlie Brown was commissioned to make the music for an off brand circus, this is what it would sound like.

Ass

Not my favorite. Couldn't get through it.

Sounds like the worst of the worst of derivative millennial crap.

I like when I can just like at the track listing and tell I'm going to be annoyed by an album just by the names. Quirky for the sake of being quirky? No thank you. Some of the instrumental arrangements aren't half bad here, but the lyrics are completely impossible to take seriously. And if you would try to take them seriously, the album would probably be even worse.

Like Elliot smith, but boring lyrics and repetitive drab melodies.

I am starting to question how these albums were chosen ...

boring soft jazz-rock-folk - baby food for the ears.

First off, straight up 1 star for the song about John Wayne Gacy. One of the few songs in the world I absolutely abhor and find truly unlistenable. Second, he comes across like the David Foster Wallace, or better yet, the Dave Eggers of indie rock. I can see how some people are impressed by this brand of seemingly boundless, nearly absurd ambition, but for me it just doesn't work in practice. I don't know if he's trying to be oh so clever that it's supposed to come back around to being perceived as sincere and heartfelt? Ironically pretentious? But it's so over the top that it's a joke - get it??? Well, I don't.

coffee house schmaltz. not for me.

I’ve been to Illinois. It’s not this boring.

Not sure if it was a mood music think, but I did not enjoy this listen. They are Night Zombies!! Is the only song I kinda enjoyed, but nah on the album.

The buzz about this album, and Sufjan in general was insufferable. His navel gazey music sucks and so does this album. Even the "hit", Chicago is just one long chorus with a single break down.

Me and my band wouldn’t dare make an album with a run time of 1hr 31mins.

It's just not my thing.

Reminds me of 1970s Genesis. That is not a good thing.

I’ve tried several times with this record over the years but I just don’t hear anything in it. Self indulgent whisper/mumbling over about a thousand miserable songs. Coffee table music for people who wear white socks.

I didn't know this artist but there is something I don't like of this music.

Wtf is this ridiculousness? Just no lol.

Christ that was dull. Sufjan, you don't need to do the other 49 states !

mmmm nope…

8 pints in and this piece of shit enters my life. What a gross waste of my time. Get me some smack, I'm off to curl one out on my daughter's chest as she screams in horror and delight. 1 star, you prick.

Helaas, daar vond ik werkelijk niks an

Acho que devo me dedicar a mais audições para sentir mais o disco.

Not for me, minus that one song that's in Middlewestern 2

I might need to come back to this one because as I listened to it just now it pretty much did nothing for me, and it might be mood-based. Talented artist, I can hear that, and I'll give it another chance some time because in the right frame of mind there are probably some things I'd like in there. For now, though, not really.

so boring

Not for me, just couldn't get into it

Boring and lackluster, all songs sound the same and there’s a lingering feeling while going though the tracks that it could use a bit more intensity but it never gets there

Nope.

mama mia...

garbage

This is the 20+ time I’ve listened to this album straight through, I love it

v peaceful