Illinois

At first i was sceptical because i don’t really like slow ballad-like music but it was so good. Turned bus ride home magical

A complete and total wonder from Sufjan. Arguably his finest work and the achingly beautiful Casimir Pulaski Day.......whew... perfection.

I honestly forgot how brilliant this album is. So well thought out: personal, but couched in a state's history. A wildly original concept record that serves as both a biographical narrative as well as a love letter to his home, "Illinoise" is an eclectic and self-contained masterpiece. Reminds me of Badly Drawn Boy's "The Hour of Bewilderbeast" in all of the best ways. A solid 9/10.

Illinois is an ambitious, sprawling record that somehow manages to feel intimate at the same time. Sufjan Stevens blends folk, orchestral pop, and storytelling into a patchwork that celebrates and mourns the state’s history, people, and myths. From the delicate beauty of “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” to the grand sweep of “Chicago,” the album shifts moods constantly, yet it all feels connected through Stevens’ gentle voice and intricate arrangements. What stands out is the sheer variety. “Come On! Feel the Illinoise!” bursts with energy and brass, while “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades” floats along softly, building to something quietly transcendent. Even the instrumental interludes feel purposeful, like breaths between dense stories. The lyrics are packed with detail, weaving personal reflection with historical events in a way that feels thoughtful rather than gimmicky. Despite its length, Illinois rarely drags. It invites you to sit with it, to let its layers unfold slowly. Stevens manages to balance ambition and heart beautifully, creating a record that feels both meticulous and deeply emotional. It’s a unique journey, one that rewards patience and close listening, and it remains one of the most distinctive indie folk albums of the 2000s.

An interesting artsy concept album. Reminded me a bit of what Damien Rice did with "O" back around the same time. I wonder who copied who. I liked Damien Rice's final product better, but this was cool. The recurring themes were a bit same same at times: I accidentally restarted the album 4 songs into it and didn't realize it.

👍

First time hearing this album. Very unique and hard to categorize. Kind of have to be in the mood to listen to it, but then it really works. Definitely better as an end-to-end album that something you'd shuffle into your playlist. Don't really need a song detailing the life and times of John Wayne Gacy popping up just any random time.

a few good tunes and lots of meandering, like his other work [edit: I spent a bit more time with this than usual over a weekend, and found it to be more complex and complete than I previously understood. Bumped up a point for quality. Jacksonville and Chicago are legit bangers, and some of the more oddly-titled ones are good fun. Could still lose about 15 mins]

It’s Sufjan Stevens being some top tier Sufjan

This album did not sound at all like I was expecting based on the cover art.

A really fun one. It's totally all over the place lyrically, but sonically it really makes the most of using a similar sound for much of it. The lyrics are really beautiful and silly at times which keeps it very interesting as well. 7/10

Leuk en mooi album, heel vaag soms. beetje basic ook

This felt like the equivalent of watching a very long Wes Anderson film. It's the kind of thing I don't mind doing once, and I can never say anything overly enthusiastic afterwards -- but some quirky and interesting moments are scattered throughout. The song about the friend with cancer was definitely the most engaging thing, but none of the music itself will stick with me.

Ambitious but boring. Better than expected. 2.5 stars.

Its a nice album. Concept was interesting. Maybe a bit on the long side, so I would say 3.5 but round down.

This was really long, but there are some good songs on here. Didn't follow the concept too closely.

I like the calm start with the light flute. These songs are either boring or even annoying(come on! Feel the illinois) for me so far, but lyrically I’m interested, and it had a nice flow. Maybe I’ll come back to try to understand the stories.

lot of songa that are a little too soft but there's some great songs

Pretty okay, I guess. It's of its time.

Ce pâle clone de Cat Stevens nous offre un album long comme le sexe nouvellement dressé de Muddy Waters (voir review sur Hard Again), cela ne prend malheureusement pas avec moi.

OK, this is going to sound really bad. But I thought Sufjan Stevens was the lead singer from System Of A Down. Oops. Definitely not. Yeah, so this isn't bad. But it is a bit.... different. It's a bit noodle-y in places. Experimental music has (to me) sometimes the feel of pretentiousness. "Look, I can put together anything and package it and people will buy it." I get the point of the concept album, and maybe if I was from the midwest I could appreciate it more. As it is, it just didn't hit me like I was expecting. Not something I will revisit.

Wow this was well confusing. I've never known how I feel about Sufjan Stevens tbh, and this confirmed this .. again. I really loved some and utterly hated others. Strange place to!

Ridiculously big album. It's alright.

Illinoise is like indie folk show tunes. Seems to me like this one made The 1001 Must Hear List because of the incredibly long song titles as opposed to the music. Well orchestrated with very rhymey lyrics. (1.94*s) And I now know more about Illinois than I did an hour ago!

Sufjan Stevens reminds me of a male version of Imogen Heap. Illinois is pretty well crafted and smooth...made for a soft, relaxing commute into work. It's arranged like a soundtrack. Variety of instruments and I actually like the horn use. I can't really think of another time I would play this though, maybe drifting off for a nap. I got a little creeped out by "John Wayne Gacy, Jr."...maybe we should check under Sufjan's floor boards. Shorten the record and the track titles...2.13 stars.

Speed it up.

Impressive that he did all the instruments himself, but why is it so soft and twee and choral in a really annoying way. And why did it have to be so long.

Scattered. Never really got into this and him on the whole

Theater kid music

Δεν ξετρελάθηκα, έχει πολλά τραγούδια που θα μπορούσαν να είναι είτε background music σε vlog είτε σε tik tok που έχουν να κάνουν με αχυρώνες και ζωή στη φύση 😭. 4/10

'Chicago' é a que mais se destaca e a minha favorita. A partir daqui o interesse decresce até se tornar um arrasto que demora em ir-se embora, ao ponto de pensar que tinha o disco em loop. Tive de reconfirmar que, de facto, da track 20 à 22, o álbum estava a avançar. Primeira vez que ouço activamente um álbum completo este cantautor. Tinha uma expectativa modestamente diferente e este álbum pelo menos (já vi que tem carradas deles!) não surpreende. Tem ritmos básicos interessantes mas que se repetem eternamente. Os arranjos orquestrais e as vozes de coro, pelo contrário, são bastante mais agradáveis. Técnica à parte, no final não sinto que reste muito. Não há nenhuma conclusão, não há um retrato coerente. Mesmo para um concept álbum (que poderia ser bastante mais agradável em 1/4 do tempo).

Pretentious crap

This strange album requires a bit of a different review than I normally give. The good: the instrumentation is solid throughout, the nod to Quiet Riot in the album title, the song Chicago. The bad: the singing is very substandard - airy, limited range, just no weight, adding nothing to the songs - and the lyrics aren't that good either. The ridiculous: The names of some of these songs. I do think that when an artist does what Stevens does - e.g. the theming without a real point, the extraordinarily long song titles - it’s a form of compensating for the fact that the songs aren't that good. When it takes longer to read the title than to play the whole, something isn't right. In this case, it's the songs. Not a total waste of time, but pretty close.

Honestly, weird and quirky. Was a bit of a chore to listen to.

Not my thing. I enjoyed some of the musical compositions but the lyrics felt...juvenile? A second album in a row that I'm having a hard time connecting with. While I try not to get.too critical about others' opinions on something as subjective as music, reading some of the critiques (both professional and not) the first thing that came to mind was pretentious hipster music. I think I'm actually more frustrated with reviews of the album than the album itself.

4.5/10 Mislim da bi ovaj album imao vise sanse kod mene prije 15ak godina kad sam dosta tog indie folka slusao. S obzirom na receno, ovo me sve skupa dosta podsjeca na miks Belle And Sebastian, The Shinsa i Beiruta. Ali mi ovo ne zvuci toliko dobro kao oni. Vecina stvari mi je malo premekana i vokal mi vecinom ne pase. Jedina koja mi je odmah sjela je Decatur, volio bi da je cijeli album u tom điru. Ovo mi je dosta Soki muzika isto tako, a cak bi mi sve bilo prihvatljivije i zanimljivije da album ne traje toliko. Nije mi skroz grozno, ali ovaj album mi nikako nije highlight žanra.

Not great. Lame elevator music

Day94 - if avocado toast was an album

Yeah, maybe on a different day this could’ve gotten 3 stars. Just could not vibe with it.

I remember when this came out and every hipster was spewing in his/her/their pants. This album marks the beginning of the pussification of the USA. Can't give it a 1, since there's some good orchestral moments.

This is so fsking precious I can't even. No more, please.

2 points for the ambitious endeavor, but I can't say the music lit my fire.

The song titles are more interesting than the songs.

windy city, windy record

I don't know why this is critically acclaimed the lyrics are very weird like who writes an album about Illinois

paia, só uma musica. almofadinha.

Koncept-album, Singer/songwriter, lange titler, klaver, harmoni, historier

War more listenable than I thought it would be, but it was truly boring.

Makes the Coldplay and Travis albums seem exciting! Seems to be a favourite of the hipsters!! Gave it an hour and found no redeeming features. Bored stiff!!

Not my cup of tea

Ég á ofboðslega erfitt með Sufjan Stevens - þykir stöffið hans meira og minna allt tilgerðarlegt drasl. Það á meðal annars við um þessa plötu.

Shits pretty boring tbh

A truly awful snd boring album that is entirely way too long.

Brrr

Shits ass. Borin

I would be gutted if someone made a concept album based on where i'm from and it sounded like this.

Nope

No thanks not for me

Not my cup of tea, too plinky-plonky!

Not my music

Not my style.

Not my style.

Oh hey I know this one already Concerning the UFO sighting: Incredibly beautiful opener, great vocals, great piano. "Then to Lebanon, oh God" The Black Hawk War: I never really listen to this one. Neat harmonies. Feels very theater Feel the Illinoise: This is easily one of the best pop songs ever made. It's weird taking notes on this one because it's a song I fully know the ins and outs of. There is nothing to really say, it just works. Beautiful writing all the way through, some of Sufjan's best. The first part especially really fills you with the optimism and wonder that came with the World Fairs. "Chicago, the new age, but what would Frank Lloyd Wright say?" "Are you writing from the heart? Are you writing from the heart?" John Wayne Gacy, Jr.: The way Gacy is humanized and presented as a figure with some relatable qualities always made me somewhat uneasy, I guess that's the point. Eerie outro, great melodies all throughout. Jacksonville: It's just so in-your-face optimistic and conciliatory, very disarming. Hard to dislike. A short reprise for Mary Todd: He wasn't lying, it's short. Neat I guess Decatur: Be nice to your step moms everyone I've never really loved the vocal harmonies here but as a whole it works out well. "Sangamon River it overflowed, it caused a mudslide on the banks of the operator" is an incredible lyric One last Whoo-hoo: This is definitely one of the songs on this album Chicago: Another one of the center pieces on here. Feels really monumental. Casimir Pulaski Day: Absolutely soul crushing from the very first second To the Workers: Another one I never really listen to. Neat interlude but there just isn't that much substance The Man of Metropolis: This one never really grew on me too much. Not bad but pales in comparison to some of the other ones on here. Actually I think the chorus melody is slightly annoying. The ideas here just don't really warrant the 6 minute runtime. Idk Prairie Fire: The best "short" song on here I think. The ascending melody is great and works very well. Also amazing drumming A conjunction of drones: This would be really cool if it wasn't literally 20 seconds long Palisades: Sweet and heartfelt. We swaggered and swayed. They Are Night Zombies: This one is kind of silly. Too gimmicky, I don't think the chorus works super well either. Actually might still work better than the verses though. I don't know, none of it is amazing. I have to say some of the high notes he hits in the second half are pretty gnarly Let's hear that string part again: Sure then In This Temple: Mysterious, ethereal The Seer's Tower: The piano part is pretty good. The vocal melody could have been better. This song always reminds me of the thing from Lord of the Rings but that's probably just the title. The Tallest Man: This one's groovy. Compositionally speaking one of the best ones on here. Everything just fits together perfectly. It's like listening to an infinitely complex machine of cogs that work together in perfect unison. Riffs and Variations: Quiet goodbyes Out of Egypt: It's definitely a power move to end the album with a minimalist composition and I'm so glad he did because this makes me float One of the best, most evocative pop albums ever made :)

This is a nostalgia pick for me, but it holds up. It's beautiful, surprising, poignant, exciting, jubilant, and on and on.

Before pressing play, I assumed it would still be my favorite Sufjan record. When this was released, it felt outside of time, a behemoth of creativity and singular vision. Today it feels exactly like 2005, and I found myself yearning for the neo-classical bend of Aporia, the fidgety electronic undercurrent of Planetarium and The Age of Adz, or the intimate bleeding out of Carrie & Lowell. He's become one of the great living composers, and this is no longer his defining opus (I'd now point to Javelin or The Ascension). All that said, if this is an opening chapter, or some version of a prelude (along with Seven Swans and Michigan), it's incredible. It's a 5-star album. There are surprises and delight waiting around every corner. If this is your first encounter with Sufjan, I implore you to keep going. It gets so, so rich as he sands off the twee edges of his sound opens his aperture as wide as any musician of the last 20 years (how’s that for a mixed metaphor).

Not listened to this for awhile. It's aged well.

This is a record that brings me back to a specific time in my life. Mid-20s, working at Whole Foods, drinking every night and hung over every morning, almost in tears every time I listened to Chicago on my iPod.

Man i’ve put off this album for about a literal decade so its about time. That was gorgeous, i’ve heard a few Sufjan tracks before so i should’ve expected a sound like this but i was expecting something else from the cover art. Nice little history lesson of a state presented in such a charming way. Standouts are Come On! Feel the Illinoise!, John Wayne Gacy Jr., Jacksonville, Casimir Pulaski Day, To The Workers, Prairie and Night Zombies.

I adore this album. I knew it was going to be an epic, and it's phenomenal.

A perfect album filled with perfect songs. I remember the moment I heard “Chicago” for the first time with stunning clarity that comes rarely to me, honestly. I went years with that being one of the few transmissions from Illinois that I knew, always too afraid that the rest of the record couldn’t live up to it. All these years and many listens to this album later, I can’t think of many things I’ve been more happy to be wrong my about.

LOVE THIS ALBUM!!! I listened to it for the first time last year right after christmas and it quickly grew into one of my favourite albums of all time! Easy 100/100

One of the five-iest fives I'll give throughout this whole project. I get that it's not for everyone, but from reading some of the proud repudiations of vulnerability in the reviews here, I hope at least a couple of tough-guy hearts have been silently softened, just a little, by hearing the crescendo to Predatory Wasp for the first time.

Amazing

i think i have listened before, like years ago. the kooky APUSH-project concept of a concept album and the obnoxious run-on sentence titling really just endlessly endears me to this whole deal, as does sufjan stevens' penchant for making very very sad songs. it feels like he has a very narrow whispery scope to his sound but i swear he does stylistically get around here, at least enough to not bore me. also just lovely instrumentation and lyricism. normally i don't have the attention span for such long albums but i think the theming gives it a sorta cinematic affectation that strings you along. favorite song is Casimir Pulaski Day, also really love John Wayne Gacy, Jr. and The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts 0/10 still waiting on Massachusetts

Rating: 10/10 The second album of Sufjan Stevens’ 50 state album project. But for real, it’s much better that he abandoned that terrible concept that might have been a joke all around and instead just put everything into making this masterpiece of a concept album and proving himself to be a musical genius. A brilliant album and one of the absolute best of the 2000’s. Something only a depressed gay classically trained musician with theater kid energy could make. All of the dense arrangements throughout make for so many unique and interesting songs that you can come back to and appreciate forever. So many cool instruments used here and Sufjan plays ALL of them, well except for the string quartet which is an absolutely beautiful element of the record. All of the little interludes are fun and every single longer full song is incredible that it’s so hard to pick the favorites. BUT the tracks 3-5 run is just an incredible start to the album after its introduction, and the back to back of Chicago and Casimir Pulinski Day is wonderful. Predatory Wasp and Night Zombies are so much fun. Then there’s the gorgeous instrumental closer that is Out of Egypt. A work of genius, this album will forever mean a lot to me. Little fun fact about the album is that it actually has a recent super acclaimed Broadway musical adaptation, Illinoise, that my partner and I were very excited to see as Sufjan fans, and it was fantastic. Really transformed the music in its own interesting way and was one of most unique stage productions I’ve ever seen

The first half is close to a perfect album. One gorgeous song after another, wrapped in astonishingly interesting and innovative arrangements beautifully performed and recorded. It is one of those collections that reveal how banal most of what we listen to really is. But it just keeps on going . . . The second half isn't bad. It still sounds beautiful. But the songwriting isn't quite as good, the melodic ideas and arrangements start to sound repetitive, the songs go on for a little too long. If the second half were a stand alone album, I think it would still rank a four star experience. It suffers from coming after the first half and the whole thing suffers from its being there. So the question is whether the lackadaisical editing is enough to subtract a star. Nope. I just turn it off when I've had enough.

This album has a feel of an old sad Hollywood movie. There's a timeless feel about it but also a fleeting memory of yesterday. There's a journey back and forth between a heaviness and a light delightfulness. The second track "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..." is quite a mouthful but also a sign a complicated trek the listener is about to embark on. Another mouthful, the third track, "Come On! Feel the Illinoise! Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream" continues the old Hollywood feeling with a La La Land type big band number: trumpets, marimba, xylophone, big piano, synced vocals, etc. Track 7 "Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Step-Mother!" has a folksy feel, simple but lovable banjo, plucked guitar, and a subtle accordion with lyrics like "The sound of the engines and the smell of the grain, We go riding on the abolition grain train" Speaking of trains, track 8 "Chicago" has locomotive like building of guitar at beginning and again during the chorus. Overall the song has a very spacey, outer body experience of the universe and self-discovery with lyrics like "I've made a lot of mistakes" and "All things grow." From this optimistic direction, things quickly take a sharp turn into a heavy sorrowness. Track 10 "Casimir Pulaski Day" grabs the listeners attention with mention of finding out about someone's "cancer of the bone." The sense of struggle and sadness is throughout. Lyrically the song tells a sad tale, but the light and airy vocals and instruments, especially the trumpets outro, reflect a journey of coming to acceptance. The song "Pairie Fire That Wanders About" feels like an astrologist telling rich mythological stories of Andromeda and Aquarius. "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!" is lyrically and musically complex. Comes across as a playful sound but lyrically weighted. Looking into the lyrics I discovered the metaphor that represents a “sting” – a sting of love, of resentment, or of regret. All of which seem captures a sadness and struggle, "I was in love... Palisades." It seems to be a love that is not accepted and not even by the love of God. "The Seer's Tower" opens with bass heavy piano chords. A song with a depth and caution. A stand still moment. "The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders Part I: The Great Frontier Part II: Come to Me Only With Playthings Now" brings it back to upbeat and sense of joy not seen much in the previous songs. It's like coming up for a breath of fresh air. The cadence reminds me of America in Westside Story. Despite the peppy feel, there is a warning woven in "What have we become America" "Run from yourself" "Run for your life" but there is also a calling out to something greater, spiritual "The spirit, the carpenter" "Oh, great heaven, Oh great master." Wow! What a musical epoch. At first, this felt a hard pass. It was something like a Phish type of album and needing some kind of psychedelic to make it worthwhile. Well, I believe this is the most I've written about an album so far and some how it's made an impact. There's an intriguing opposition between the sound and the immense weight of the lyrics. Seems kind of fitting the last two songs are instrumental with interpretation up to the listener. The ending piano in "Riffs and Variations on a single note for Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds, and the King of Swing, to name a few" echos out of a dream and a trumpet wakes us up and calls us into the next brief instrumental track wrapping up with "Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I shake the dirt from my sandals as I run." Building flutes and striking piano notes escalate. The intensity and amplitude is all surrounding. Clanging bottles feel a little like rainfall. Stepping into a new day. I can see why this made the 1001 albums everyone should listen to.

A beautiful piece of music.

Very good album, had a great mix of both slow and fast music and blended well together, one of those albums that’ll never get old no matter how many times you listen to it

this album was huge for me in high school. really scratched that itch of using folk/bluegrass/acoustic instruments to achieve a level of complexity that you don't usually hear in folk music. there's an immediacy to many of these songs that make them easy repeat listens, and the strings and horns contain an abundance of uplifting ear worms. what strikes me now listening back are the elements of minimalism that I wasn't attuned to when this was released. I can't listen to this album now without hearing "Music For 18 Musicians" by Steve Reich, which honestly just makes me appreciate this LP even more. Sufjan Stevens pulls together a lot of strains of American music here, and loads it down with a bunch of Midwestern references, and it never feels too ambitious or snobby. Sufjan maintains humility throughout, allowing his vocals to join the chorus and become one with the group. he knocked this one out of the park, and I'm fine with him not doing an album about Indiana or Wisconsin since he gave us this.

First off, this is one of the great road trip albums. If you’re ever driving through the night, put this on a few minutes before dawn and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Second, this album has been in my life a long time, and while I never considered it one of my ‘favorites,’ there are songs here that have been favorites and/or meant the world to me: “Chicago,” “Decatur,” “Casimir Pulaski Day,” ”The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades.” Third, this is the first time I’ve listened to it all the way through since ‘Music for 18 Musicians’ has been in my life, and the last track just screams Steve Reich. Now I gotta listen again with that in mind sometime.

This is the most tender-feeling album in existence, probably hits harder if you know anything about Illinois but I still love it. Wasp is always good for a cry, Chicago is a classic.

The lyrics and musicality of this album painted very visual images in my mind.

I love this album so much. Sufjan's melodies are heart-wrenching, joyful, and plain beautiful.

I had somehow never actually sat down and listened to this album all the way through, which i now feel guilty about. Listening was a mixture of old favourites and discovering new instant favourites, as well as finally getting to appreciate the musical interludes threading it together which i had completely missed out on. This is a beautiful, toweringly imaginative tender and emotive album, instant 5 stars. Standout track on this listen was They Are Night Zombies! what a tune. Does anyone know any other good zombie apocalypse themed songs, I'm starting a playlist

Spectacular. So immersive and rich and creative with almost too much going on to really take it all in at one go. An example of what I really wanted from this project, which was a way to make listen to some albums I've been meaning to get round to for a long time. I was worried this one might be just a little bit too obscure and esoteric for me to actively enjoy rather than just "appreciate". But honestly, I was transported. Standouts: Chicago and Palisades I already knew and love, it was shiver inducing getting to them on the album not knowing where they were placed. As for others I liked, uh (trying to remember track names) okay the first Broadway musical style one about the world's fair, the one about the zombies, the one about the serial killer and the one about his friend dying of cancer. And the closing instrumental.

In my top 5 albums of all time. Beautiful composition, meaningful lyrics, love the brass and the wind. This album in particular doesn't get bogged down in the white boy christian sadness, and has a nice variety of upbeat and soul crushing sad. Some of the most unique sounds on this list, and not in a "1970s experimental industrial punk" kind of way. Still should have won the Oscar fuck you Mama Coco.

It's an all timer

Can’t be impartial about this! I totally get why this wouldn’t work for someone. It’s too twee, too intentionally precious….but it’s also heartbreakingly sincere and at times so, so sad. It hits like a ton of bricks. The themes, both musically and lyrically. developed throughout the album, are astonishing. Also, this is simply an album that has been there for me through difficult parts of my life! It’s hard to be impartial there. I remember my first trip after COVID lockdowns was to visit my friend in Chicago and as I drove into the city for the first time I played “Chicago” from this album and as “All Things Go” pounded through my head I just wept! Music, man!!!!

a classic, listened on repeat

It was a very pleasant sounding album. I don't think I understand the proper meaning of texts yet, as English is not my first language, but the amount I do I find very interesting. Totally goes to my top 3.

It's an album i already came across some time ago. I only listened to a few songs but I was pleasantly suprised to discover some other new gems

I've listened this before, but I'm still delighted on a relisten by the level of emotional storytelling achieved by this Broadway-esque album. Palisades is still one of the most affecting songs I have saved. The long track names are very charming. The interludes are sometimes the best part, as with "To the Workers..."

favs: they are night zombies!! they are neighbors!! they have come back from the dead!! ahhhh!, the predatory wasp of the palisades is out to get us!

It's a great album which needs time to unfold properly. The sort of album you can really dig into and do some research on. I still think there's much more to be had from this album for me and one that I will come back to in the future.

Despite some slight bloat, it’s basically a perfect album.

Classic

La música alcanzó su cima

I have loved this album for a long time. I was very happy to see this come up on the list. I could listen to this album on repeat, and every time I listen to it I hear more detail and beauty and it gets better.

An album that urges you to hold entire emotional universes for every little destination, monument, plaque, resting place and person you come across as you make your way through the world

An all time favourite. Think I was too young to fully appreciate this when it first came out, but over the years it has confirmed its place in my top albums. Pathos and vulnerability in the songwriting, contrasting to the upbeat music.

This is an odd one. I hadn't heard of this guy before and I don't particularly like it but I'm very happy to have heard it and I think it's a magnificent and original album deserving of a five.

Sufjan Stevens: *plucks a single banjo string* Me: Bursts into tears.

While very much of its time and sounding perhaps a bit dated, I find it absolutely incredible. I'm amazed how something, at face value, can be this simplistic, light, and airy, but at the same time hide some real complexity and richness. How does something so deep feel so easy? Plus it's got great art.

Amazing stuff! So well recorded with great instrumentation

This is another one of those that I didn't like as a kid, but am really taken with as an adult. Super happy I got a chance to relisten, I've been avoiding the album for years. Alas, I am still a fan of overplayed Chicago (the one track I liked as a youth, no surprise there), but here are a few of my new favorites: Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Ill. ; The Black Hawk War... ; To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region... ; Prairie Fire that Wanders About (hugeeee new favorite!!) ; Predatory Wasp... ; Night Zombies/Neighbors... ; Tallest Man, Broadest Shoulders ; Out of Egypt... Overall, a great album. So fun and easy to listen to. Can't wait to listen to it more often.

Make some Illinoise

I love this album. I've heard it before, but this one is even better than I remembered. Sufjan has a way of expressing great emotion, particularly melancholy and sadness, in his music better than most. Both Chicago and Casmir Pulaski Day are stand outs in an already excellent album, where he weaves between traditional folk sounds, instrumental variations including strings, horns, and percussion, and more upbeat and pop indie style songs. Very powerful album, and likely to be one of my favorites on this list.

An album you could listen sitting under a tree or open fields with pleasant breeze with the blue sky absolutely beautiful 3 songs were different but good

Just an extraordinary album, so sonically interesting, mixing joy, vulnerability, confessional narrative, poetry. I was 40 when I heard this and a serious musicologist….still, it changed the way I think about and listen to music.

The only valid complaint I will listen to about this album is the daft long song titles 5

Although I know a few songs from this very well and I’m aware of the concept, I never listened to the whole thing. What a beautifully conceptualized love letter to a complicated city.

When to listen: thunder stormy day in. Reminds me of college. Had only heard a few songs but the whole album is excellent.

Would I listen again: yes Something about the flutes and his voice is just magical. Also really really great songwriting. I love it!!!

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

Oh yes good one

holy shit, esta es una masterpiece. guardé demasiadas canciones. la voz de sufjan siempre es muy soothing :’)

Top 10 ever

Sufjan only having one album on this list is how I knew this list sucks.

9/10- Boy did I waffle here. I can see this as a 4 or 5. For me it’s squarely a 4.5 because of the number of short instrumentals and interludes. I find the songs serious and powerful but the song names are so goofy. It’s a fun juxtaposition. I imagine this isn’t our only Sufjan album on the list.

The orchestration is beautiful throughout, the songs are catchy, and the songwriting is amazing. The real knock of this album is the track titles. How am I supposed to look someone in the eyes and tell them I've really been into this song called "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From the Dead!! Ahhhh!"? 10/10

Excellent!!!

big fan of this

Casimir Pulaski Day Is saddest song ever

Never heard of this dude but really liked it. Easy to listen to and mellow with good composition of songs. Would listen again.

Really beautiful to listen to, would definitely listen again! maybe not quite a 5, but for an album on this list I haven't heard to before, it deserves it

No bad songs, and some of my favourite songs of all time are on this album

Do midwesterners get special ownership of Sufjan Stevens? Something about being from the great white north somehow speaks to what’s special in this music for me. Part musical/lyrical genius, part 5th grade band concert. I love this artist through and through. Excellent album.

Very cool album. Definitely has that mid-naughts indie vibe. I generally don’t like instrumentals mixed in and it’s too many tracks but I liked it a lot. Edit: 100-album calibration - changing from a 4 to a 5 since I keep going back to this!

This album has some of the most beautiful arrangements and orchestration. The mix on this, as well, always feels so full with the vocals feeling perfectly balanced within the complex background. The vocals themselves are emotional and angelic and everything good that human voice can do. I love this album.

No. 399/1001 Concerning the UFO sighting & The Black Hawk 5/5 Come On! Feel the Illinoise! Part I 5/5 Come On! Feel the Illinoise! Part II 5/5 John Wayne Gacy, Jr. 5/5 Jacksonville 5/5 Decatur 5/5 Chicago 5/5 (2x) Casimir Pulaski Day & To the Workers 5/5 (2x) The Man of Metropolis 5/5 (2x) Prairie Fire 4/5 The Predatory Wasp 5/5 They Are Night Zombies 5/5 The Seer's Tower 4/5 The Tallest Man 5/5 (2x) Out of Egypt 3/5 Average: 4,79 Infinitely inventive. Whymsical. Just a plain incredible record. This is now my best rated album, taking over from Who's Next - The Who (4,67)

One of the most beautifully arranged albums of all time. Absolute masterclass in instrumentation. Just so vast and maximalist, but without sounding corny or forced at all. The sounds are constantly evolving with new layers of instruments and amazing progressions. Whether it's the warmer, lush moments like Come On! Feel the Illnoise or something more stripped back like Decatur. Then there is the concept of growing up in Illinois. The album is like a collection of adventures, memories, stories from Sufjan's childhood. The storytelling on songs like John Wayne Gacy Jr or Jacksonville is really amazing. It's very entertaining with a lot of details, he puts the words together so nicely and creates his own world. And the album is so consistent throughout the whole runtime. The song Chicago is just total perfection, some of the best vocal harmonies and string sections I've ever heard. So magical. Predatory Wasp has one of the coolest climaxes ever, the buildup is incredible. I could go on and on, I love this album so much and could never say enough nice things about it.

Total masterpiece in every sense

pure magic and nostalgia

I have no idea what I'm listening to but it is extremely pretty. I feel like this is another of those albums I could spend a decade digesting. I can't see getting everything that's going one here in one (or even four) listens. The lyrics I've had the time to look through are incredibly dense (as in packed full of references and symbolism). Ok now I want to hear "Michigan".

Adding this to the favorites list

Indie folk, chamber folk, indie rock.

he is god

I really love this album. It’s so sweeping and big and also very sweet. Every time i listen to sufjan stevens i feel compelled to go and learn everything about him. A great monday public holiday album.

He’s just such a good songwriter.

great album. top tier.

Rating: 4.9/5 Short Review: Beautiful, expansive, and quietly overwhelming. It shifts from intimate to orchestral without losing its emotional core. Feels like memory, history, and personal feeling all layered together. Favorite Track: “Chicago.” That build feels like movement, release, and something almost hopeful without fully resolving.

wait i loved this

And so, with this, Jeff Buckley’s “Grace”, and Elliott Smith’s “Either/Or”, I have completed the “sad white boy with a guitar” holy trinity in no less than 5 days. Gotta say, while I did love all of them, I’d really like a break from these sorts of albums, at least for a week.

Exceptional. Loved listening to every minute of this album.

No bad songs, a delight to listen to individually or as full album. Gotta hand it to sufjan

Liked Chicago since it came out

Transcendent, magnificent. A musical explosion to treat your ears to the vibes of the 2000 indie scene.

This is a very well executed album. The production is amazing, and I feel like I need to give it another listen to give it the time and day. His vocals and the length seem to be the drawbacks for me. Rating: 9/10 Favorite Song: Jacksonville

SIX stars 🌟! Love it

Can't say anything that hasn't been said before. The quintenessential modern indie LP.

One of my absolute favorite albums. The concept is genius, the songs are devastating, and only sufjan can arrange using the weirdest instruments and yet it’s gorgeous. Ugh

Awesome!

Awesome

Incredible album that I've known and loved for decades. A beautiful fare with themed songs that tug on the heart strings and give hope. John Wayne Gacy Jr. and Casimir Pulaski Day are two of my favorites.

Masterpiece, I love you Sufjan Stevens

Hell yeah, the musicality was off the charts on this one! Fun album for sure.

One of my favourites. The culmination of perfect songwriting and evocative lyricism realise a whirlwind of feelings: wonder, innocence, sadness, love, and gut-wrenching honesty.

gud

What the hell, this had no reason to be so good, who is this?

Lively album, and great vocals

Bonito

perfect

I'll admit it... I'm a Sufjan stan. The first half of this album is amazing IMO. Slips a bit in the second half. Def needs to be cut back. Considered rounding down because of it, but eff it. Not many peeps can pull off a beautiful song about John Wayne Gacy. And the opening track is a favorite of mine. 4.25/5

Oh how I meant to tease him Oh how I meant no harm Touching his back with my hand I kiss him I see the wasp on the length of my arm

I love this album. It was like nothing I had listened to when I first heard it and it pulled me right in. I wouldn't say the music has a happy tone to it but the album consistently lifts my mood and mellows me out. Great listen when things feel out of control

got so excited when i saw this was the album for today. i love this album so much. this album has some of his best songs. it makes me feel so many different emotions.

Sufjan is my ride or die. Sad? Listen to Sufjan. Happy? Listen to Sufjan. He’s a musical genius. Illinoise is a beautiful album.

Seul album de Sufjan Stevens que j'écoute réellement Je l'aimais déjà trop mais je l'ai réécouté avant de noter et vraiment excellent objet, les choeurs, les cuivres et les cordes marchent trop trop bien ensemble

5/1001 Illinois - Sufjan Stevens (2005) This has to be one of the most, if not the most, beautiful album I've ever heard from an instrumental point of view. Having not been the biggest fan of 'Carrie and Lowell' I actually went into this with lower expectations than I might with other well regarded albums. Going through track by track be slightly exhausting with a 22-track list with paragraph track names, but I'll open with saying that 'Chicago' is easily one of my favourite songs of all time. 'John Wayne Gacy, Jr.', 'Casimir Pulaski Day', and 'Predatory Wasp' are absolutely heart-breaking. 'Come On! Feel the Illinoise!' and 'The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts' are endlessly energetic and uplifting. The writing is superb, the concept is ambitious and the execution is wonderful, and the album as a whole cohesive experience is perfect. The arrangements are the definition of maximalist and yet not a detail is wasted and everything remains distinct. Weaving history, his own personal experiences, and an outsider's view of Illinois all into one - while making some of the sunniest instrumentals back some of the most impactful writing of the 2000s - represents everything Sufjan Stevens can do. Where 'Carrie and Lowell' was like a private wake in softly lit quiet room, 'Illinois' is like a technicolour parade through the streets of Chicago, tinged with a past and present it both celebrates and hides from. This album alone was worth starting my 1001albums journey. ★★★★★

Another peak. Simply brilliant. One of my top albums.

proof that singer songwriter can be straight fire

When my Grampa was talking about Zappa and he went: "his ability to just create instrumentation and write... He's just the greatest" I was thinking of this album. Sufjan is a musical God in man form and how he only gets one entry when he deserves at least 4 is criminal. He becomes a conductor making some of the greatest chamber pop on Come On! Feel The Illinoise (part 1) or They Are Zombies!!! They Are Neighbors!!! He then becomes an expert song writer on tear jerkers such as Casimir Polanski Day or John Wayne Gacy jr. He managed to do different styles on tracks like Jacksonville and it is all held down on a neat concept which we were robbed another 48 albums for Sufjan's voice deserves its own paragraph, it's really good. When I first discovered this album it had a cool cover and I was starting to listen through the AOTY top 100, I hated it, if this was the first time it'd be a 1 and I would be comfortable with that, if this was the second third or even fourth time, it'd be a 1, comfortably. The fifth time I began to appreciate the theatrics of it all and it pretty quickly became a 5 and then a perfect score

Sufjan Stevens may be the artist that most deserves to be a household name who hasn't really achieved it yet. Sure, he is already so in indie circles, but beyond that almost no one has heard that name, and it is an unusual name, so I figured people would remember it. This was his fifth album, and to my hears still his best. There is a debate to have had on that, as Stevens is one of those artists with several albums that are the best of their respective eras of music. Illinois (I never understood why people call it only Illinois, when the proper title is Come On Feel the Illinoise! but whatever), is a whimsical symphonic ode to the state of Illinois, as if that wasn't obvious enough. Filled to the brim with references to the state, its landmarks and its history, one would think that most listeners would fail to connect with its subject matter. And although most of the references go over my head, the music is so well written, the arrangements so well constructed, and the performance so engaging, that it hardly even matters. Musically, this album is all over the place. Most of it is comprised of folky Chamber Pop that is lushly orchestrated. There are huge poppy moments such as "Chicago", the album's most recognizable song, straight up folk numbers such as "John Wayne Gacy Jr." or "Decatur", progressive moments with weird time signatures like the title track, Indie Rock in "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts", and more experimental stuff like the Reich-ian closing track. Between all of this, there are a number of short interludes that, while struggling to stand on their own, make the album more immersive and help populate it with all there those aforementioned references, many of which are in these tracks' very long titles. While naysayers will call it pretentious or too twee or too long, the ones who stick around will be rewarded with a truly unique blend of sounds that truly encapsulated the best Indie Folk from the 2000's had to offer, while still sounding fresh today. And those who wish to explore further, Stevens has a very deep output where he explores a myriad of music genres from Ambient to Electronic to Pop to Classical. We only get one from him in this list, but I would strongly recommend this two 'proper' follow-ups to this: the nervous breakdown-induced apocalyptic indietronica extravaganza of The Age of Adz (2010), and the introspective and incredibly sad Carrie and Lowell (2015). Key tracks: Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, IL Come On Feel the Illinoise! John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Decatur, or, A Round of Applause to Your Stepmother Chicago Casimir Pulaski Day The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders

This album was lovely from start to finish. A tad long but will come back to listen again

me precio un álbum demasiado demasiado bueno, si entiendo que depende mucho de las vibras en las que uno esté pero que bacanería de album

I feel like this one will get better and better when I re-listen to it

More like Illi-Noice

GREATTTT

Better than Coldplay

I might like Carrie and Lowell a little better, but god this maaan. playing the most playful childlike melodies known to man, and then talking about the pov of a serial killer. Or the guy takes you through a beautiful memory of a girl, and then boom, she died. I turn off my ability to understand english sometimes when listening to him. He’s a brilliant musician, and I’m glad AT LEAST this is on the list. Low 5

Generally find that concept albums either prioritise the concept over the music (making them bad) or the music over the concept (making the concept irrelevant). This does a good job of balancing both. Not every song works, but it doesn't feel like there are not great sings exclusively they're to advance the narrative. The instrumental interludes do start to feel a bit redundant, but it's still an interesting and enjoyable listen. Bit torn between a four and a five, but giving the extra point for ambition

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Magnificent 👌

Easy listening! Good stuff!

I think this is one of the finest records to come out in the past 25 years.

Easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given

#308/1001. Although it was a joke and a gimmick, I still wish Sufjan Stevens would complete the 50 states album series and then move on to do an album (plus of course the outtake bonus albums) per every country in the planet. I also wish I could find new artists like this on the 1001 project. I remember hearing songs like Transfiguration and Chicago for the first time and thinking that the planet and the U.S. has some hope. This and Iron Wine are among some of my last great musical discoveries - you know the ones you wouldn't ever like to let go from. Which makes me wonder why I haven't bumped into anything so great in the last 15-20 years. All sorts of nice things for sure, old and new musical cultures from around the world, but nothing to get stuck on a desert island with. All this said it is also funny to notice that I haven't really followed Sufjan Stevens' work ever since: back then I was introduced to a few great albums and this masterpiece from him, I guess the stakes are so high that I'm a bit scared to check out if the newer work keep dropping the bar. It is a really sorry way to think, but what can I do. Well, at least listen to his lo-fi Christmas songs every December. And I can always come back to feel some Illinoise. Easily in the top 5 in this project so far.

Excellent

This was really really good exceeded my expectations. Loved how grand and big it felt, good emotions too

This was one of the dominant albums in my later years of high school. It was a monumental album, and I think its aged well, and is an important summary of a specific music culture at the time. Its an ambitious album clocking in at 73 minutes, but honestly flies by. The songwriting and orchestration is top tier, and really put other indie-folk bands at the time to shame. It might not speak to you in the same way, but definitely you should listen to it before you die.

Love this album.

An all time best.

music is love

Reminds me of being in my figure drawing classes

ABSOLUTE CINEMA I LOVE 2000s INDIEEEEE

Don't know what I can say about this other than you will not be dissapointed. An amazing listen, beautiful blends of singer songwriter, rock music, orchestra. An amazing tribute not just to the state of Illinois but of what man's life experiences/love of the culture of what shaped him. An exploration of all aspects of life, love, death, grief, random historical facts. Beautiful.

Such a beautiful album. Perfection.

Beautiful, fun, real album

Ah, this takes me back! My grad studies heavily featured Sufjan Stevens.

Wow. Listened twice. Wow.

Virkelig smukt og rørende og godt

Didn't know Sufjan Stevens until today, and it's not a genre of music I listen that much - but the instrumentals and production of this album are amazing! Loved it 5/5 will listen again, lots of details to pay attention to

Эллиот Смит шел, чтобы Суфьянчик мог летать. Как же он чувствует.

Лучшая песня: The tallest man Худшая: ? Мелодично, нескучно. Понравилось

Как же это прекрасно. Под голос Суфьяна просто хочется вознестись и не возвращаться обратно. В топ 3 его альбомов для меня точно.

Я растворился в этом альбоме во время прослушивания. Несмотря на то, что здесь всё очень скромно и камерно, нет хуков, какого-то невероятного вокала и виртуозных инструментов - это цепляет. Просто, со вкусом и очень атмосферно.

I rarely attribute perfection to an album, but Illinois comes incredibly close. An absolutely gorgeous 73 minutes of music picked full of so many emotions. Some tracks make me cry, some fill me with jubilation, some are just so very groovy! And the instrumentals sing for themselves. The arrangements and production are top tier, and I can't think of any faults at all. I was already a massive fan of Sufjan and this album so I'm so happy it is on this list, a real win. Favourites: Come on! Feel The Illinoise! Jacksonville Chicago Casimir Pulaski Day The Man of Metropolis The Predatory Wasp They Are Night Zombies!

I really liked Carrie & Lowell and so at the time made an effort to go back and listen to other albums but for some reason nothing clicked (including this one) but this time it's working. I really enjoyed this, even though it tends to be very monotonous in terms of emotion it's something to behold.

eeee

Another brilliant one - had heard chicago and a few of the others but like how it tied together, i feel will listen again frequently

An all time great album and an excellent one to start this project with. Such intricate songs. Really hope I get to see this stage production someday.

So I’m not the biggest Sufjan person, but this is a complete orchestral work that is, I think, more reminiscient of a Beethoven Symphony than a modern pop/folk album. I feel like with these couple of listens, I turned the page on Sufjan. And that excites me. I feel like recently I’ve opened up a lot as an artist, and I’ve just been more in the niche. Last night I had a dream I was listening to beautiful music by this R&B artist named ‘half half’. He doesn’t exist. I think he was supposed to be like if D’angelo came and went again. Then I listened to some really good british album from the last 30 years, then Demon Days, then I woke up and listened to this.

This is one of those albums which will be heralded as a modern classic. It lives in it's own space, with delicate and powerful vocals and instrumentals, emotional vocals, and a really unique theme as well too. One of my personal favorites. Thank you sqam for introducing this to me prior to this.

Karakterdefinerende album. Et core memory ble unlcoked da jeg hørte dette (og Age of Adz) for første gang. De første piano-notene i åpningssporet er som en instant tidsmaskin til 2013. Det er et indie/folk/chamber mesterverk av et konseptalbum med en melancholsk optimisme få kan røre ved. Spektrumet av følelser og lyder som dekkes ila. disse 74 minuttene er off the charts.

Wow, for et album! Mesterlig utført

Leulleukleukleuk

Easily the best one I've listened to so far. The songs were really long but that didn't matter because of how many bangers are in this album. I only zoned out with one because I didn't like it that much but it was the shortest one

One of the best ever

¿El mejor álbum del siglo XXI?

Ouhh Sufjan mit seiner hübschen Stimme Auch so schöne texte Einige tolle John Wayne Gacy, Jr. , Chicago 9/10

Heard so many great things about this album, lived up to expectations and then some.

A hipster millenial masterpiece

I don't even know where to start with this album. It's one of my favourites, but I do need to be in the right mood to listen to it. It's incredibly ambitious to try and write an album about all 50 States. You would think that such a project would result in a lot of half-assed, patriotic gimmicks, so it's even more incredible that an album this elaborate and unique came out of it. The orchestration is complex and beautiful and the lyrics are deep with references to the history, culture, art, and geography of Illinois. Seriously, who else could pull off such a beautiful song about John Wayne Gacy?

Love Sufjan. I’ve heard a lot of this album already but never listened all the way through. It’s so good!

I love Sufjan Stevens and have never sat through this album all the way through but I'm sooo excited. I've heard that Illinois is better than Michigan, which I still thought was pretty good but no Carrie & Lowell. Really interesting goofy song titles as always lol Really beautiful flutes and backing vocals at the beginning that sound absolutely ethereal through good stereo headphones. John Wayne Gacy was unexpectedly emotional and had SUCH strong storytelling. Sufjan Stevens has a beautiful falsetto that adds to this song a lot and shines on this track. Chicago is a classic, no other words needed. Orchestral rock is typical for Sufjan Stevens, but it never gets old - it sounds almost theatrical and They Are Night Zombies!! is a perfect example. The choir in the back and pit-sounding instruments could have come right from a musical (but a musical with really good music). This bangs all the way to the end. This is definitely a 5/5. There is clearly so much love and passion put into this - and not to mention sheer talent. The heavy use of winds and strings make this record feel so immersive, dynamic, and theatrical that makes it just fun and interesting. The production went absolutely crazy too. I felt like I was in orbit for some of those. Standout tracks: John Wayne Gacy Chicago They Are Night Zombies!!...

Wonderful trip

Easy album to rate - great album. Best of Sufjan.

Absolute classic (albeit slightly too long). RYM: Y (#63) Saved a song: N

Sufjan Stevens is wel echt altijd goed. Het contrast tussen Chicago en Casimir Pulasky Day is zo peak das echt insane. Also ik zag iemand het album beschrijven als "if a yogurt made a sound this would be it." en dat deed mij zo hard lachen da ik het nog een extra punt heb gegeven.

I wish I had more words to describe my thoughts on this album because I do love it. But due to recent personal events in my life that have to do with Illinois, I leave this listen with much sadness in my heart. I'm sorry, Happy Birthday C. This one's for you (10/10, 5/5 on this scale).

Loved the complexity of the orchestration, the overall vibe, the lyrics

Um disco primoroso, inspiradíssimo, com temas e melodias sensíveis e repletas de lirismo. Arranjos extraordinários e execuções precisas. Maravilhoso!

one of my favorite albums as of late, what a treat to get it on here <3

You have to be a real imbecile or psychopath or void of feeling to dislike this record.

My favorite indie folk/ “twee” album of all time. Sufjan at his best (with “Carrie & Lowell” and his most recent one right behind). “Casimir Pulaski Day” is brilliant lyricism paired with beautiful, heartbreaking folk

Magnificent

Oh great GOAT, the curse you gave us

"I made a lot of mistakes, I made a lot of mistakes, I made a lot of mistakes, I made a lot of mistakes" - Sufjan Stevens No mistakes detected. 10.0 Fav track: The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us! Least fav (longish) track: The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts

It's hard to know where to start with this album- I have so many memories attached to it. I somehow now live just a block away from the record store where I purchased the CD in 2005, and amazingly, it's still a record store (though it mostly sells vinyl now, not CD's). I remember listening on a long train ride up to the Adirondacks and fixing the stereo system in the 100 year old cabin we stayed in so that we could listen there as well. In August of 2005, I stood in the audience at the Bowery Ballroom watching Sufjan and his band in their University of Illinois cheerleader outfits. And I remember serving coffee to the man himself in the shop I worked at in Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn right around the same time. My unspoken suspicion was that Sufjan could be the voice of our generation, serving up a dramatic-geographic research project worthy of a University performance art class, seamlessly integrated with raw and intensely personal observations and stories that exhibited the honesty and vulnerability I was seeking as a young artist in the big city. The enhanced fidelity of the recording made Michigan feel like a mere warmup, Sufjan’s ambition amplified with cinematic precision and head-spinning arrangements. This was an artist truly coming into his own, and we were watching it happen in real time, intensely admiring his talent and believing that the glorious realization of such a strange, left-field project meant that we could also explore our own left-field ideas, and maybe they would find a place in the world. We fantasized about inviting him over for dinner, and it really felt like he might have said yes (we were ultimately too chicken to ask). Thank god this was a time before social media- our parasocial relationships remained firmly in our imaginations. Mine was a mostly-secular social circle, so Sufjan's much-publicized Christian faith was a source of fascination and mild consternation, even if the majesty of this record mostly washed away any religious resentment owing to then President George W. Bush's embrace of evangelical self-righteousness. But as someone who grew up in the church who no longer counted myself as a believer, the album did speak to my private, emerging and probably unsophisticated interest in the philosophical underpinnings of Christianity. One evening, at my regular DJ gig at a Brooklyn Thai restaurant, 2-4 vodka gimlets deep, I played 'Chicago' and had a memorable epiphany regarding the repeated refrain 'I made a lot of mistakes': how freeing to accept that our mistakes are what make us who we are! And to understand that we'll never STOP making mistakes. And maybe, that by humbly acknowledging our mistakes, we are made new. Is that concept an innovation of Christian theology? Maybe it was not what Sufjan meant, but to a 25 year old who was struggling and striving, personally and professionally, the idea resonated with me and helped bestow, as the song says, 'freedom from myself'. Beyond the personal reflections, this album is a masterpiece of sequencing. In particular, placing 'Gacy' as track 4 (really feels more like track 3) took some real guts. The song casts a dark pall over the entire proceedings, never letting us fully feel joy without an undercurrent despair. In a time when the horrors of the Iraq War, 'code orange' terror alerts and police carrying weapons of war on the subway contrasted so starkly with our own, relatively carefree young adult lives, that dichotomy was entirely familiar. Despite some heavy themes, the playfulness of this album can’t go unacknowledged. From the lengthy, tongue in cheek song titles, to the cherry picking of obscure historical facts, to the faux grandiose orchestrations, Illinois sidesteps pretension and instead makes clear it is in on the joke.

I had only seen this album cover floating around online but this is so good. A little musical theater-y but in a way that I’m not mad at. His voice is great and I think the mixed meter stuff is done really tastefully, easy 5

AMDG

Terrific

This album was incredible. It reminded me of so many hours, listening to it. It has ups and downs and it filled my heart.

Sufjan Stevens you will always have my heart

Beautiful album and I’m glad I listened to it all the way through. I found new favorites

What a great surprise. Big, interesting compositions and arrangements. So glad I found this one

This is an incredible album: not just a set of individually-satisfying songs ("heart-wrenching melodies" with "over-the-top arrangements" as two critics said), but a concept album, with public history themes, also engaging with Stevens' private history. Prolific/skilful singer-songwriter in full flight, tackling big subjects with engaging and challenging lyrics, looping catchy harmonies, satisfying orchestrations, great though apparently "lo-fi" production (home recording and Pro Tools), passionate songs, extensive dynamic range. Many standout songs. In contrast to what I know of his other albums, this is largely acoustic instrumentation, I have no problem with that. Came back to say I'm currently rating this 11 out of 10 :-)

Literally my favorite album

Have not listened to this in a long time. Wow, so much variety, depth, and humour to everything. The best album in weeks. There has been a slight improvement in the albums, hopefully it contines. 5 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes: 44/176(25%) Will I get. Already have

Second ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ album on the bounce. What an absolute gorgeous album, a work of art.

Tremendísimo y colosal álbum. En el top 10 de discos del siglo XXI. Sufjan te busca los intestinos desde la grandilocuencia y el intimismo nunca mejor empastados. Una instrumentación digna de estudio, con viento y cuerdas en primer plano, coros, piano y teclados, xilófonos y percusión adornando la suave voz de Sufjan para completar una sinfonía alérgica al 4/4 para alegría de las almas disconformes con el mainstream. Si no lo has escuchado todavía, tu vida está incompleta.

3/10

1000000000/10

I always love when artists use a wide variety of instruments in their music, and the strings, horns, keys, and quirky electronic bits made this such a fun listen. Even some of the more experimental and weird songs were still interesting. Super ridiculous song titles but somehow still charming. Eclectic, melancholy, and beautiful 4.5/5 but I’ll round up because Spencer loves this album

Listened before: YES My parents have a big CD collection and when I was a kid they would let me pick what to listen to so I picked this based on the cover. I hated every song except Chicago. When I was in high school I revisited it because I loved Chicago so much and fell in love. Far and away my favorite indie album, potentially because of nostalgia but also it’s soooo good. And he played every single instrument!! Come on Feel the Illinoise my beloved <3

I'm a sucker for a good concept album, and this one was great. Jazzy instrumentals and nice singing wrapped up in a cool sounding indie pop form

I've seen this album everywhere, but never actually put it on to listen. The concept is an A+. I gave it a first listen and liked the vibe, but it's not totally my thing. A second listen deepened my understanding and made me love it more. I'm giving this a 5 because I love that it exists. I don't know that I'm going to listen to this on repeat, its a little long. But I see myself returning, and the love of it growing.

This album showcases a beautiful story. It starts out sounding very light and hopeful, but the longer it goes on, the darker each song gets. In my eyes we start out in a normal city. That normal city slowly grows more and more corrupted, until… a hero shows up. The hero tries his best to help the townspeople and save their city from total corruption, but fails. After this we reach a very desperate point in the album. That is, until another hero shows up. This time, he saves the town and things slowly return to normal. This is when the music start to get more dainty and hopeful again. We end with a very joyous song, that shows all is well that ends well. Sufjan Steven is a storyteller who does not get remotely enough recognition outside of his work for the CMBYN soundtrack.

Une excellente découverte!

10/10

According to The Ringer, Sufjan Stevens made it cool for indie rockers to put down their Pavement and pick up a banjo. That is probably worth five stars right there. I'll give it four stars for the music, another for his service reducing the influence of Pavement, and a sixth in escrow only to be released upon the completion of the fifty states project.

Um dos melhores álbuns já feitos. Sufjan é um gênio.

I get how others can find this repellingly twee, but this is absolutely my thing.

Sufjan Stevens will always elicit a very specific brand of melancholy from my heart that hurts so good

sehr schöne instrumentals, emotional, manchmal traurig, manchmal hoffnungsvoll, seine stimme ist eh traurig, millenial hope core, zwischendurch interessante titel, sowieso interessante texte und melodien und album aufbau

Great album. Makes me happy, yet has melancholy vibes.

Ame este album, tiene un aire acogedor y recursos envolventes, me recordó mucho a King Crimson, 5 out of 5

--Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois...pretty intro --The Black Hawk War...trumpets! --Come On! Feel the Illinoise!...well done baroque pop --John Wayne Gacy, Jr....sad. dark --Jacksonville...something with a little more funk. I don't know how you do that with a banjo but he does --A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, but for Very Good Reasons...a short reprise --Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!...a playful ditty --One Last 'Whoo-Hoo!' for the Pullman!!...hmm --Chicago...exhilarating --Casimir Pulaski Day...a beautiful bedroom recording. the quiet elegance of this contrasts nicely with the soaring "Chicago" --To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region...another short diversion --The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts...more of a rocker. it's fun --Prairie Fire That Wanders About...the lyrics seem a little random but sure --A Conjunction of Drones...next --The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!...the arrangements are complex but also seem effortless. it almost makes me angry how easy he makes it all sound --They Are Night Zombies!!...album is long but damn he keeps it interesting --Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All the Way Out in Bushnell...diversion --In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth...sure --The Seer's Tower...pretty and sad --The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders...if you insist on adding a seven minute epic onto an album that's already over an hour long this late in the game, maybe cut out the 30-50 second diversion tracks? that said, this is still good. I'm being nitpicky --Riffs and Variations on a Single Note...speaking of --Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run...pleasant but unnecessary

Come for the completely over the top, ridiculous song titles. Stay for the completely delightful, wonderful listening experience. Perhaps the creative peak of this musical era.

What an amazing album. I’m not even half way through and it’s gonna be a 5’er. I’m glad for a reason to finally listen all the way through.

I loved this so so much

To me, still his best album, showcasing his songwriting, orchestration and arrangement skills in a way that to this day still blows my mind.

I CRIED MYSELF TO SLEEP LAST NIGHT. AND THE GHOST OF CARL, HE APPROACHED MY WINDOW. I WAS HYPNOTIZED. I WAS ASKED TO IMPROVISE ON THE ATTITUDE, THE REGRET OF A THOUSAND CENTURIES OF DEATH👻🪟🪦🎡🐐🛸🧟🎈

aplauso señooooore

Was not expecting such brilliance. Amazing album

My favorite album.

Light hearted. Lots of instruments, kind of folk and cheesy. I’m not exactly sure what mood I need to be able to listen to this. Not exactly my type of music, but I appreciate the artistry. I got through about half of the album.

How not to love Sufjan? This album is enchantingly beautiful, a wonderful trip in time and space through the delightful instrumentations he creates, lovely and nostalgic, vivid and sad atmospheres. Sufjan Stevens is such a great musician, with great taste. And in this Illinois he creates a very poetic – also through the sounds – album. This album is fantastic, very bright from start to end, and how delicious and enchanting it is to listen to it! It's magnificent, for sure.

This record feels like stumbling into a secret, magical parade. What a treat on Christmas! Ambitious, sprawling, and totally earns every second of its runtime. Pure, heart-swelling magic. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions - Half the Album. Seriously.

sufjan <3 in an alternative timeline this is when i'll listen to the album for the 1st time and will fall in love with his music there and then. but i'm in a better timeline where his music is already part of my soul so i get to revisit one of the best albums of all time :) chicago 2005 united states indie folk

Being from the shithole known as Illinois I think I'm legally obligated to give this five stars. And the fact that he made a song about the Rock River Valley, and I live RIGHT BY the Rock River?!?! Excellent 😘

Absolutely amazing. If you close your eyes you start a journey

Some beautiful, heart wrenching songs in here

I found this album interesting and engaging and I did like the vibe and feel of this album, reminiscent of 1960-70’s concept albums. The lyrics and vocal sounds are a bit light and whimsical for me to play on repeat but I did like some of the composition. I did like ‘Chicago’ and reckon this is on some film soundtrack somewhere? I would listen to this again and might check some more of their music.

One of the all time greats from 00s indie!

So good! Great instrumentals, and really fun and deep songs.

Vá bara vá

Wasn’t bad I like the jazzy/folksy qualities. I enjoyed

I love this album, but I haven’t listened straight through in years. Should be fun. * Concerning the new years: such beautiful, simple piano and delicate vocals. * Black Hawk: choral opening is lovely with the tremolo oboes and leading into trumpet/drum march. Great buildup. * Come on: love the piano in the background. Such unique melodies and phrasing. Not even sure how to describe this singing. Is that electric harp???? Maybe just guitar. That last verse is so good. * John Wayne Gacy: haun ting and beautiful. “Oh my guuod…….” * Jacksonville: perhaps my fovorite song on the album. Banjo, the horns, the outro * Decatur: love the banjo and the melody * Chicago: ok, this probably tops Jacksonville. * Casimir Pulaski - personal note: my grandma lived on just off Pulaski street south of chicago. Love the simple guitar and melody. The soft banjo. Love the trumpet interlude. * Man of metropolis: love the rocking intro. Shows he is capable of hard rocking but chooses to be mostly delicate. Choral refrain with only trumpet. Great ending with squeaking electric guitars * Prairie fire: not sure if song or just one of the little transitions… * Predatory wasp: great melody, great song. French horn. Such a soundscape * Zombies: so different. Like the drumbeat start. The Illinois chanting throughout could easily have been more strings like cello. The layers at the end are just incredible. * Seers tower: piano intro is a mood. * Tallest man: another good piano riff intro; this one just ok * Out of Egypt: meh Such a beautiful and unique album. I didn’t mention lyrics much, but some of them are heartbreaking. The incredible layers and soundscapes and delicate moments are all great. Hoping for more sufjan on the list. I have only listened to a few other albums. Wish I had seen him live around this time.

Breathtaking.

Does not need to be this long but there’s some great music on here and some really okay ones too. John Wayne Gacy Jr is breathtaking. The song before it is one of those really well hidden 5/4s and it’s so nice when that happens. These are worse than panic at the disco song titles. It goes into a worse arcade fire/modest mouse mode for a while after that, like not bad but definitely a worse version of the mouse. Very talented song writer for sure, casimir is another one where I’m digging it. Idk this whole thing is very much i like this I think? But it’s not what I’m looking for ever and it’s so similar to a lot of music that I don’t like and then when it’s not it’s a worse version of music that I do like? Very hard to define this thing. Instead of rambling I’m just going to give it its light 4 and move on. Actually I don’t know this thing might be a masterpiece. I can’t tell. Bon Iver clears, mouse clears, but this is an achievement.

My first 5-star rating. This album was my favourite album in the year it was released.

back of the net

GOD

Hermoso disco

Awesome

Sufjan is one of my favorite artists and this album is perfection w its storytelling and really creative framework/themes

Na początku mnie nie wciągnęło, bo słuchałem w hałasie, robiąc coś innego i jeszcze irytując się obecnością mojej matki. Myślałem, że oleję ten album i zapomnę jak o wielu innych. Jednak potem dałem mu więcej czasu oraz uwagi i to była jedna z lepszych decyzji podczas osłuchiwania tej listy. Niesamowity album, na swój sposób wręcz monumentalny. Dzieło niemalże solowe, Stevens grał na tym albumie na kilkunastu różnych instrumentach, skomponował i wyprodukował większość tego materiału sam. A jest to bardzo długi materiał (a i tak część nie dostała się na krążek i była wydawana w późniejszym czasie). Bardzo dużo się dzieje na tym albumie, zarówno tekstowo, jak i muzycznie. Nie jestem fanem tego zadurzenia sobą i samozachwytu amerykańskiej muzyki, ale akurat ta oda do stanu Illinois jest naprawdę ciekawa, urocza i dogłębnie przemyślana. Te rozwleczone tytuły kojarzą mi się z solowym albumem Andre3000 z 2023 roku, "New Blue Sun", ciekawe, czy to bezpośrednia inspiracja. Zresztą długość kompozycji i wielość instrumentów też by mogły wskazywać na inspirację. "John Wayne Gacy Jr." wprawia w dyskomfort, zamykające "Out of Egypt" przywołuje na myśl minimalistyczne kompozycje Maxa Richtera, Steve'a Reicha czy Phillipa Glassa. Zresztą wielokrotnie przywoływano te dwa ostatnie nazwiska jako potencjalne inspiracje dla "Illinois". Bardzo ciekawy krążek, tym bardziej, że to niemal solowy utwór jednego człowieka.

An old favorite that I cannot rate objectively. There are too many songs that I've listened to on repeat to have reaction other that a warm nostalgia

Nostalgia bonus points