Illinois

One of the greatest albums of all time… If you’re not a sour old grinch that hates a little bit of whimsy.

Illinoise by Sufjan Stevens is an amazing album that tells its narrative very well with provoking tracks such as Chicago, John Wayne Gacy, Jr. & Come On! Feel the Illinoise! Easily one of the best albums of the 2000s and a benchmark in the Folk Rock & Indie Pop genres Illinoise is just one of those albums that gets better with each listen because each track has a place in the overarching concept of the album, Illinoise is a perfect puzzle of enjoyability 5/5

Str8 fire. Sufjan can do no wrong

I have been listening to this one for years. I'm a big fan of Sufjans work and this is my favorite of his. Such an incredibly well executed concept for an album.

One of my all time favorites

Sufjan always plays a fine line between being actively irritating and brilliant. The sheer ambition and scale of some of these songs wins the day here. Some very complex harmonic arrangements in the more orchestral songs are spell binding.

A classic. Love it a lot. There was a song in Little Miss Sunshine

was very excited to see this album pop up. I gave it a try a couple years ago, but got distracted and never got around to really finishing it. I’ve always loved the song Chicago, as well as the other tracks I’ve heard, but listening to it in full was a fantastic experience. It is brimming with nostalgia, despite me having no nostalgia for Illinois or this album. It just feels timeless in that way, as well as being one of the most cinematic albums I’ve heard in a long, long time. Definitely feels like it could be a musical, especially with the big-bandy instrumentation and the frequent use of ensemble singing. Favorite songs are definitely come on! Feel the Illinoise!, Chicago, predatory wasp, and zombies. No complaints, brilliant album.

I went to visit some future family in the late summer of 2005 or 2006. I was chatting with a wee fella who was in a band, musically inclined. I asked him for an album recommendation and he suggested this album. This being before the streaming era, I waited until I had a chance to listen to it many weeks later at a music shop. I remember being so excited based on the description of what lie ahead. But when I sampled it, I was not impressed. I’ve had a disappointed view of this album ever since. Using my 1001 rating scale, I probably would have given it 2 stars based off my memory. Well my disappointment has been transposed from this album onto myself. What was I thinking?!? I have missed almost two decades of appreciating Illinois. Maybe I just wasn’t ready for it yet. I’m down with the indie, chamber folk sound. I especially appreciate the variety of instruments, like the trumpet, Wurlitzer, and banjo. Sufjan’s vocals fit the music so well too. While the recording equipment were low-fidelity, a sound I appreciate for this album, the song titles are not. Across 22 songs, there are an average of 14+ words per title (309 total). Track 2 (shortened to The Black Hawk War here) comes in at a whopping 53 words. Jacksonville, the lone 1 word title, is a slacker. It’s as if Sufjan’s ability to intelligently delete layers is offset by an inability to succinctly encompass a song through its title. The album is long, an almost certain complaint from me. But not here, I enjoyed every minute.

Got to see Sufjan on tour for this album! So good. Hadn't listened to it in AGES, I had to listen to it like 4 times in a row lol. And then some of the singles on repeat the rest of the day. Anyway, this one is an easy 5, so easy it's making a lot of my 5s not seem so hot anymore lol. One of my favorite albums ever, top 10 depending on the day I think. A good amount of Philip Glass influence on this album I think, which is obviously amazing. So well orchestrated, arranged, produced. Love it.

Even on a list like this, this is a rare perfect album. The concept is admittedly gimmicky but the breathe and depth of the music and variety of styles makes up for it. Not a single bad track.

i don’t even know why but this just sounds perfect. not sure what it has to do w illinois yet but i’m excited for some more listens

this album is a wonderfully fantastical journey of musical. it made me think of what an album written by kurt vonnegut would sound like. heavy recommend

I loved this at the time but have rarely come back to it. So it was lovely to return to it. It somehow sounds like the original Willy Wonka film. I have very little to back that up, but I promise you. Best song Jacksonville .

Wowza, first time listening to this masterpiece. It is just so beautifully strange, I really really enjoyed this. The names are so long and making them at some points so funny, but also still have a meaning behind them all through the self titled state. Painting such a vivid picture in my head of what he is portraying in the songs with his incredible voice, hitting straight to the core in most songs.

I really, really enjoyed this

”Illinois" by Sufjan Stevens is a masterpiece of folk and indie rock. Released in 2005, the album showcases Stevens' songwriting skills, his unique and soothing vocal style, and his ability to weave complex stories into his music. The album's 22 tracks are named after different cities and stories from Illinois, and each song explores the history, culture, and mythology of its namesake location. From the infectious pop hooks of "Chicago" to the haunting introspection of "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.," Stevens takes the listener on a journey through the heartland of America, offering a unique and personal perspective on its people, places, and stories. Stevens' arrangements are lush and intricate, featuring a wide range of instruments including banjo, trumpet, and strings. His lyrics are deeply poetic, with a rich sense of imagery and metaphor that draws the listener into each song's world. And his voice, fragile and intimate, is the perfect vessel for delivering these powerful messages. Illinois sets apart from other albums is its emotional depth. Stevens tackles weighty topics like death, grief, and loneliness with a raw honesty that is both heartbreaking and inspiring. He doesn't shy away from the difficult aspects of life, but rather embraces them and uses them to create something beautiful. It is an album that demands to be listened to from beginning to end, and one that rewards the listener with something new and profound with each subsequent listen. Simply an incredible experience.

Certified indie Classic Listened to best during autumn

That's very good. Very different from what I was expecting, but good nonetheless

Heaven Music. Every sound every word touches my soul. Whether alone or in a crowd, SS comforts me.

Revisiting this record was a treat. I remember feeling a bit confused by its length and overall concept at the time of its release, along with the sprawling details of its orchestration. Turns out *Illinois* aged like fine wine, actually, and that what's most important in it are the heartbreaking melodies and sheer poetry of the lyrics. Not that the concept behind this album is not aptly conveyed as well if you pay a little attention. What struck me the most in that regard is the influence of Steve Reich and Philip Glass over many arrangements here, and how fitting such influences are when you want to write an elegy about American popular culture. Yet, I repeat, the album doesn't only work in "intellectual" ways. In spite of their lush arrangements, many songs in this record actually foretell the pure emotions of the pared-down masterpiece *Carrie And Lowell* (released 10 years after this one). And without such emotions, this sort of grand project would be pointless. If you delve into Stevens' discography, it's quite obvious that he is not always consistent in the way he channels his instincts and incredible skills as a musician and a songwriter. But the two LPs we're talking about here are essential for sure. And it's not the opinion of Bon Jovi fans (such as the one responsible for the "review" currently heading the responses to *Illinois*) that will convince anyone they're not. Once again, this is not a matter of "low-brow" or "high-brow" tastes (that sort of dichotomy is broadly the only point that this Sufjan Stevens hater is expressing in that review of his--and honestly, it's a little misleading.). What matters the most is discerning what good songwriting is. There's a lot of good straightforward songwriting in albums that are supposedly "low-brow", of course. But that doesn't objectively mean you can't find any similar straightforward qualities in works that are far more complex or intricate at first glance. And *Illinois* is a perfect illustration for this sort of situation. Number of albums left to review: 654 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 174 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 82 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 96

Fantastic album, I'm finding it hard to think about things to say about it, because this one runs really deep for me. "Casimir Pulaski Day" was one of the first songs I learned on guitar back in the day. Some just devastating songs that will make you cry, in particular "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." and "Casimir Pulaski Day." I mean, several masterpieces: "Come On! Feel the Illinoise", "Jacksonville", "Chicago." Is there some fluff on here? Does it get to long? Of course it's 77 minutes! But it's more than worth that time spent and it deserves its place in the canon.

5 stars. What can I say.

I admit to not really being able to get into Sufjan's style ever in my years since hearing about the guy. After years of associating "Chicago" with a pretty rough relationship back in high school it was hard for me to hear these songs without immediately dismissing them for one reason or another. Sufjan falls into the camp of music that sounds like it's made for the stage, made for a "show" so to speak. That is a camp of music that is so hard for to mesh with (as I have written about now in numerous reviews). However, this time upon listening I realized how naive I was to just write this off and never give it an honest shot. So this album review club gave me a chance to try it. And man I am glad I did. This album is a masterpiece. So many stories that go deep into the history of Illinois, so much creative musicianship, so many beautiful little moments (one of my favorite tracks is "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." talk about a beautiful moment about something so disgustingly terrible). From start to finish there are tracks that seem deliberate, tracks that contribute to the Illinois ethos. I admittedly only listened once with a few songs on in the background while cooking, but even that one single time is enough for me to realize the importance of this album. It's works like this one that most definitely belong on this list. This album can be enjoyed by damn near anyone and DESERVES to be listened to by damn near everyone given the amount of effort Sufjan clearly put into it. This dude is on a whole nother level. 5/5 from me.

So great! Absolutely loved the sound and I have nearly no complaints, especially with how cohesive it feels as an album.

Joey said it best in several texts to me today: 12:38p OK musically this album is super well done but i feel like I’m watching schoolhouse rock or something 12:47p John Wayne Gacy, Jr. damn. What a beautiful and dark track 12:56p Ok maybe this album is extremely epic and is one of the most important singer songwriter works of the 21st century 5/5

I mean. It's spectacular. Ambitious. An artist who took the idea of "concept album" and ran so hard his legs fell off. Insane to think that he wanted to do one of these for each of the 50 States. It's too long! But... damn. Small sacrifice for such a complete work.

Illinois is lush with instrumentation and literate lyrics. Without demystifying the breath and depth of topics Sufjan covers, often grandiose anthems about petty statehood historical trivialities, it would be neglectful to not mention "Casimir Pulaski Day". The song offers a heart wrenching tale about a girl with bone cancer, augmented with only Stevens' raw emotion and a banjo. "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." which is a ballad about a serial killer, is performed with somber finger picked guitar. Its muted narrative offers no defense for this murderer's exploits. But suddenly at the end of the song, Stevens muses, "And in my best behavior/I am really just like him," a heart wrenching admission. With that said, there is the unshakable feeling that those song titles, as long as they are, come off as a pretentious artist decision. I can't give it a perfect score singlehandedly because of it. In addition, the 74min runtime is a fair endurance test. Both are minor nitpicks. But it remains amazing. A singer/songwriter achievement.

Immaculate

This shit is ethereal. So so beautiful, well put together, and just perfect. So many little hidden piece of information in the lyrics. The pipes, drums, guitars, keys, the background singers, all of it just perfectly working harmonising gracefully together making the best of the best music. THIS is what theatre kid music is and its brilliant. It almost made me feel sad and almost cry of John Wayne Gacy, but then quickly reminded me of his atrocities, whiplashing me in feelings. Easily has become one of my favourite albums and I will check out more of his stuff. 10/10

This album is fucking marvelous

Sufjan Stevens makes timeless music that manages to be super clean but full-sounding at the same time. Chicago is one of my favorite songs.

Wow. Imagine if Sufjan had done this 50 times.

Love this album, so full of musical variation and meditative lyrics.

This is a wonderful album. Each to their own and if you prefer loud Indy, Rapping or Thrash then I suggest this isn't for you. It's quiet, introverted and orchestral in places. I like Indy, Rappers and Thrash but I also like this.

one of my favorite albums ever, love the production and the lyrics are amazing

Song #3 was good

Used to listen to this in highschool

Just a beautiful album with so much depth, hooks and range.

One of my favourite albums, just fantastic

I adore this album, everything about it is just utterly gorgeous.

An eclectic masterpiece. I'll die salty that the 50 States project was just a publicity gimmick

Beautiful poetic lyrics sung with a wonderful harmonic voice. Lush arty melodies and arrangements. Over and hour long but flows by effortlessly.

I would have to say that Sufjan Stevens is my favourite indie artist. And although he has quite a few doozies out there, Illinoise is probably my favourite album of his. His brand of chamber indie pop is marked by quirky lyrics, weird time signatures and the judicious use of horns, strings and vocal choir that produces a chaotic disjointed sound, but somehow it all flows together so well. Like a good wine with complex notes and multiple layers his music may take a few listenings to get into your head, but once it does, its remarkable.

Htjela sam ga poslusat par puta da se uvjerim da je petica.

Brilliant

Great album. Great lad. He clearly loves Jesus very much!

excellent album. Definitely want to listen some more to this one.

The mid-late aughts were the absolute peak of indie rock and this album is a perfect example. A TITAN of the genre. So much instrumental variety but all so beautiful with witty, deep lyrics throughout.

Hadn’t listened to this one forever. Love!!!

This is the quintessential Sufjan Stevens album

I liked it

Another of my favourite albums, but I'll try and give it a closer listen to see if I hear anything fresh... Wow, I'm really glad I did give it a full and fresh listen, because I just realised that I've been neglecting the second half of the album for a while now. I had forgotten how beautiful "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades" and "The Tallest Man..." are. Not to mention the last song, which was weirdly the first song I ever listened to from this album, on my sister's iPod shuffle if I remember correctly! There are too many fantastic songs ( and their titles are too damn long) on this album for me to list them all here. But I will say that Jacksonville, Decatur, and Casmir Pulaski Day are some of my favourite songs ever. I often get snippets from these songs (and others from this album) randomly stuck in my head as I go about my day. The instrumentation, vocals and harmonies throughout the album are all delightful. The historical references in the lyrics are so specific that its often hard to get the full meaning without looking things up, but that just adds another element for me. Over all a perfect 10 album, in my opinion.

Great one!

Love it!

Really enjoyed this whole album. Light chill music with a variety of instruments. stevens has a great soft voice. I liked the use of the piano and flute

- Already own on vinyl - Best Sufjan album - Top 10 album of 21st century

Sadly goated. Sounds like you're in a small town in the corn fields of Illinois

One of the albums of all time PREFS: TOUT MOINS PREF: RIEN

Nice concept album, that is a welcome surprise in this 1001 albums generator. An instant classic for me.

I fucking love Sufjan Stevens. Subtle vocals, subtle guitar. It all comes together in such a wonderfully done package. It’s 90 mins that flies by.

I have loved Sufjan ever since a friend put "For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" as her MySpace song in 2006. I prefer his Michigan album for obvious reasons, and I think basically all of his work is brilliant, but Illinoise remains his biggest "hit". Hard to pick a favorite track, but John Wayne Gacy Jr. has some of the most fucked up lyrics I've ever heard.

This is absolutely excellent

will stevens end up as the poster boy of the aughts indie scene? is he already? will he be the face of music in general from the aughts? i'd go with probably, maybe, and unlikely but wouldn't surprise me. in the indie scene only arcade fire, new pornographers, bon iver, the walkmen, and the hold steady can make a case. in the overall category there's a tad more competition, but he's still got a punchers chance.

This is really the only Sufjan album I’m familiar with but it’s a stunningly beautiful and staggeringly ambitious piece of art that would be incredibly difficult to reproduce. The fact that he had ever planned to do an album for each state is completely fucking bonkers.

Beautifully composed album that I wish I knew of before today. Even the banjo doesn't turn me off, there's definitely something to be said for tasteful banjoplucking as opposed to the usual disgusting twang *spits*. Love the Cure call backs and all of the beautifully arranged horn accompaniments. Fillled me with positivitand optimism.

Illinoice

I found the first listen quite enjoyable and was thinking a 4 with Chicago a highlight. Second listen Jacksonville, Decatur, Casimir Pulaski Day also stood out and the the whole album just felt so lovely.

Quintessential

Front to back great.

9/10 really good

9/10. Likely even a 10/10 on a relisten. The song titles felt a little too shot though.

Was a lovely surprise.

This is a beautiful beautiful album. Gently and inspiring, melodic and touching. Heard many of these tracks live but together on this album they fit so well together. A great concept

03/11/2022 One of my favorite albums.

Wow this album is amazing. It’s so different, but not “out there”. Honest music with a Bob Dylan feel. I don’t know what I feel, but I feel different listening to this album. Will definitely listen again.

Low 5, Really hit the mark for me, but not sure what the mark was

This is my current favorite album. Sufjan Stevens is a master of weaving history, emotion, place, and music together into an unassailable whole. His instrumentation is expansive enough to accompany his diversity in lyrical content and his use of melody rank him among the best. This album means a lot to me personally, but it’s the cinematic, suite-like, textured, ambitious whole that brings me back.

listened to many times his best album, imo

Uma-obra prima! Não achei outra forma de definir esse álbum. 1h14 minutos de pura contemplação. Pelo o que li, as músicas falam sobre o Estado de Illinois, contando acontecimentos marcantes do lugar. Os títulos são geniais também!

Bom pra escutar trabalhando

Genre: Chamber Pop 5/5 Sufjan Stevens put a lot of effort into this record, and it pays off big time, as Illinois is one of the best pop albums from the last 20 years. While I was certainly on my way to give this a 4, the album never got old, never got boring, and always sounded fresh and engaging. From the opener to the outro, this thing is chock-full of gorgeous pop arrangements, beautiful production, and immaculate songwriting. Although Sufjan certainly had some strings/brass help throughout this project, Sufjan pulls a McCartney and plays nearly every instrument completely by himself. His bass playing alone should give you all you need to know in terms of his playing prowess, the guy can play. Shades of the Beatles, Donovan, and the Beach Boys, Sufjan Stevens used all of his influences to knock this thing out of the park. Wrigley Field, I guess. Come On! Feel The Illinoise!, Chicago, and The Tallest Man… are some of my favs from my first listen, but I’m sure this will reward repeat listens, and a few of these songs will end up forever favorites. Really great record.

Never heard of this artist before. I knew the song Chicago but not who sung it. This is an excellent album and one I will return to and recommend to others.

Sublime album - somehow been avoiding it but it’s a masterpiece

Heard before

love it.

Testing.

Liked it. Had heard it a few times.

all my homies love sufjan stevens. i actually did not remember a lot of songs on this album and its very fun to revisit

Really nice melodies and pacing. The background chorus is really good.

Already one of my all time favorite albums. Have listened to it many times, was fortunate enough to see Sufjan in concert when he was touring this album. Saw him again on the Carrie and Lowell tour.

Sufjan Stevens' Illinois(e) is an interesting musical journey through the core of a songwriter's beliefs. The Christian undertones are there without ever being in your face. Chicago is an amazing tune (a masterpiece perhaps) and the highlight of the album but certainly not the only song worth mentioning. The opening track sets the mood for the album. A beautiful ballad all played by Sufjan containing the haunting line "history involved itself" which for some reason gets me every time I hear it. Come on feel the Illinoise picks up the mood. It seems to be about the 1893 worlds fair in Colombia. Also could be about the divide between art and commerce. I could go on about the rest of the album but this would be a long winded review and the treasures on hear should be explored by the listener. This album needs multiple listens to fully sink in.

This is already one of my favorite albums from Sufjan, definitely appreciate an excuse to listen to it today!

Super cool album! Was initially nervous, but man, Stevens brings indie to a whole new level. Enjoyed thoroughly.

Ambitious and sprawling. This one grew on me as I listened, so I went back for a second dose and it still felt fresh. Has to be considered a modern classic. Best track: Chicago

Was soll ich sagen ausser diesem Ding nahezu die Perfektion zu attestieren, die es anstrebt, aber dadurch minimal weniger verdient, als späteres und für viele zu viel überfrachtetes "Age of Ads", in welchem Sufjan beweist, was er in "Illionis" (wie auch "Michigan") geradewegs andeutet: statt Singer / Songwriter ist er ein wahrer Composer ! Sobald man das verinnerlicht und die early years ("Seven Swans") und aktuelle Anbiederung ("Carrie and Lowell") als umfassende Klammer ausklammert, wird hier schnell klar, was diese quirky Kreidestimme mit treuer Gefolgschaft zu schaffen im Stande ist. Klar, Repetition in der Struktur mag ermüden, aber wird nicht Schicht für Schicht draufgebuttert? Zu Traurigkeit & introspektiver Dunkelheit ("John Wayne Gaycey Jr.") viel Liebe ("Chicago") und Gottesfürchtigkeit vor der Allgegenwärtigkeit des Todes ("Casimir Pulaski Day") in die Marmelade eingekocht wird das Ganze eingemacht; haltbar, über Jahre, Jahrzehnte, vielleicht ein Leben. Ich mache bislang immer wieder gerne ein Gläschen auf, es hält mich lebendig, es macht mich immer wieder klar und auch wenn ich den Geschmack nur allzu gut kenne, mich fast dran überfressen habe...ich brauche es, um über jeden Winter zu kommen. 4.9

Nice to listen to this again

Indie chamber prog? I’m a fan.

Epic tender melancholia with cheer creeping in

Awesome album, Chicago stands out.

I recognize there is some hypocrisy in praising this album when it hits a lot of the same criteria that I nailed Soundgarden to the wall for just last week, not to mention all the "psychedelic" rock I've lost patience with. Album longer than it needs to be? Probably. Tracks that run well past five minutes without much tonal distinction? Sure. Lyrics that are trying to be deep, but don't seem sincere? Very objective, but I could see it. I can't tell you what the difference is here. Maybe it's the exceptional production. Maybe it's the track titles that inject the perfect amount of levity and bring you in on the joke. Maybe it's more palatable to my Millennial tastes, alongside a recognition that maybe rock isn't an appropriate genre for every application. Whatever the case, this album worked hard for me.

Humorous, heartbreaking, groovy, beautiful. Such an enjoyable listen. Really, really unique.

shockingly good. the third song and Chicago are great songs and the whole album is kinda a vibe. Definitely an album to come back to 4.5/5

Incredibly easy to listen to from start to finish. Had previously had a few Sufjan Stevens songs but the album as a whole was a great listen

very good and sexy

Well I've not really ever listened to Sufjan, but I like this so far and I'm only on song 3. As long as the rest of the album holds up, I can see giving this a 4 or 5. Ok I was told this might get depressing, yeah I can see it in song 10. I like the sounds a lot. Yes. A 5.

Amazing

This album is a masterpiece.

muito show de bola curti bastante

none

Sufjan en estado primigenio. Mágico como siempre, folk pop maravilloso y melódico. Genial

Varsin megalomaaninen teos aina kappaleiden nimiä myöten. Sufjan on epäilemättä jonkin sortin musiikillinen nero niin säveltämisen kuin useamman instrumentin hallitsemisen puolesta. Hyvän kontrastin monimuotoisiin sävellyksiin tuo miehen hyvin rauhallinen ja miellyttävä lauluääni. Ensimmäinen itselle ennaltaan tuntematon artisti ja levy, minkä kohdalla nappasin koko levyn talteen myöhempää kuuntelua varten.

Una maravilla de disco, no he podido parar de escucharlo. Me ha encantado

Realmente único, creo es la mejor forma de hablar de este disco, no hay nada que se le parezca ni en su música ni en su concepto. Música muy variada y en todos los casos bien pensada y armada, sencilla cuando debe de serlo o elaborada y bombástica en otras ocasiones, sin sentirse forzado en ninguno de los casos. La orquestación realmente inventiva desde el inicio del disco no para de sentirse creatividad cambiante que mantiene un mismo concepto. La idea original de hacer un disco para cada estado de los EE.UU. y terminar con 50 discos obviamente era absurda, aunque al escuchar este en realidad termina uno con ganas de que fuera un proyecto real. Se siente el trabajo y la investigación sobre el estado que realizó, hay tantas referencias que más de una vez me lanzó a Wikipedia a investigar de qué hablaba, siempre terminando en algún tema que fue interesante y, aun así, terminé con muchas que me hubiera gustado entender. No conocía nada de Sufjan Stevens, de hecho en mi cabeza el nombre en algún momento se mezcló y confundió con Matisyahu (que no me agrada) y nunca puse su música. Que bueno que este ejercicio me ha hecho corregir ese error, con este disco y después de leer un poco sobre él me quedan bastantes ganas de conocer algo más sobre sus proyectos. Nunca creí que habría un disco concepto que hablara de Superman, Chicago, la esposa de Lincoln, avistamientos de OVNIS y John Wayne Gacy que pudiera ser tan bueno y cohesivo. Por cierto esa canción de John Wayne Gacy realmente lúgubre y con un final de mensaje un poco inesperado. En realidad estaba pensando en contras que ponerle para no dar un 5 y sería buscar minucias, la verdad es que la música, las letras, el concepto, todo me parece excelente y creo que a pesar de serme totalmente desconocido hasta hace unos días, para mí si se gana el 5.

2000-luvun alun merkittävimpiä levyjä, joka tulee löytymään pitkään klassikkolevylistauksilta. Jos Oasiksen (Whats the story) Morning Glory oli itselläni 1990-luvun kuunnelluimpia levyjä niin tämä on aika lähellä samaa 2000-luvulta. Lumoavaa äänimaisemien maalailua, joka pitää otteessaan levyn alusta loppuun.

cinematic / amazing

A surprise

Very pleasant.

Odd sound, but I like it. I like \"Chicago.\" good, solid album.

Great album would have give it a 5 if a little shorter as runs out of steam near the end

All Things Go: lovely album

It’s long but it’s really great

Yeah, that was really lovely.

Tästä ei paljon Life is Strange -indie parane! Mua ärsytti pitkään Sufjanin musassa se miten samalta kaikki biisit kuulosti. Aattelin että joka biisi on vaan Travis pickingiä akkarilla ja päälle ilmavaa hoilailua surullisista asioista. Oon toki jo tovin tienny että näin ei oo, mutta tää levy todistaa asian tosi hienosti. Upean monipuolinen levy ja kokonaisuus on aikamoinen matka. Oon vielä tätä kirjottaessakin vähän epävarma että annanko nelosen vai vitosen, mut joka tapauksessa aivan todella makee levy kyseessä!

Oon kuunnellu tätä verrattain vähän moneen muuhun Sufjanin albumiin verrattuna. Siinä mielessä oli kiva et oli just tää levy. Mut toisaalta tähän oli näköjään aika vaikee keskittyä. En saanut kertaakaan kuunneltua yhdeltä istumalta alusta loppuun. Mut pidän valtavasti artistista ja hänen tyylistään. Pisteissä tällä kertaa aimo annos puolueellisuutta 😅

a really quite lovely set of arrangements and some expressive lyric writing, fatally undermined by a poorly supported and breathy vocal presentation

Tough one to evaluate: On the one hand, the 3-song stretch in the middle with Decatur-Chicago-Pulaski Day is about as good a stretch as it's possible to have. On the other hand, everything else is ... well, if it was just "meh", this would be a 5, but a lot of it is irritatingly twee. Whoever said this is the Wes Anderson of albums was dead-on: When it's on, it's phenomenal, and in exactly the same way: Poignantly sad without being overwrought or maudlin. To further the analogy, the 3-song stretch above is Rushmore-Tennenbaums-Budapest Hotel. When it's off, it's not forgettable, it's quite annoying. I'm giving it a 4, but it's really 3 5's (and high-5's at that), a bunch of 2's and a few 1's.

I liked this one. I'd listen to it again on a lazy Sunday morning or rainy afternoon

This took me away!! How cute, lovely melodies, very nice riffs. Loved this.

I get a little bugged by the 2000s twee shit like this but a lot of it is sincerely beautiful.

I remember really enjoying this when it first came out and circling back it still holds up for me. I like the instrumentation the most and thought the idea of one concept album per state was clever (but impossible to complete). My faves on this are: “Decatur”, “come on feel the Illinois’s!”, “Chicago”, “Casimir Pulaski day”, but there’s more hits than misses and most are above average.

Esto es lo que espero encontrar en este listado. No será mi música más preferida, pero es una experiencia completa que si no estuviera en esta tarea, no hubiera conocido.

own

I was surprised that I liked this. I went in without expectations having heard the name but not being able to remember any tracks from Sufjan Stevens. It continues my current generator trend of atmospheric/gentle type albums, but this is more than that with some stylistically different tracks. Quite a long album but some of the last of the 22 tracks are less than a minute long so that passed quickly and I found myself mildly disappointed that it was over. It is an album that I found myself wondering that if I listened to it once a week for a year would I love it more having explored it's intricacies or be now bored shitless by it. I also wonder if I'm rating it highly as my last several albums have been bland.... If I don't get something more solid soon I might have to mainline Acca Dacca.

Casimir Pulaski Day is almost definitely NOT about the Polish war hero and day off school for Chicago kids! I took a roadtrip to Michigan this summer and put on that album. It was a lot more drab and dreary than I remembered, but still great. I cried several times haha. Illinoise, on the other hand, is full of whimsy. It’s got a lot of great songs, like Chicago, Illinois, Jacksonville, Decatur, and Metropolis. It’s also got a lot of filler, looking at you Mary Todd and all you other song snippets with obnoxiously long titles. There’s also the sad serial killer song. My sister-in-law owns an original clown painting of Gacy’s and it is horrifying. I wanted to give this a 5, but looking back there’s a lot of songs I regularly skipped on the CD

Ik vind de muziek van Sufjan altijd wel wat boselfachtigs hebben. Bij mij komt ook altijd een beeld van Orpheus naar boven.

Hmmm, Sufjan Stevens staat er 1 keer in en helaas niet met mijn favoriet. Ken dit album ook best aardig dus het was wel even makkelijke sessie. Veel compositie en instrumenten. De toewijding van het onderzoek zowel cultureel en muziekaal bij het maken van het album is wel bijzonder. Er staan ontzettend veel mooie nummers op die ik veel heb geluistert. Vind het soms wel net een te brave jongen, nooit een grapje, iets cynisch of sarcastisch, het is allemaal serieus en gevoelig en beetje quasi-religieus. Ben het eens qua cijfer met Arie 4 voor dit 5 voor Carrie & Lowell.

Altijd wel een momentje, maandag de werkweek begint weer. Ook deze challenge voelt als werken zo nu en dan, maar dit album voelt gelukkig ook wel als een verlengd weekend. Een beetje als een tweede paasdag. Ik maak de lijst natuurlijk niet, maar het is natuurlijk een grote schande dat Carrie & Lowell er niet in staat. Ik zal dit album dan wel op waarde raten, maar niet zonder te benoemen dat dat toch wel 5 sterren had mogen hebben. Persoonlijk ben ik Sufjan Stevens erg dankbaar voor zijn muziek. In het verleden heb ik een relatie gehad met iemand met wie ik maar weinig raakvlakken had. Ook qua muziek was het vaak erg moeilijk om een common ground te vinden. Maar gelukkig was daar Sufjan Stevens die de spanning wegnam. Tien jaar zit er tussen dit album en Carrie & Lowell. In die tijd heeft Sufjan zich enorm ontwikkeld. Illinois is groot, uitbundig en ambitieus,(en een tikkeltje te lang) terwijl Carrie & Lowell veel kleiner en persoonlijker is. Voor mij werkt die latere, ingetogen stijl beter. Illinois is absoluut een goed album, maar waar Carrie & Lowell voor mij 5 sterren is, komt dit op 4.

You know if this was a project about the provinces he could have a chance to complete it.extremely strong folk blues soft rock album. Writing titles like PATD, all things go is a standout

It's Sufian Stevens Illinois, an album I absolutely thrashed when it came out. Love it.

so so gorgeous

love an album about my home state ❤️

SUFJAN STEVENS NEVER FRICKING MISSING WITH HIS PRODUCTION

This is an excellent album. I had never heard of Sufjan Stevens, but this was a very nice surprise. I like concept albums, and I found this "Illonois-based" project highly interesting. It is varied (both lyrically and musically) and the arrangements are really good. I tend to dislike long albums, but I really enjoyed this one. Some songs I particularly enjoyed: "Concerning the UFO...", "John Wayne Gacy, Jr", "Jacksonville", "Chicago" or "Casimir Pulaski Day". Overall, a very solid 4 star album (which may reach 5 stars after further listens).

Already liked the begining, very instrumental. Maybe too instrumental... some sounds are distracting me from the melody. A big fan of Jacksonville, Chicago and the Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts (stole my heart). Overall a great album. (4.1/5)

Crazy to have a John Wayne Gacy song that high in the tracklist and it still bangs

I loved the arrangements and level of detail. The melodies were great and his voice is versatile. Hard to find flaws. I didn't like how it was a little too mellow sometimes and it felt too much like a theater performance at times. which isn't my thing. otherwise great album

There is absolutely great reason why this is such an acclaimed album. It is universally beautiful, with a lot of care for arrangements, and masterful songwriting. It is a rollercoaster ride, with fast transitions from the hopeful 'Chicago' to the heartwrenching 'Casimir Pulaski's Day'. While I prefer some other parts of his discography, i.e. 'Seven Swans', this is an easy inclusion. 9/10 [KEEP]

Basically the epitome of what you're looking for in an indie-folk project. Great lyrics, nice melodies, and a warm sound that is a perfect ode to the midwest. Loved the minimalist classical influence peeking through. Will be listening again.

This is an excellent album. It has a theatrical quality, is very well composed, and features many great tunes.

this was very fun and theatrical

Unbelievably ambitious, without being hubristic. I wasn't in on the joke at the time so for a little while at least, I seriously thought we'd have dozens more of these to look forward to. It's crazily long but somehow that doesn't matter too much. The levels of interest, quality and dynamic range are at times so startling that this record can just about get away with anything. In most settings, this level of pure-intentioned earnestness would be somewhat cringeworthy, but it skirts all that and is just charmingly, disarmingly open. It's kind of a healing experience; from the opening note you're aware of being in the presence of something delicate, strange, and special. Casimir Pulaski Day might be the zenith, and the record does fall off a bit from then onwards but what a run up to get there. Astonishing.

2026-08-31. I went into this with a bit of an unfair prejudice, expected less but after all I am indeed pleasantly surprised. This is quite a multilayered affair. Despite this, I haven't had time during my holiday to listen to this fully so I won't be rating this work yet! 2026-09-07: Finally, yes - I get it. This is indeed a great album where almost every song is like it's own world, caputed in vignette. Just makes me a bit sad to think how many albums I might have "missed" by my usual routine of listening to the album in the morning and rating it later on during the day as some works just have to grow on you. So this is easy 4 stars and probably 4.5 on RYM. 2nd half maybe not as strong so doesn't quite reach the top mark, but it's great!

honestly really touching. wasn't into it much to begin with and then about halfway through chicago it clicked for me. long but worth the listen

It’s really great but I’ve always preferred Seven Swans

Intéressant, les noms des musiques sont surprenants mais bien trouvés

I’ve previously heard of Sufjan Stevens and my first impression of this album was how pretty and pleasant it was to listen to. I don’t have any ties to Illinois so a lot of this was over my head, but I enjoyed the concept all the same. Track 3 was the immediate standout, but I really enjoyed the listen throughout. Chicago also grabbed me. This album left me wanting to dig deeper and explore more.

The first half of this album is like magic, unlike anything I have ever heard, but then, the second half, it kinda is a bit too much, too long I guess? It takes away a bit of the magic...

yeah i heard of this guy..... i think i might've listened to age of adz once maybe? that was a while ago tho and i do not remember it so... im basically going in fresh.. this album is pretty good. ive complained about rolling "sad whiteboy music" throughout the summer but at this point it's finally feeling autumnal enough outside for the vibe to line up, just about. so i enjoyed this one. i think my favourite tracks are "john wayne gacy, jr.", "chicago" "they are night zombies..." and "out of egypt..." (great tracks and incredible track names but buddy i am not typing all that shit out), although gun to my head i could not explain why they stood out above the rest to me. its pretty varied throughout so it's a bit hard to compare the tracks like that, yknow? i think overall the only real complaint i have is that it's so damn long, but honestly? i could see this album pushing through that into 5 star territory if it hit me at the right moment. its a good sound!

A+ plus title. A fun, frightening and hauntingly beautiful pieces of music. I’d like to visit Sufjan Stevens’ mind and Illinois, but I wouldn’t want to live in either. It’s such a cool thing to feel like you’re traversed a state’s whole history after listening to an album.

There are several very cool songs in the album, but some others are too soft. And yet, most of the melodies are amazing, greatly composed. 3,5/5.

Good but I’d rather listen to Javelin

I quite enjoy this but I think it is because I live in Illinois

The 2000 were grand big sound indie. These guys are NMHish

Very nice album. Definitely need to listen to it again.

Had this CD in high school. Everyone went fucking nuts over this album when it came out. It’s clearly an accomplishment, and the mix of styles blend very well together. Somber, upbeat, punkish, orchestral. So very good. I never like how Sufjan pulled a “jk lol” and gave up on the rest of the 48 states as albums. Though clearly a publicity stunt in hindsight, it always left a bad taste in my mouth, and I never listened to him after that.

What a journey of an album. Though it didn't 100% connect with me and had just too much filler for my liking, there's no denying the musicianship and excellent composition of each song. A remarkable amount of highly engaging material for an indie-pop album. Not something I thought would connect with me, but overall very pleasantly surprised. Top tracks: Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (Part I: "The World's Columbian Exposition" / Part II: "Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream"), They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!, The Seer's Tower

Was not expecting much. Never heard of. However I was very pleasantly surprised. Would listen to again. I do believe one benefits from listen to the alblum in its entirety. One or two songs don't carry the alblum but collectively the songs make this an above average alblum.

Great (4.5)

It'd be nice if this was 3 stars because then I could have wrote "Three starrrss" like he sings in the first song but it's more than that .

Sufjan captures a space somewhere between aw inspiring urban grandiosity and painfully sincere personal moments across this stunningly composed project.

Súper interesante. Me encanta

I encountered this many years ago, not sure how or why. Very interesting and different, I was glad for the reexposure.

One of the best from an era and genre that also spawned Death Cab For Cutie, Peter, Bjorn & John, Iron & Wine, M. Ward, Bright Eyes, and Elliott Smith.

good, so silly but fun. very long though and took me quite a while to finish it all and that’s just so annoying with the nature of this “album a day” thing lmao

wonderful road-trip theatre-folk that posits the midwest as the site of everything uniquely american: ambition and evil, great towers and huge swathes of empty space. as in any great road-trip, there are lulls - interstitial bits, meandering tracks, a time a good while through when you wish it could just be over - but, like any good road-trip, at least half of it feels like touching the face of god

This is pretty unique. Ethereal, quirky and lovely in equal measure. An impressive display of musical ability coupled with soft vocals. It does drift off a bit in parts and doesn't always grasp you but when it does, it's a joy. 3.5/5.

It is poetry in motion and it moves a bit too long to reall truly appreciate but you can see and feel the masterpiece here. I will add more

I remember listening to Illinois in college and particularly taking a liking to "Chicago." In that sense, it still holds up for me (but it's probably the nostalgia factor).

8/10

🎤🎸🎈🌃🐐

I actually liked this. It a bit orchestra and whimsical but nice.

Seth - 3.7/5 Logan - 3.5/5

07/31 Pretty good

Did not know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it. Some really cool songs on here.

First of all I'm surprised how I have completely slept on this! I like many things about it, perfect crisp production, the Sam Beam-like singing, the fun and surprising instrumentation and resemblance to Belle & Sebastian. There are a few things I dont quite like, the lack of vocal dynamics and the brutal length of the album and that it is too "pretty", I long for some rawness. However I'm glad I was introduced to Sufjan and his universe!

I’ve listened to some of this album before and I loved it The ending of John Wayne Gacy Jr gave me chills The album is sooo long

7/10. Not a very fan of his voice, some songs are catchy and the artistic direction behind the album is very interesting. I can feel the depth that Stevens wanted to give to the album, with the use of several classic instruments from the city. I'll keep a few songs in mind

OK Casimir Pulaski Day is a gem, I almost cried. The rest I WANT to like. The songs are all insanely original but they are not coherent enough to form an album. And I think they could have tried harder to make actual songs out of their ideas. After 2 listens I'm somehow attached but not enough so it's landing on my playlist.

Listened to it before, beautiful album

Another songwriter, armed only with an unhealthy fascination for the Midwest, would not be able to find emotional ballast to ground the whimsy and grandeur of the (wonderful) arrangements; fortunately, Stevens has a deeper well to draw from. TERMINALLY CLOSETED/10

Mye bra, men for mye orkestralt tullball. Plusspoeng for nostalgifaktor, og de beste låtene står seg.

Mid 2000s indie folk masterpiece. However it is far too long

Good album

interesante concepto

i don't really like this style of music but i can see good art when it's presented to me. Would I listen again: nah Deserves to be on this list: yes 3.9

Such a beautiful album that unfortunately I haven't fully fallen in love with yet, but I'm certain I will one day. Definitely was nice to revisit after so long. Favorite track: Come On! Feel the Illinoise!

Weird and gorgeous

Once a favorite, not so much any longer (in general but also wrt to Sufjan; nowdays I much prefer Age of Adz, which would probably get a spot in my top 10 overall, if not higher). Still, many of the songs do move and thrill. Come On! Feel the Illinois!… will never not be as fun as the title suggest (and then as Sufjanistically sad as expected).

very fun and interesting project, would recommend

It's over long and has some very silly song names, but overall Illinois just about gets a four from me. It's not Age of Adz, which is the only Sufjan Stevens album that truly impresses me, but it's fun enough.

Loved the horns, loved the whimsy! 4 stars

The two best songs have little to do with their titles, but it doesn’t matter. The rest of the album is amazing, and if you read the lyrics you might learn something—unless you’re from Illinois. The natives will smile at all of the references and wonder why this isn’t used in Civics classes alongside that Billy Joel song.

Very annoying at first, but eventually bludgeoned me into acceptance with its relentless, aggressive sweetness. It makes Belle and Sebastian seem like Pantera, but it conquered me nonetheless.

Sufjan Stevens does more than invite us into Illinoise, he wraps us around the story and sound of the state while showing up this theatrical view of just how wonderful it is in his little world. I can totally understand why people collectively love this project so much because it is just so musical in the best way possible. What I also love is that this album can switch up moods in a heartbeat with John Wayne Gacy, Jr. I don't know how Sufjan is able to sound so pleasant but also so grim at the same time but he does it perfectly there. The different stories all weaving together shows just how much life there is in Illinoise in such a beautifully abstract way. If I could change one thing I would shrink or remove all the interludes and just throw them onto other songs, but even then they all sound good at worst and I just wish they didn't bloat the tracklist so much. I feel another relisten will very much be due for this album, but I still think it was great this time around. I do also think people overhype this a bit much but we will see how well it fairs off during my final ranking of his discography.

I knew what my favorite songs were before starting this album (except for The Are Night Zombies!). I honestly just wish this album was a bit shorter and I'd be much more positive towards it. Favorite Songs: Chicago, Casimir Pulaski Day, They Are Night Zombies!

1. Pretty wee opener. Looking forward to album. 2. Interesting little tune. sounds like something medevil at points? 3. Great song. Thought it may be a bit goofy at first but by the end I loved it. 4. Jesus man. Almost had me in tears. Great song, but heavy listening for the office. 5. Good song. Love how it builds up and progresses. 6. Interlude. Nice strings. 7. Another cute little song. Liked the banjo a lot here, catchy. 8. 6 second interlude (accordion?) 9. Well made song. Nice production, quite grand. 10. Another nice wee song. Prefer the more stripped back songs off of this album. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. Didn't finish the album in the end - quite a lot for a Monday in the office! Enjoyed decently from what I've heard though.

Really enjoyed but just a bit too long for my liking

Fantastisk skiva!!! Midwest emo classic!

J'aime bien Sufjan Stevens parce que ça change et en terme d'instru c'est original, mais l'ambiance est quand même un peu trop planante pour que j'écoute ça souvent je finis par m'ennuyer un peu

Assez long mais très sympa, j'ai bien aimé les sonorités et l'originalité

My goodness, how time flies! Sufjan Stevens’ "Illinois" was released over 20 years ago, and his warm, dreamy blend of indie folk and baroque pop still sounds delightfully fresh. Stevens is an artist whose albums either don't really do it for me, or hit me with full force. This one really won my heart. The interweaving of classical, baroque, and minimalist music elements in his definition of Pop music is particularly effective here, making the album musically complex despite its apparent simplicity. I really ought to listen to more Sufjan Stevens and finally give his discography a proper listen from start to finish.

Instrumentation is undeniably amazing. I love that. Personally I’m a little turned off my the drama of it all. Almost takes itself too seriously

Ecouté. Pas mal. Cool

Incredibly comforting album Fave track: Chicago

Big fan of Sufjan and the inclusion. Beautiful singing/songwriting, Sufjan plays almost every instrument you hear and it’s a concept album that delivers on the concept. The 50 albums one per state in the US was a joke - but I do wonder if he had done that whether this effort would have been topped. Is it too long? Maybe. Interesting how everyone who uses that point to criticise the album never seem to suggest what should be cut? 4.5/5

Solid album with a lot of songs I really like. The softer piano tracks are my favorites.

I’m going to say 4.5 I just adored the sound of this album and loved every track. I think with more time I would really listen to what they communicate as I only got an essence.

Deserved to be listened to lying down and appreciating the nuance. I’ll definitely revisit it.

Funky and soulful, a pleasant surprise

Easy listening, and not boring ever. Loved the sounds, the steadiness, and it was smooth like Skippy.

Tough one to rate. I definitely like a lot of the sounds, compositions, orchestrations. I appreciate its lushness. So I feel obliged to give it a 4 despite the fact that I will never listen to this again. “It insists upon itself.”

Reminds me of the eels.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Intressant och jag skulle nog med lite tid verkligen uppsktta det här albumet. Det är exprimentelt men ändå avskalat, nertonat och bitvis riktigt vakert. Riktigt bra produktion med tydlig distenktion mellan instrumenten. Det är många spår jag tycker om men det är ett för långt album med sin 1h 14 min och 22 spår! så jag har svårt att hålla mig engagerad rakt igenom. Men sedan lyssnade jag igenom i trädgårdssoffan och upplevde det nästan meditativt. Bäst är Concerning the UFO sighting near highland Illinois, Come on! Feel the Illinoise!, John Wayne Gracy JR, Chicago, Casimir pulaski day, The man of Metropolis steals our hearts, They are night zombies!!, The Sears tower

It's a 4 for me, but just barely.

Nothing so far I've had through 1001 has been as expansive as this was, even then I don't know if it lives up to the hype set by others in terms of my personal taste, still there is many gems on this

Einer der besten songwriter aller Zeiten. Maybe ne 5 aber ich hab mich noch nicht ganz an sein style gewöhnt

Very interesting and folk like I enjoyed listening to it and recommended it to others

Baffling but highly ambitious and beautiful. Like someone mashed Elliott Smith and Sgt Peppers' together

I don’t hate this!

This is a beautiful tribute to Illinois. The songs are arranged beautifully and I felt the connection to my childhood home.

Ive know about this dude for a while but I never really looked into any of the music. So this is my first time ever hearing anything hes done. Well not 1st ever because ive heard chicago somewhere a long time ago. Good song. Along with damn near everything else here. Its just good old indie folk is guess. With a pop spin. Everything is incredibly catchy. I get why people go nuts for this guy. My closest comp would maybe be a more laid back neutral milk hotel. They are much more surreal and just loud. But there are moments in Illinois that do similar things. Just not mostly doing thay like nmh. Just a great record all around. Lots of variety. Its just good. Not exactly what im looking for on a day to day basis but great none the less. Maybe the site throws me the album about his parents that I always hear about. But thats for another day. Im very happy with what I got here

8 - GOOD

Hmm, guess Trump is doing The Black Hawk War. I do have to say I like the long-form titles. And the music has an expansiveness that is consonant with the titles. Not gimmicky. Nothing gimmicky here. I guess you would call it folk. Brainiac folk? Nerd folk? It makes me think and I like it.

I'm going to guess that Sufjan is a fan of Kate Bush — the sprawling, layered production approach and oddball sense of songwriting seem reminiscent of her musical approach. I can't say I fell in love with the material, but I liked it well enough, it was interesting and there's a dedication to the recording details that were impressive and indicated a musical sophistication I appreciated. I've heard other music of Stevens' that didn't resonate with me, this hit closer to home. I don't know that I enjoyed it at a 4, but the album is pretty damn good and with continued listens, I may fall deeper under its spell.

I knew the hubbub around Sufjan before I ever heard a song of his. And then I listened to this album. An amazing work and he's well worth a lot of hubbub.

potent

This one was a long time coming. I’ve always been an outspoken hater of this album for the simple reason that I thought it was pretentious and annoying. I still stand by the fact that it is pretentious (and those damn woodwinds could quiet down a little!), but I was wrong in my hatred. By the time I listened to this album today, it had been over a year since I’d last heard it in full. My tastes have definitely changed, and I was surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did. It’s hard to describe the feeling that this albums brings upon me. It’s like when you’ve finally accepted a loss, and your immeasurable sadness leaves you (who’s the pretentious one now, Mr. Stevens?). My only problems with this album would have to be the pretentious, half-baked nonsense song titles and interludes, and the aforementioned oppressively present woodwinds. Overall, a beautiful experience that is difficult to truly put into words. Those damn woodwinds could really shut the hell up, though. (8/10) Favorite tracks: Jacksonville, Chicago

I’d only heard Carrie and Lowell and some other tracks before, but nothing from this one. This was great. John Wayne Gacy Jr is one of the most unsettling songs I’ve heard.

This one is a classic

220123 19:55 4

Like the greatest school orchestra you ever heard Shakespeare gets the back to the future treatment Fabulous and out there Lo fi beach boys meets David lynch I think this one will grow on me

Just weird enough to be into it. Perfect mix of folk and electronic to keep me interested.

Kr nice, chill like that

Unexpected

If Badly Drawn Boy had soundtracked Charlie Brown/Peanuts. Quirky, and atmospheric. But I enjoyed.

Why did I like this? It was weird but also cool?

4.5 aa bit long

So many ppl I know love this album, but never really been one I listen to. It is good though, John Wayne Gacy Jr truly 10/10 song blimmin eck.

If Wes Anderson were a sound

i enjoyed this concept (?) album. i'm familiar with few of his songs but never paid attention to his lyricism nor life before this album. i'd definitely have a more positive reaction to listening to his music now

This album was an interesting listen. As someone from Illinois, born and raised, and still living here, it was interesting to see the take on a slice of Illinois history. This album, overall, was different for me. It was outside my wheelhouse, but I don't think it was for the better or the worse. I like the different elements of his music here. Some were more indie/folk, other numbers featured instrumentation such as brass and matched the eras of past events, which I appreciated. Overall, it was a fun trip. I liked the variety for not knowing what to really expect (I've heard of Sufjan Stevens, but hadn't explored his work).

i remember listening to javelin when it first dropped and not getting the sufjan hype. after listening to this i understand. what an impressive body of work, super long and extensive but consistently excellent. loved it

Ngl I thought he was a new singer

i like the titles of all the songs 1st song: very relaxing i kinda like it 2nd song: ominoussss 3rd song: i kinda like this one too recorderrr i feel like sal would like this album 4th song: i like the introduction i feel like this would be good to listen at airport at 3am 5th song: groovyyy 6th: good 7th: interesting 8th: short overall: uhhh i liked it esp some of the song titles :DD

solid 4.0. Tem uma produção muito boa, mas acho que dura um pouquinho mais que o necessário. É um pouco difícil de consumir por ter um conceito bem específico.

A nice album with fun and unique orchestration. I can't say that the album deserves to be as long as the titles of its individual songs, but it has a lot to offer. Each instrument seems to be playing something complex and technical but all come together to produce songs that don't rely on any single instrument, and each has its chance to shine throughout. I would listen to this again to gain a greater appreciation for it.

2026.06.01.

Vibes with this well, but don't think anything really stood out. Definitely an album you have to listen to in one sitting.

Este álbum tiene una de las canciones con los nombres más largos que he visto, que locura Sufjan recurre a la orquestación en seguimiento a un álbum de estética similar, y además de ellos con temática enfocada en una sola ciudad en este caso Illinois Es interesante ver qué tanto se le puede sacar a una ciudad en el contexto de volverlo canción Elementos musicales super interesantes, al parecer el compás que utiliza es sumamente complejo pero calza muy bien con las interpretaciones que hace La canción con el nombre más largo es de hecho mu favorita del álbum Para ser un álbum de 1 hora con 22 minutos, no estuvo cansado de digerir, reescuchable y admirable el talento de Sufjan No sé si estará en esta lista Carrie and Lowell pero ese álbum tiene un lugar guardado en mi 3.9

Intense and incredible journey through cities and movements. Impressive to hear a Broadway show kind of feel while keeping the indie songwriter appeal on many songs

Brilliant album

tops song: john wayne gacy, jr chicago casimir pulaski day they are night zombies! the tallest man, the broadest shoulders

Loved this one for a long time. Real tender and gentle. Real dynamic and urgent. All over the place in a good way. Giving it a 4 because I'm an asshole.

Reminds me of beirut and cake, put me on a pavement flex

Big Sufjan Stevens fan. Not my favorite of his albums but still think this is very very good!

Haven't listened to this all the way through since around when it first came out. Still ended up finding it whimsical and really enjoyable overall.

Really enjoyable. Relatively familiar with Sulfjan Stevens but mainly from his CMBYN work. This is much more fun, with an array of musical styles which demonstrate his excellent talent. Fun songs, serious songs, it's really got it all. At a 4 because it's just quite long and could probably lose a couple of songs. Equally, it's one I might revise up to a 5 after further listens.

One of the most interesting listens and concept album experiences I've had.

I really enjoyed this. I've listened to a lot of concept albums but not too many themed albums. I loved all of the actual Illinois references. I've driven through Illinois more times in my life than I would have liked to and this album would have made some of those times a but better.

Soft rock - enjoyable

Gorgeous album, it’s a bit bloated otherwise it would have been 5 stars

I found it very cool, last tracks are awesome man. Great album

Very nice, sounds like Belle and Sebastian which is a good thing. Definitely will be listening again.

Me gustó bastante, muy buen disco

un álbum con una vibra increíble pero muy largo y a veces monotono

Emblematic and inescapable album of the 00's indie scene. Loved it then, love it now.

Blev väldigt mätt efter detta album. Jättebra men inget som jag skulle lyssna på ofta

This took me by surprise. I assumed this would be an early 2000s pop adjacent album. Instead, it's an experimental concept album with a quite a lot of depth. The orchestration alone makes this a stand out. I wonder if the stories attached to the concept hold up as well. Chicago

There’s a documentary I remember watching when I was younger about this woman who gets lost on a snowy mountain and has to survive for weeks on end by eating ice and foraging what she can from the surrounding area (which was basically just more ice), she finally gets saved by a trucker who happens to be passing by and because she looks so visibly malnourished he gives her an old orange he was going to have for his lunch and to her it tastes like the best thing she’s ever eaten because for the last week she’s basically eaten nothing that’s actual food. Anyway since the last album I got was a solo Morrissey album listening to Illinois by Sufjan Stevens was a real treat!

album #47 a beautifully constructed album filled with elegance and whimsical grandiosity! i can understand how this album may feel boring and/or hard to get into, but i personally love a lot of it! the brass sections, harmonies, and the swelling of instrumentals throughout (i'm looking at you Predatory Wasp of the Palisades) :) this album had a huge influence on the folk scene, especially in queer communities! it's not 5 stars for me, but incredible nevertheless. my critiques mostly centre on the length and/or some of the songs being too similar. ꩜ average track rating: 3.3/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): predatory wasp of the palisades, decatur, john wayne gacy jr. ꩜ least favourite track(s): night zombies ꩜ album rating: ★★★★☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,042 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 28 (+1 Illinois) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 11 (+1 Illinois) ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 36

Lo había escuchado antes, pero repetir una escucha así del tirón siempre viene bien. Me guardo: "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!", "Chicago", "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts", "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!" y "The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders". Un gran disco.

- Symphonic - Dare I say, prog folk - woodwinds, let’s goooo - really like the vibe of john Wayne Gacy Jr. Great atmosphere - I think the orchestral work in this album is my favorite part - Sorta show tuney - I also quite enjoy the calmer acoustic songs on this album like Casimir Pulaski Day (I think this one’s my favorite)

What a vibe

Reddit-core, but the good kind. I was not expecting this to be so quirky and Wes Anderson lite, but I guess I can't deny that I didn't really enjoy some parts.

Not a huge Sufjan Stevens fan but I do really love this record. I think his lyrics are super amazing and he is a great songwriter. This is a very good record. I love the song Chicago.

This album has an amazing vibe

There is a lot going on here, and that is what makes it interesting. It moves between ideas, textures, and arrangements in a way that feels intentionally constructed, even when it risks becoming overloaded. Not every moment lands equally, but the ambition and the layering keep it engaging, especially when the compositions open up and breathe a bit.

haven’t heard this one all the way through in years. in hindsight it’s insane to think Sufjan could have made an album for all 50 states

one of my favorite music mementos is the original CD i have of this, purchased before they were recalled for the DC-copyright violation of superman on the cover. but the capone caricature could stay. it's also a pretty great album, with some subtle weirdness, great use of the cure, and one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs i've ever heard in "john wayne gacy, jr."

Listened to "Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois" more than 20 times

I forgot but it was great.

I didn’t like it at first, but it grew on me a lot. The songs are longer than I’d like, and some of them are really good and then within the same song kind of devolve into something I don’t like. But overall I quite liked it. I’ve heard the song Chicago in a few shows/movies, it gives me Peter Gabriel Down to Earth vibes

First time listening to this artist. Some tunes dreamy feeling. Great work/focus tunes.

great find from the list. concept album with feel good instrumentals and a folksy vibe. Favorite track: Casimir Pulaski Day other picks: Chicago, john wayne gacy jr, concerning ufo sighting

Been meaning to listen to Sufjan for a long time and it did not disappoint. Very unique style. Sometimes reminded me of "A Pillow of Winds" by Pink Floyd. I can easily see the hype around Sufjan and this album specifically, and how it influenced Indie music greatly.

Okay so please be gentle with me but I’ve never listened to Sufjan Stevens before! I’ve just taken myself on a lovely hour and a half walk to try and give this album the focus it deserves. Some thoughts: - the opening run of tracks really sounds like my friends from the Penguin Cafe! - I’m obsessed with the track titles - listening to this album outside was the right choice - The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts is probably my fave - I can’t possibly rate this on one listen But I will and I’m giving it a 4. I know that with time and greater comprehension of the lyrics, and a chance to dive into the symbolism Illinois will be a 5-star but this is simply my truth.

Loved listening to this through for the first time. Incredible song names, Chicago is such a classic (a song I spent so long trying to identify without knowing any lyrics as a kid), those mournful and occasionally triumphant horns throughout are beautiful. It was a little bit too folky for me at times, and perhaps this is an album that would have rewarded me paying closer attention to the lyrics to work out what was actually going on, but still such a singular body of work.

never heard any of this before. felt like music I would study to, or maybe as i’m doing a craft or something. I dig it

This whole album plays like the imaginings of what an antique train ride would be to a child, a whirlwind of bells and whistles with buzz of populous sound through out. A stand out track to me was John Wayne Gacy,Jr , very unsettling and grief driven, that pushes you back into a weird sense of awkwardness.