Illinois

It's really good but the songs are too long amazing album tho couldn't listen to the whole thing

What a great album. Great song flowing into great song. Beautiful writing and musicianship. Lovely. Had never heard it before

This album felt very experimental, and like a nice blend of genres such as jazz and folk. Favourite track: Chicago

this goes surprisingly hard in 2025

So, I've listened to a lot of Sufjan Stevens, but only his Christmas Albums. (Which are great non-traditional/ and traditional Christmas music. Highly recommended) And I thought that I had given his non-Christmas music a shot and was turned off by it. I don't think I actually did that though. This album is very good. Maybe a bit long (especially those song titles, amiright?) But there is a lot of fun, beautiful, good songs on here.

Ihanaa samalla rauhallista ja tosi kompleksista musaa. Onkohan Collier ottanut vaikutteita?

Another beautiful album, spoilt by its length. Such a calm, beautiful and thoughtful album. This is what the challenge is about, what a gem to find.

I really enjoyed this album in the beginning, then the further I got through the more it sounded just like The City on a Hill Christmas Album. Lovely voice, mostly really enjoyed the musicality, just outstayed it welcome by about 30mins

First song “concerning of the UFO” sounds just like the intro for “habits of my heart” by James young. Cool to figure out that’s where he got that from! Vaguely reminds me of Jukebox the ghost too.

Why's this sound so much like Frank Zappa?

ive finally started to get sufjan after like three listens

Starkt album!

Blew me away. I only ever listened to Chicago from this album. Never expected this album to be that good. So much variation. The song names are amazing as well.

Very delightful and pretty sounding album. There’s some lulls here and there, but at its worst, the instrumentals sound like filler but at its best, they provide this soundtrack that makes you feel like you’re ascending. Solid listen.

Diverse and competently-assembled folk. I've never known why Sufjan Stevens generally doesn't resonate with me emotionally the way he does for many others, but there you have it. There are exceptions -- 'Chicago' and 'Casimir Pulaski Day' -- but his music stands for me as beautiful, academically, but not as emotionally affecting as folk can be. Maybe it's a little over-orchestrated, over-arranged. Anyway, it's a surprisingly solid and brisk double and well worth your listening time.

Fun, very 2000’s urban outfitters vibe. Reminds me of something that would be a soundtrack to a quirky awkward Michael Cera movie

I've had about nine or ten tracks off this album in my regular rotation since I first listened to it in 2016. It is interesting to see how my tastes have developed. I still think Illinois is a great album, but I found myself enjoying the parts I had neglected to listen to as much. Whereas I preferred the heavily-orchestrated songs like "Come on! Feel the Illinoise!" and "Predatory Wasp of the Palisades" before, now I love the more delicate "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." I do see where critics are coming from when they complain about some tracks on Illinois sounding the same. I enjoy the woodwind textures and layered vocals, but some moments would have benefited from more variation or clarity of sounds rather than using the same thick instrumentation.

It's no surprise this was later adapted for Broadway. Feel The Illinoise pt. 1 is big and bold but also playful and full of joy. It's the perfect foil for the ethereal vocals. Jacksonville has more of a groove, but it's the strings and horns that make it. Everything sounds bright and fresh and unexpected. 'Chicago' is more restrained than the title track, but still theatrical with the orchestra and choral backing. Then the slow, somber Casimir Pulaski Day. But the show must go on. Predatory Wasp was my favourite on the back half, and I lost focus a bit after that if we're being honest. Overall though, it's really quite eclectic and so dynamic - often changing tone or intensity within the same song. The interludes feel as vital as the "main" tracks, pulling everything together. 74 minutes is a long album though, and it's a LOT to process. Still very very good.

I have this one in my collection. I came to Sufjan’s music in reverse after first falling in love with the ‘Carrie and Lowell’ album and accompanying concert at the Sydney Opera House. It was one of the most moving concerts I have ever been to. This too is an amazing album, although I do feel it could have been a bit shorter with some of the repetitive parts left out.

It's album that feels connected, there's a pervasiveness to the whole album that means nothing stands out too far from the overall ambience

Wow this album is much better than I remember it being! This is really IMO the only Sufjan Stevens album you'd ever need to listen to, it's exactly his thing done perfectly (albeit a bit too long).

4/5

amazing album. never heard anything like this.

One of the greatest contributions to the indie revival during the aughts.

4.0

I did NOT know sufjan stevens had an album from 2005. Maybe a bit longer for my taste but it was a big W. I think I prefer it from his recent stuff. I really like the different creative aspects of each song. Special shoutout to They are Night Zombies!! (Yes I should shoutout more songs but that’d make this too long so zombies are funnier) For me, it’s a 4/5

Experimental and very fun

I had never heard of this artist before, but really enjoyed the album. Happy music, easy to listen to.

Great album. I'm a bit biased towards everything this is doing (concept album, instrumental complexity, time signature changes) but it's a really great work and for sure is good to have on the list. The artist reminds me of Andrew Bird which is a huge compliment.

Heard the name, not familiar with the music. I had been watching some Charlie Brown Christmas and when that piano on the start of track 3 hit, I got confused. A lot of nice compositions, maybe too many. As a younger man with more time, I could see listening to this again and again, really getting to know it. In this setting tho, it's not easy. From the song They are Night Zombies!! They are Neighbors!!... to the end of the album is where it managed to get some hooks in me.

Big fan of this album. This one and Carrie and Lowell are the two of his I return to. Even though it’s peppered with Illinois specific references that I don’t fully appreciate. Just like the fact that even though it’s low fi there’s something different I hear each time. Over an hour and I don’t care. 4.4

Enjoyed that. Particularly liked the song names. They are night zombies!! They are neighbors!! They have come back from the dead probably my favourite track.

Cool quirky indie nonsense idk, if the mood is right I don’t hate it.

Surprisingly, I like this album as an album more than I like individual songs. It has a very nice flow.

Intressant! Måste snabb lyssna igen för att hitta låtarna som var coola

calming

4/5 exactly what I feel like Illinois would sound like.

Started many shifts at work to this album.

Now and again the affected sort of whisper singing and twee arrangements get to be a bit much but it is incredibly effective/devastating/wistful on a few of these tracks. Love the state plan, even if it was a joke?

I didn’t know what to expect from this. The song titles are rather pretentious but a couple sounded familiar (from Radio Paradise?). I liked the layered sounds and it’s about Illinois.

I either find Sufjan unbearably twee or beautifully poignant. This album is more in the latter camp with some superb songs. The run time outstays its welcome a bit, and there are a few eye roll moments on the album, but amongst all that is a collection of wonderfully sad songs that I can always listen to.

I feel like there’s a specific time and place for every Sufjan album. Carrie and Lowell is for walking around Greenwood Cemetery. This one is for starting a drive and wondering what kind of person your little nephew is going to be and if you can stay this close forever or maybe he will be like John Wayne Gacy because he does sometimes say “Kate I’m going to hurt you” and looks really crazy in the eyes? But maybe that’s normal and his life will be a wonderful epic adventure like the song Chicago.

I do really love this album, and I have a bit of soft spot for Sufjan Stevens just based on the fact that one time I had a dream that I was taking a shower with him and it was romantic and sexy and maybe I was in love with Sufjan or maybe I was Sufjan???

Not a new album to me. One of Barrett's favorite albums. Pitchfork: 9.2 Rolling Stone: Top 150 albums of the 21st Century #133 Best Songs Concerning the UFO sighting near Highland, Illinois John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Chicago Casimir Pulaski Day

Typical smooth and relaxing Sufjan album . Bob’s along nicely with out ever going anywhere Nice but not amazing . Combines elements of Steve vias flexible with chirpy bjork with out ever reaching their hights Title is better than the music

High 3/low 4, some really nice moments but starts to feel a bit bloated at times

Aunque a mi el chamber pop me cuesta mucho, este album lo tengo guardado hace unos años para escucharlo y siempre lo posponía. La verdad que me fue una escucha un poco densa por la extensión, el género, y algunas lyrics que no me hacían mucho sentido. Pero la producción es preciosa y la voz del sufjan es una caricia, hoy me escuche la segunda mitad del album en otro mood y lo disfruté mas. Favs: John Wayne Gacy Jr., Chicago, The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts

4.3 hell yeah!

Fantastic but drags a little bit

wasn't liking it at first but ended up liking a ton of songs on here

A revelation...Knew very little of this artist before I listened to this album..It's utterly unique with a mix of styles ..An artist who simply xankit be pigeon holed..

Mastodontalbum!! Tunga arrangemang. Fint att lära sig mer om Illinois också. Hann bara lyssna två gånger, men skulle vilja mer! Tror det är en föööyra?

An album worthy of this list. Even if a bit long, it is lyrically and musically interesting enough to hold you throughout. And the background to Stevens' 50 US states project is also worth finding out about. 48 states to go but this album is enough in itself to occupy you for some time. Great songs, delicately woven into a tapestry that is in Stevens' mind, Illinois.

Pretty good an sweet. Was a bit conservative with trying new things but the base idea was good.

Nostalgic. Cold afternoons in Ruby’s bed as a teenager. Twee, long-titled songs, perfect warmth on a rainy evening. 8/10

I really enjoyed this. Will be going back for more.

A revelation. 4/5

It's a big album, super ambitious. I'm not a big Sufjan fan but I appreciate this, for sure.

Always love this album. Great mixing of genres and super long song names! Highlights: "Casimir Pulaski Day", "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out To Get Us"

Loved it

What a quirky album. Definitely going to need some relistens.

Very awesome experience. Could see this in a concert. Probably revisit once a year. Nothing I would listen to on a regular.

The musicianship is excellent, much of the songwriting is great. However I don't care for his voice or the two hits from the album, Chicago and Casimir Pulaski Day. Knocking it a point for that, but still wildly impressive

I know almost nothing about Sufjan Stevens, despite being a Michigan native myself. I feel like I owe him a listen to his previous album "Michigan". But right now, we're talking about Illinois. This is a fascinating album both conceptually and stylistically. I won't claim to know much about the state of Illinois myself, but this album seems to cover a lot of its history and culture in about 75 minutes. All with the backdrop of folk, indie and classical-like orchestrations. Very grandiose, seemingly because it wants to be. There are some beautifully constructed tracks here as a result, ranging from tender to joyous/upbeat pieces. A lot of talent and musical chops showcased here, so the album length didn't upset me too much.

Hyper intéressant au niveau des instruments utilisés, les sonorités sont agréables les paroles aussi et j'ai pas vu le temps passer. Bonne découverte !

Interesting and creative. Kept my interest the whole time. The instrumentation was unique - string quartet, oboe and trumpet, small choir... I'm going to use a word that I really hate but can't think of anything more fitting, and that word is "different." In the boring watercolors of the mid-2000s Indie Folk and singer-songwriter trends (Mumford and Sons, Rufus Wainwright, Fleet Foxes, etc.) this record really stands out for its intelligent songs and sincere emotional depth. Like d it a lot more than I thought I would considering it was Critically Acclaimed™.

Lowkey ambitious.

Strong 4

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes indeed yes. A world building album, full of songs independant but linked together. 4.8/5.0 Best Song: Come On! Feel The Illinoise! Part 1: The World’s Columbian Exposition Part 2: Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream

The first time a Sufjan album has ever connected for me. Really well done. Bland yes, but in a good way? Best Song: John Wayne Gacy Jr. Rating: 7.0/10 Stars: 4

Etwas lang, aber schöne Stimmung, gute Texte.

Ein wirklich sehr gutes Album, das man am besten am Stück und in Ruhe hört um das alles komplett aufzunehmen. Aber wer hat so lange Zeit ein Album am Stück zu hören ohne groß was anderes zu machen? Ich leider nicht.

Beautifully crafted

Really really good. 4.33 stars

I enjoyed how this record acted like a movie. The interludes acted like transitions into different scenes. Very creative! Favourite Track(s): Come On! Feel The Illinoise..., The Tallest Man,..., Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Step-Mother! Least Favourite Track(s): John Wayne Gacy, Jr.

3.5/5

Not bad. Would likely listen to again.

Its a good orchestral pop / indie folk rock album. It is long at 22 songs and 1hr 15 min but it doesn't get boring.

Have this is my collection and like it quite a bit

Expected to hate it after the descriptions that I've read. But nope. Quite melodic, engaging and rewarding.

This album reminds me of college <3

Complex orchestration and lyrical genius = Sufjan Steven’s. I loved this album, especially how he drew elements from the history of Illinois and the Bible. I would love to see the musical!! Decatur was my personal favourite.

A very pleasant album to listen to and which came up to expectations. I’m a sucker for good melodies and this album is full of them. Only drawback is the obvious one that it is very American centric so will mean more over there and in particular the people of Illinois. Drawback is probably the wrong word as music is full of references to locations meaning a lot to the artists making it. Who would know where I lived if it wasn’t for On Ilkla Mooar Baht’at? A song which would also sit nicely on this album. 4/5 23/10/25

I’m not sure how I got through life largely ignoring Sufjan Stevens. I’d heard his name come up on indie radio and web forums every now & then but this is really the first time I sat down to listen to a full body of his work. It’s wonderful. The song that captured my attention the most was Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!

8/10 Favourite: Casimir Pulaski Day Least Favourite: The Seer's Tower

The good stuff here

Turn of the century Indie Rock right here. That Chicago song was blowing up my MySpace along with tunes from The Shins, Margot And The Nuclear So And Sos, and Peter Bjorn & John. Artsy, quirky, and a bit depressing, but that was the style at the time. 4.5⭐️

At first i was indifferent, thought it was interesting in a good way. Then it grew on me.

Sufjan Stevens is an artist I have heard good things about but never listened to personally. What are these song names? Those sure are something. Not usually into singer/songwriter stuff but this album is pretty nice. There is just such a wide variety of styles and instruments throughout this album. Each track is a new experience. And the lyrics are well thought through too. The kind of album that will take a few listens to fully appreciate. "The man of metropolis steals our hearts" is my pick.

This album has always been a slam dunk for me since I was a sensitive and literarily-minded Christian teenager in the Midwest when it came out. Even then, I have to acknowledge that this album is too long and has too many songs. I knew it was a problem because my very gentle morning-time alarm went off while I was listening to this and I didn’t notice for three minutes.

I've heard of him, but never heard him. very interesting album, as I learned he played most instruments, including brass, woodwinds, and strings. While I enjoyed the listen, probably not going to be a repeat for me

Nice, chill, and at times interesting.

Great stuff, my second favourite Suffy record

Very nice indeed

Good album!

Right in the guts.

4/5

Such a wonderful album. It is brimming with whimsy, emotion, precise storytelling and so many little production details. The simplicity in this album is what makes it so magnificent to me. The only thing keeping this album from being a 5-star review is the length. I wish it were a bit shorter because it would encourage me to revisit it more often.

Ahhh fond memories of listening to this a lot when it came out. The John Wayne Gacy song always stood out. Let’s see how it all hits 20 years later!! Don’t know how much is nostalgia or just the album itself but such depth, lovely arrangements and concept that feels substantial in quality and skill. And what a haunting and amazing song JWG is. Yeh, there is a lot of great songs on here. And a great album as a whole too. Easy 4*, but does it get a bit more. Hmmmmm

refreshing. my hometown vibes

So I know this artist exists, but this is the first time I knowingly listen to them. It's not bad at all, conceptually I'm not in love, but this was made for the people of the Midwest USA. I remember getting to Chicago and thinking it'd be a great end to the project, but that's barely half way through the effort. By the time we get to the end we understand there was so much more in store. So, yes, it's a bit lengthy, but how could you be short when you're attempting to embody the history and lore of an entire state. It took me over 12 hours to finish the album, it's too lengthy for a regular work day, but I'm impressed. My rating here has to be based on this single listen, real possible the rating can get better with time. Also possible I never decide to put it on again. 3.6/5

Actually pretty nice

Really interesting album, havnt heard much like it. Very long, but will listen again

05.10.25 #12 Favourite tracks: Come on, Feel the ILLINOISE; CHICAGO; The tallest man. Rate: 8/10 I really enjoyed listening to this album. great songs

What a cool idea for a concept album. It is a lush musical landscape layered so wonderfully that it doesn’t infringe upon itself with overproduction or heavy-handedness. In fact, it seems as though it’s the perfect amount of soundscaping. Stevens’ lilting vocals and the accompanying harmonies only add to the dramatic landscape of Illinois. His voice is a soothing instrument that delivers his thoughtful lyrics in a poignant, sincere way. From his rambling song titles to his medley of melodies, Stevens is an artist who’s clearly doing things his own way and I really admire that. I’m looking forward to delving further into his catalogue, as he’s definitely gained a new fan.

Erm. What a bizarre concept. I weirdly love it, he has a beautiful voice and the music is cheery. I must pay attention to the lyrics and learn some Illinois history!

Liked it more than I thought I would

Very reminiscent for me of Iron and Wine-- gentle voice, folksy guitar, story songs. I like it. But I love Iron and Wine. I wonder what makes the difference? 4/5

I didn't really know what rating to give this. I think I've settled on a 4. The composition is spectacular. The usage of syncopation was great. Sufjan also has a very nice falsetto, although the transition between chest voice and falsetto was a bit abrupt at times. The short instrumental tracks were very nice. Sometimes, they feel like they are filler tracks just to extend the album. These weren't like that. They felt intentional, and musically they were simple but well executed. I really don't have any major complaints here. I could have really rated it 5/5, it just didn't feel right to group this with Cosmo's Factory and Wish You Were Here. Those albums are on another level, this didn't reach that for me.

Illinois is a really interesting album i really like. It really does earn it's name as it really does have that feel of a city in Illinois (though i think New York would also work for this as well) I also do quite like it for all it's variety seeing just how many instruments are there with most of them being played by Stevens himself. Everything from an acoustic guitar, piano, oboe, triangle and many more are here. I also do love how long a lot of the song titles are, they do fit the songs rather well. It was long at around 74 minutes but still was able to do more than enough to remain interesting. I enjoyed this album for being as weird and interesting as it is. Best Song: The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts Worst Song: Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Step-Mother!

Every woman I've ever loved has loved this album and I do too. Sufjan falls short for me lyrically in many places: John Wayne Gacey and Decater in particular on this album, but he make up for it musically and with so much playful fun. Anyone calling this twee isn't listening carefully.

Reminds me of Neutral Milk Hotel and Elliot Smith but a bit more positive

Beautiful album, but I think Carrie & Lowell is his best

8/10

Very pretty album but a bit long and tends to blend together

I expect this will be divisive amongst a lot of listeners. I have already listened to this before on a few occasions, which helps given the length of the album. Z xx I personally really like it and John Wayne Gacy Jr is one of my favourite songs about serial killers. I think it suffers from having too many ideas at times and would have been a great album with a bit of careful pruning and focus.

Probably the find of this year.

3.5/5

Great listen, too many fillers for the full 5

This album still rocks. Does it ramble for a bit too long? Yes. Does it have strokes of insane genius that makes your mind stop and say 'holy shit, this is good'? Yes. It's not perfect, but that's what I love about it. And 'Casimir Pulaski Day' is one of the saddest, most beautiful songs ever.

The noise is ill, but remember when he said he would do an album about each state?

Some beautiful stand out moments (Casimir Pulaski Day, and the one about the serial killer) but a bit long and sprawling. I don't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved he didn't do all the states.

I really like this album. I have for a long time. It was good to revisit it. I find it really beautiful. I've not heard it for a long time. Something I noticed this time that I hadn't thought about before was some of the playfulness in the lyrics, particularly in the second half. Predatory Wasps and Night Zombies were particular favourites in this regard. Having said that I much prefer Seven Swans and Carrie and Lowell, and there are a few tracks this album could lose. A very imaginative album from a time when songwriting wasn't usually that.

A totally unique musical experience.

This was a great album! I wish he was able to finish the albums for each state! But this was a cool fun way to do one of those!

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would or could. Definitely a step off the beaten path, and for whatever reason it lands with me. Extremely musical, and an interesting concept album. Lots of moments throughout where I'm reeled in.

A concept album that doesn't suck and has deliciously constructed indie folk songs.ABOUT A US STATE?? This did become a bit one dimensional, particularly after an hour and 15 mins.

Lots of good stuff on this album. Too long and not all the songs work but the top tracks sound great to me.

Some lovely bits - the stepmother song has never left me, all these years later. Too clever, too, and the Gacy song freaks me out.

I love his music, although I had not heard this album before, and indeed, never listen to any of his albums in their entirety. This is a strange one. I love his voice, as always. I read that he said he originally intended to do a concept album for each of all the 50 states...which would be an impressive feat, although I'm guessing it's not going to happen. He's a unique voice. He takes the mundane and turns it into the ethereal. It's a lot to listen to the whole thing in one go, but I'm fascinated by how his mind works.

its tough to come up with a rating for this one, cause I think upon relisten it would probably become a 5. I dunno. 4.5

Know the name but not familiar with this album or any of this persons songs i suspect. Great second track name. Come on feel the illiniose nice quirky pop with some unexpected melody to it. Like it. Some teally nice elements to this. The trumpets, the picolo like sound with melody weaving through over amd ovwr driving it forward. Haunting little balad ditty about John Wayne Gacy. Know fuck all about Gacy but aonf suggests a mindane normalcy. Serial killers - they are just like everyone else. Like Jacksonville. Nice melodic guitar and banjo layering. I am partial to a plink plunk banjo. Decatur a little hokey. Theres clearly somwthing personal about this tecord or at least this aong and the next odd intwrlude. Its about hating hia stepmom? Then applauding her by way of apology or sarcastically or maybe pullman is someone else entirely. Its a bit annoying to have to guess at something youre clearly never going to comprehend without reading interviews with him or something. You can of course apprwciate just musically but not aure there is enough in this one to dine on musically. And the following one there is no music. But your not in on thw joke. Same to a degree woth Casimir. Noce painting of a pictuee of youth, love, etc but cleqrly apecific to his upbringing. No cliches, etc. but whag the fuck does Casimir have to do with it? Given some of thw titles i guess you’re never meant to know. Another. I imagine the workera of Rock River Valley have no fu king idea what to do with this. Maybe i just need to ignore the titles. Theres a lot of them. Ill get the humo if i keep getting hung up on them. Its kind of anni teospectove solo indulgence album. Cant imagine taking a mate who has no idea od this album to a gig whete thia is played in full and he or she cold gets right into it. Or am i projecting my own insecurity? Predatory wasp brpught a smile to my face but i was pissed wandering around Hong Kong trying to find my favorite bar. Sode bar (pun intended) my favorite bar in HK is Tai Lung Fung. Its in Wan Chai. There are 3 dostinct areas im Wan chai and they follow the sin amd moon but dont. Thwres the corporate business latt mear the water which os obviously morning to afternoon. Thwre’s a an artist’s hipstwr community up towarda the hills which kicks off around 4/5 and goes through to juat after midnight. And there is the sleazy hookera on thw street and Filipino bars part in the middle that comea to life 9-10 onward to dawn. Tai Lung Fung is in the hipster part. It has the worst music playing generally (typing this now and Redfoo is singing Party Rock) but it also has a realness and sense of community that id live if i lived in HK. I got no arts ly skills to impress here to be fair. They are the night zombies. There’s a bit of hot chocolate to this. Love it. There’s a whole set of lyrics snuck in at the beginning without evwn realising its there. Thought thw vocals were strings. Can you bring this tension, considered layering to a balls out rock song? Tommy? I really like this album but cant but wonder if it is a bit chat gpt. It sounds deep, must be. Apart from the over all composition, which i dont think should be dismissed, there is no amazing musical feats. I LOVE the trumpet through this. It remindaemof the clash Nd Billy Bragg. But ots no Miles Davis effort. The basa is severwly lacking for me. Its there, but nothing about it grabse, shakes the shit out of me and says ‘rhythm section’. Not surprisingly drums the same. Could be a sample all the way through. But i love the play, the wimay, the thought put into thw composition. For fuck’s sake there’s more than one track with a melodica no! How do you get there? How do you get from recording uour vocals and guitar, piano, whatever, to conceptualising an album like this? I looked at the number of tracks and thought FFS thos os going to be a fucking effort but came out at the end admiring the effort put in. Got a bit self indulgent at out of egypt. Stage. Followed by a remix. Why not just cut it short. Call it a day. Fuck this is hard work. The remix of chicago is stripped back so the lyrics become the focus and they are just inaccessible for me. You drove to Chicago, slept in a vam, with a friend. Othing eartj shatterimg. Maybe because Chicago doesnt involw the same feeling in me as US people. Then Aus bands that seem to stirost dont connect for me - Aus Crawl, Angels. I’ve rambled a little in this review. Will need to listem again and consolidate. Chat gpt will see me right. Really like it but listened in short bursts. Its bloddy long. I suspect if i listened all at once and keeping in mind its a solitary listen, i wouldnt get the same out of it. Driving in my car to the supermarket, kids saying what the fuck is this shit, it would just hit differently. Gonna give it 3, feels like 4. Will need to relisten.

This album is by turns twee, whimsical, and devastating. It's beautiful, but wore on me by the end due to its length. 3.5 rounded up.

Great vocals and story telling. Production and music were great too! Didn’t add many songs from it but glad I listened.

Beautiful in parts, wishy washy in others. Very laid back and easy going. Jacksonville and Casimir Pulaski Day the highlights.

I really enjoyed the song, "They are Night Zombies!! They are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!" and listened to it multiple times. I can see this album growing on me, though the random underlying references to biblical teachings are off-putting.

"Indie prog" Similar to The Dear Hunter. Top track: Jacksonville / Chicago

Very good. Not far off a 5

Really good, dynamic, soothing but ups the energy

Eclectic. In a good way!

Emotional

A nice change in quality compared to all the punk recently. A well composed cohesive experience. Only thing I missed was mayhaps a bit more harmonic variation.

Not my favorite type of music but incredibly well composed and produced.

Tool for theater kids! Not in a bad way. Not my bag of tea but I enjoyed the writing and creativity. 3.5/ 5

kinda bewegend

Part of what I'm loving about this project is an excuse to sit down and listen to full albums which I enjoy. I'd forgotten a lot of this album, and it was nice to listen to again after so long - I'd forgotten so many of the tracks.

Very beautiful music. A little long winded but some good stuff in here.

Relaxing, pretty nice music.

I really enjoy this album. Especially on a road trip. I find his plaintive vocals mi d of soothing on the slower bits. And I like the instrumental arrangements.

My one two three foe five FIFTH Sufjan Stevens: Illinois 🌟🌟🌟🌟 This period of music—that is acoustic guitars and choirs and horns and handclaps—I ignored or missed out on. All I'd ever heard was All Things Go. Wow, most of it is really powerful. Particularly John Wayne Gacy (though morbid, it of course wonders how'd this happen? and mourn the children) and then, WOW Cassimir Pulaski Day, which I don't totally get but holy shit it's sad. So I was listening to Crazier Things, Chelsea Cutler and Noah Kahan's tear-jerker and I thought Cassimir is like that, but here's the kicker It seems real. Cutler/Kahan are singing something that maybe happened. But it's young love whatcha gonna do. Sad regardless. Stevens is singing something that probably happened. Even if it's just a poem though, it's deeper. That might be the whole album. A poem that might have happened.

kolejny banger z nazva stanu

Excellent album. A little too pop baroque Broadway ask for my taste. Although casmir Pulaski Day in Jacksonville and John Wayne gacy Jr are some of my favorite songs

Поначалу спокойные песни были приятны слуху, но где-то начиная с середины стало появляться желание, чтобы альбом потихоньку заканчивался. Слишком долгая пластинка для внимательного прослушивания, но подходящая для расслабляющего фона. Ставлю с натяжкой 4 звезды и твёрдые 6 баллов из 10.

Another popular album I had never listened to. This album is a cool one. Interesting harmonies/vocals along with unique instrumentation using a variety of different instruments from pianos to horns. It uses jazzy instruments yet still manages to sound more like its own thing. Nice melodic songs. I liked the mixture of a big bustling feel along with a smaller folky feel- this is prominent in the switch of Come On! Feel The Illinoise to John Wayne Gacy. I think the album is too long for what it is, but I still love it...makes me want to go to Illinois. The replay value isn't great, but I'd give it a 4/5. My favourite songs - Come On! Feel The Illinoise (Big vibes) - John Wayne Gacy (The lyrics and melodies) - Jacksonville (Nice banjo and guitar) - Chicago (This reminds me of The Sims, ngl) - The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Heart (Rocky...electric guitar woohoo) - They Are Night Zombies (Oohhh guitar n bass)

Sufjan Steven's songwriting in Illinois is incredible. The album is arguably a little long, but I feel like every track has a place. The lyrics lack much meaning, but hearing every single piece of the music come together into a whole is beautiful.

Glorious highs buried in a haystack of filler.

this def hit better when I was younger and less jaded but now it feels just a touch smarmy tho there were certainly great songs that still wrung with sincerity and pulled at the heartstrings

I was amused that both this album and the last one mentioned Abraham Lincoln. The sound was very pleasant. Very cohesive and so artistic and focused on instrumentals. 8/10

Fun as hell! Might even become a 5-star on repeat listens.

Highlight Song/s: Come On! Feel the Illinoise, Jackonville, The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts Very very whimsical album. This album has some sweet vocals, as well as some of the most calming backing tracks ever. I thought this album was quite silly with the extremely long song titles and the abundant interlude tracks but it was totally fine, especially the "One last "Whoo-hoo for the Pullman" which was an interlude right after the end of "Decatur." Which is literally a six second applause track.

Patiently waiting for the next state

Banger track titles, I liked this one a lot.

Never listened to SS before and this was a pleasant surprise. Somewhat reminiscent of Prefab Sprout! All strong songs nicely produced and I even enjoyed the instrumentals. Very long though and I couldn’t quite get into the concept thing.

Best Sufjan album, did not relisten

Good but I maintain that Carrie & Lowell is his best work.

This is a composition of true musical genius that you fall in love with the more times you listen to it.

Favs : The Black Hawk ; Come on ! ; To The Workers of ; In this temple Choqué un peu; j’ai écouté l’album en rentrant de soirée avec 0 attente, et c’est vraiment pas mal. Y’a un petit côté Prefab Sprout pour l’écriture et la manière de tenter certains coups. L’orchestration est vraiment sympa. C’est superbement produit. Je pourrais difficilement catégoriser le style de musique tellement c’est varié et particulier, mais l’écoute était agréable et j’aime l’originalité

I really like this actually. 8/10

Very interesting

This contains the amazing Chicago, interspersed with lots of other great songs. I have and will listen to this album again. This album really comes to life after Chicago. The second half is just fascinating and amazing. I started with a 3 in mind, and then by the end there was no doubt that this a solid 4 or more. I cannot understand how anyone would not even remotely like this album, but then, people have different tastes in music...thankfully. Great album. 4.5 stars. So many great songs. I think I would like to own it

This is just enjoyable. And basing it on Illinois is so odd. Anyways, I approve. Especially love the electronic but instrumental sound

Classic for a reason. Gets repetitive tho. All songs just bleed into each other.

Entiendo que este album es muy importante para la cultura americana, y dicho eso aparte no puedes negar la belleza de algunos pasajes del álbum, pero creo que como latino no logro conectar al 100% con esta obra maestra. De todas es un disco 100% recomendable.

Oh man this sounds like every annoying person I knew in college. Liked it more than I thought.

I wasn't blown away by this but it was very interesting to listen to. It might not be my kind of music but I can appreciate the work that was put into it. It was an interesting mix of folk, indie and orchestral shit.

i’ve heard this so many times in art class. makes it an old friend in a way. very important to 2000s indie and a great album in its own right deserves to be one of the 1001? v much yes

A beautiful album of experimental pop and indie-folk, Stevens cements his place in pop music as an excellent and sad storyteller. Complex arrangements underpin his beautiful vocal melodies, with standouts for me being the simpler tracks - the tragic horror of John Wayne Gacy, Jr, gentle grief of Casimir Pulaski Day and the quasi-religious chanting of The Seer's Tower hit especially hard.

Listened in the truck via YouTube music. It’s been a while since I’d listened all the way through. Could here the Steve Reich influence in some of the last tracks.

Interesting

Overall: 8/10 Very twee and ho hum and pretty melodies and indie pop and John Wayne Gacy and zombies and great vocals and maaaaan, this is a long album. Very good though, some might not like this style but I dig it enough to give it a high rating. Fav Song: Chicago Least Fav Song: Casimir Pulaski Day

This goddamn website deleted my near 10 paragraph review of this album. Ok so, I love the harmonies, amazing poetry in the lyricism, interludes, varying song lengths, nostalgia waves through children’s choirs, overarching concept and sound, and the mix of styles (like jazzy, poppy, experimental, and folksy). I just wish the voice had more range and matched the ever changing sounds of the record. Whatever I’ll just keep my unfiltered thoughts here. Fuck this site. Concerning: the harmonies are beautiful, and the lyricism is poetry The black hawk war: very Beatles-esque, like abbey road. So far these songs don’t overstay their welcome. Nice easy length. Come on: oh well here’s a 7 minute song. This is like a song from a musical. It’s pretty jazzy too. It’s soothing yet up beat, but I hope the flow and/or structure changes soon. There’s 4 more minutes. Ok this instrumental is nice. Kinda nostalgic in a way. Not at all how I expected this album to make me feel. John Wayne gacy jr: this seems a little too edgy. Like even in 2005 excusing murderers was a bit old. “He was a quiet child, nobody knew” blah blah I don’t care. Jacksonville: I like the flow and music, very orchestral, but I feel like these vocals don’t match. Do you perhaps have range? Decatur: see this new vibe is nice and refreshing, but the voice doesn’t change. Wish the voice would match the ever changing vibe. The lyricism is still on point though obviously. Definitely not on same level as Dylan but similar feeling. Chicago: I feel like the slow then loud progression isn’t done well often (especially with pop… imagine dragons) but sufjan Stevens does it pretty well here by not overdoing it or overly producing anything. It’s all fairly grounded throughout with little whiplash. I think the sort of wholesome vibe comes from the child-like chorus that many of these songs have I realize. The man of metropolis: the way the song changes styles so many times in the first 30 seconds is crazy. Just wish he stayed with one of the more experimental beats. Not too much variety. I love the way some of these songs seamlessly transition into each other. The intense varying of song lengths does remind me of in the aeroplane over the sea. Despite the distinct sounds from each song I do appreciate the musical-esque callbacks in these songs, with segments of some songs mimicking parts from earlier songs. Really makes this feel like one unified project and concept album. The tallest man: oh yeah that’s the nostalgia I was getting before. These interludes are really what keeps the album interesting.

4.9

Vulnerable, emotional, lyrically odd

Sounded like a cross between Counting Crows and Ray LaMontange.

I very much enjoyed this album listen! Chicago has been a bop on my radar for a while but I’d never actually listened to the whole album before. This felt different from most things I listen to and I definitely want to check this album out again!

It’s far longer and more bloated than it needs to be, and does not have a strong start. But the album itself is interesting, enjoyable, artsy without being pretentious, and full of well crafted and well performed tracks. Having to copy/paste or shortern every song title to save time and make my notes file with all these albums in NOT look like a jumbled mess was a pain in the fucking arse. Concerning the UFO Sightings Near Highland, Illinois (6/10) The Black Hawk War (5/10) Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (9/10) John Wayne Gacy, Jr. (8/10) Jacksonville (8/10) A Short Reprise for Mary Todd (N/A) Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! (9/10) One Last ‘Woo-Hoo’ for the Pullman!! (N/A) Chicago (8/10) Casimir Pulaski Day (7/10) To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region (7/10) The Man of Metropolis Street Steals Our Hearts (7/10) Prairie Fire That Wanders About (8/10) A Conjunction of Drones (N/A) The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades (7/10) They Are Night Zombies!! (8/10) Let’s Hear That String Part Again (N/A) In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth (N/A) The Seer’s Tower (8/10) The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders (8/10) Riffs and Variations on a Single Note (N/A) Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run (8/10) 7.6/10

The track Come on Feel the Illinoise started off reminding me of Badly Drawn Boy, then I had pause it to work out where I knew the hook from because it was bugging me (eventually realised it was Close to Me by The Cure), and by the time it ended, I was thinking how gorgeous it was. That encapsulates my experience with this album - a meandering journey of unexpected twists and turns that ended up somewhere rather lovely.

This was an instant sensation when it came out in 2005, and I always appreciated its artistic ambition. (Stevens planned to give EVERY state the album treatment.) I've only returned to a handful of songs over the years, though, probably because the album's a little twee. "Chicago" is chief among them, not just because it's my home, but also because it's the best song. This album is such a big swing, and I appreciate it more as a cohesive artistic work now than I did back in 2005.

didn't know who he is and didn't know what to expect judging by the cover. turned out to be a pleasant and calming listening.

love it

vier plus

I liked it, it's bloody long but some really nice songs

Kinda funky and liked it

Ambitious yet quirky indie album.

Despite my history with, and love for, the state of Illinois, this is a textbook example of something I most definitely appreciate objectively and most definitely do not enjoy subjectively.

Aaamazing

Un disco conceptual sobre un Estado yanki. Nada que ver con lo que esperaba musicalmente. Me gustó en general, lo tendría físico para escuchar completo en mi casa. Tiene cositas de música de iglesia. Párrafo aparte para el temazo que habla del payaso asesino, que no es precisamente Pogo de los redondos.

Varied and interesting but veres a little too much into the dreamy quality it has overall. 3.5*

it's confusing and conversational, it's very good but i'm not sure i get it entirely

Liked this much more than I expected to.

Fun music. Quite a bit more complex than I was expecting.

Throwback to high school, was definitely into this album when it came out, I appreciate the instrumentation. Casimir Pulaski, Chiacago and JWG JR. are highlights for me.

Great album, just not Sufjan's best, would be 5 stars is trimmed by 10-15 minutes. 4.5 stars

quirky, dreamy, imaginative, symphonic pop

Lots of good tunes on this album, even though it took forever to get through. Probably an album I'll come back to and listen to in bits and pieces. 3.5/5

Indie classic, it's alright, prefer "Carrie & Lowell"

3.5

𝘐𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴 is sprawling, strange, and oddly beautiful — like an overstuffed musical yearbook dedicated to Abraham Lincoln, Superman, and obscure Midwestern tragedies. Sufjan Stevens manages to turn state history into orchestral indie pop with banjos, flutes, choirs, and emotion layered like geological sediment. Some songs soar, others meander, but the ambition never fades. It’s a maximalist album that somehow feels intimate. Still, I’d love to hear Sufjan apply the same grand treatment to 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 — just to see if he can make, say, 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦 sound mythic.

this album is like 50% mid and 50% pure awesome peak amazing best thing ive ever heard. who cares about the mid? the peak is remembered and immortalized forever. 8/10

Excellent album of ambitious, orchestral rock, folk and pop. The music has a big, dramatic style, like it was designed for a Broadway stage, but still manages to feel accessible. I think that’s because the songcraft is very strong. For the all the ambitious ideas in the music, the songwriting still feels emotionally driven and direct. Some highlights for me on a first listen: - “Chicago” feels like the standout track. A big, epic pop song. - “They Are Night Zombies!!” is a cool, dramatic song. - “The Tallest Man…” is another clear standout track. Bright and sunny like a Paul Simon song but with an epic sweep. - “Out of Egypt” is a gorgeous finale. It feels like a very technical song but the craft of it is in service of this big, overwhelming emotion. Really cool way to end an impressive album. 4.5

I'm not sure if this album really deserves a 4, but given how many times I looped through it when it was new, I feel like anything less would be disingenuous.

7/10…folk / singer-songwriter

UFO // John Wayne Gacy, Jr. // Chicago // Casimir Pulaski Day // Wasp // Night Zombies //

This album is nice. Sufjan's song writing is incredible, each track is very emotionally potent. I also really love his use of time signatures, there's lots of unpredictability which keeps the tracks feeling fresh over there 73 minute run time. A few of the instrumental tracks i could take or leave but over all, great album

Un amalgame de styles et d'influences rétro déconstruits. J'ai aimé l'ambiance et les arrangements fastueux, le projet encyclopédique aux titres lyriques

I'm not sure what you call this genre but its just interesting. I love the idea of basing an album off a state and things about it. A nice variety of music, its soft and kinda whimsical. Bright horns, some good folsky banjo. Its not my favorite but I had a good experience with this albim, I think Decatur stuck out to me most, but there really is a lot here to listen to, wear a good set of headphones too.

Chicago is the standout but this albums pretty good! What a fun experiment this almost was. Imagine if he had followed through and did albums for all 50 states?!? That would have been dope

I really like it Recently already listened to it

Jedan od mojih omiljenih, možda i omiljeni, Sufjan.

Ooh, this is nice! Sufjan Stevens is referenced in a Snow Patrol song, but other than that I had no idea about him. Turns out he has clever, thoughtful lyrics with internal rhymes, very specific subjects and lovely vocals and orchestral music and is just super my vibe. Simply beautiful. I don't love all the songs on this album - some have a few too many religious references - but I can tell I should listen to others of his albums and would probably come away with plenty of new favourites.

Very dreamy music

interesting, some unusual pieces, not too bad, worth another listen

Extremely solid album. Really great stuff here, and a really nice album experience. Really the only thing holding it back is I probably wouldn't listen to a lot of it outside of the album itself.

Excellent stuff! It keeps to its vibe extremely well, and moves effortlessly through sounds and moods - chamber pop, energetic indie rock, strings and horns and guitars galore, and even a Steve Reich-esque minimalist piece to close it out! I'm gonna have to settle in to Sufjan's discography more.

This was awesome. I’m not sure I could pick out any songs that stuck out in my mind that I want to immediately go back and listen to, and that’s the only reason why I’m not giving it a 5, but it was a very enjoyable experience overall. It was also incredibly fun learning that Sufjan Stevens just kinda decided to learn every instrument known to man in order to produce this album. Flawless execution. What a guy.

The arrangements here are so so so gorgeous. "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!" was so beautiful on first listen that I had to take some time to process it. And then once more after "Chicago". The storytelling is another of Sufjan's strengths, though it does take some digging on Genius to fully understand it. Still, it made Casimir Pulaski Day one of my favorite songs here. With such high highs, what does end up bringing the album down a bit is its 74min runtime. It feels harsh to say because the Illinois concept is genuinely so fun and unique, and every track an important contribution to that.... it just ends up diluting itself a bit by the end.

When it's good, it's absolutely perfect. Dense storytelling, complex instrumentation, and great vibes. An excellent album for road tripping. However, it is way too long and drops off considerably in the back half.

Me ha gustado bastante, suena a ensoñación, a vida pasada.

Really enjoyed listening

Loved some of the tracks. But not putting this on a loop for sure.

Beautiful album, I’ve heard a number of the songs before. No idea where from though. Deep and meaningful lyrics too. Love it

too long, very pretentious couple of great songs though

It started a bit poorly, but it improved. I somehow never heard this album before. The lyrics on "Illinois" are well-written. A perfect representation of the state with the same name. I loved "The Man From Metropolis Stole Our Hearts", my favourite from the album. 4 stars for "Illinois(e)".

Ouvi enquanto trabalhava e adorei a experiência! Vou salvar o álbum na minha biblioteca, achei ele bem tranquilo e soft de ouvir.

Favorite Tracks: Decatur, or Round of Applause for your Stepmother! Chicago Casimir Pulaski Day The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is out to get us!

so freaking surreal i loved this, i liked sufjan stevens before but this made me so happy, i can tell hes super musically intelligent. john wayne gacy jr is diabolical but wildly poetic, the long song names are really frying me but i love it

Great album and also a great musical

definitely one i'm gonna need more time with. seems dense lyrically

Beautiful as always when it comes to Sufjan Stevens' music.

Amazing, kaleidoscopic indie, blues, folk, musical theatre inspired songsmithing. Reminded me of Badly Drawn Boy and Polyphonic Spree but it's own thing.

Hadn't listened to much Sufjan Stevens before but I like it. Easy listening. Good album for getting work done on a Friday afternoon.

Riktigt bra chillmusik!

I have always found Sufjan very talented. Everything he does is so well executed. The concept album is kinda lame though. Also, this wouldn’t have been the album I would have selected to showcase his talent.

Complex album that was a great listen during a walk on a warm summer evening. I never heard of Sufjan but plan to listen to more music of him. 4+

You know what? I like it. Yes, Ok, this one I can tell IS a bit pretentious, but I don't care. It was fun to listen to, it was a chill time, a couple of bops.

Beautiful album that uses different sounds to the fullest. I also really like his voice as well.

Enjoyed this more than expected. A bit technical but otherwise a great concept

My initial impression was that the song titles were long and pretentious. I wasn't expecting to like this, but there's something so fun yet peaceful and calming about the songs on this record. I thought it would drag when I saw the length and number of songs, but it didn't feel like an hour at all. Its hard to think of songs that stood out after the first listen but I'm sure this will change over time

I shouldn’t like this. It’s quite soft, quite folky, and a bit pretentious. However, I like the concept, the album art is cool, and the songs are well crafted with plenty of layers, some lovely strings, and catchy melodies. I’d need to be in the mood for it, but on the day I listened, I was.

the track "Chicago' is in an incredibly good song. pleased i listened to this , been the most interesting album recommendation for ages . 4

In 2005, American man Sufjan Stevens decided to make an album called Illinois, all about the state of Illinois, which is a place in America famous for having Chicago in it, and also for being mostly not Chicago. The album contains songs about things like Superman, serial killers, and Abraham Lincoln, which makes you wonder if Stevens had actually been to Illinois or if he just Googled it the night before. Listening to Illinois is a bit like being given a very elaborate history lesson by someone who’s forgotten the main facts but remembered all the feelings. The album is part of Stevens’s so-called “50 States Project,” where he promised to make an album for every state in America, before immediately giving up after two. It’s a bit like saying you’re going to read every book in the library and then stopping halfway through the first one because you realised you’d rather have a biscuit. Nevertheless, Illinois is considered a masterpiece, although no one can really agree why, apart from that it has lots of instruments in it and makes you feel a bit like you’re either ascending to heaven or shopping for organic vegetables.

This one had some Vampire Weekend vibes to it. Unique and whimsical throughout. Definitely have heard Chicago before. Definitely got interrupted a fair bit during this one so I think it deserves a relisten in full. Despite that it had a lot of beauty and airiness to it that I liked. I also like the album cover and the song titles, but that doesn't move the needle much for a review like this.

The most insane song titles I have ever seen. That was a weird one as well cause it started off really good but it kind of dragged on too long with it being well over an hour. A lot of songs had cool instrumentals but the singer never jived with me with his singing style. Still like it for it's originality but probably a lowish 4

Definitely have listened to this one before, but the only track I still listen to is Chicago. That song rules. Few songs in and this is certainly playful. Has that opera feel to it but in a fun way. Digging the horns in Come On! Feel the Illinoise! Jk love the horns on everything. Chicago still is an awesome song. Am always pumped when this come up on my playlists. SO much damn emotion in this song. It goes on a smidge too long but its incredibly beautiful. Pretty damn high 4 and could easily be a 5 on relistens.

Solamente por el tema de la avispa le meto un nota alta. Pero en serio: fue algo diferente pero inesperado, porque realmente lo genérico es regla acá. Nota: 3.9

Is it too long? Absolutely. Is it still pleasent and unusual to listen to? 100%

An interesting album, I liked Come On! Feel the Illinoise! and Chicago the most.

Cool songwriting. A real radioparadise.com song.

They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!

Great album, really enjoyed it. It develops quite nicely.

This deserves more than one listen and it is something I would happily come back to. Stylistically I really like this. Got early Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie vibes at times. 4/5.

Initially I was apprehensive about this one because I had only heard Carrie and Lowell before and I found that album to be.... well I guess I didn't really get it back when I first listened to it but the impression that Sufjan's music being just not for me stayed basically since and prevented me from ever trying some of his stuff out until now and I'm glad I finally got to this one because despite the length and how it's a sprawling concept album I love that it doesn't feel like a heavy listen or like there's too much and nothing at the same time, it's an enjoyable listen basically off the strength of Sufjan's writing (or composing rather) and how these melodies are both so catchy and so pleasant, some songs really caught my attention and had me nodding along with my head or my hand, it's the kinda thing that really appeals to the side of me that likes some good melody work. Not every song is a winner, I mean 22 songs is a LOT and some of the slower, folksier songs were the ones that faltered the most, but when you have songs like Chicago, Jacksonville or Night Zombies, I can't complain at all.

Cool

Very indi rock, but is sweet

Still good, a little long and a lot of the songs blend together

Chill vibe

Not usually my style of music, but I greatly appreciated the arrangements and song writing with such a fun concept for an album. Will revisit.

Ambitious, artful, strange, beautiful ode to the Land of Lincoln. A modern indie classic.

what the flip bruh. this is awesome

Love Sufjan!! Such an interesting sound and odd stories layered in each track. Will definitely revisit.

I liked this album more than I expected, but it still very much has an early 2000s Indie sound, and uses the whole CD when it really doesn't have to.

I really enjoyed this album. At first the number of tracks was a bit off putting but I am now a Sufjan Stevens convert

Pleasant album; nothing spectacular. Chicago is an excellent track.

Astonished that this was 2005. Is my current taste skewing that perception? Or is this album so fresh that it sounds like today's music? Must have been crazy listening to it when it came out. It's a 4 or 5 from me

Never heard of this and really enjoyed

Hadn’t listened to this whole album before. I liked Chicago, but had a strong adverse reaction to the Gacy song. Overall, liked the rock/pop stuff.

It's kinda weird but not in a bad way. At worst it's a little boring sometimes. The track titles are very long and a lot of them are pretty funny. I think I need more time to figure out if this is just one giant joke, or if there's something deeper here Standouts - 4/5

Fantastic! This album makes me feel like walking in the dream.

I really enjoy this album. It's all so melodic and has a unique sound. Chicago is an amazing song. I do think the album could've used a bit of curating before the final cut though. 22 songs at an hour and 15 is a bit much and 6 songs are under a minute long (with one at 6 seconds). That's some indie nonsense. 8/10 (4/5)

The first half is banger after banger. I lose interest by the end of the second half. Still a great, great album from the first half alone.

A beautiful voice with some beautiful lyrics and compositions. I may have also cried at a Sufjan show once. It’s undeniably great, yet I don’t feel the need to listen to often.

Country folk album with millennial sensibilities. And I’m quite partial to it

Very fun album and project, although it never was completed. I’m definitely biased toward this one as a Chicagoan, but it really is a beautiful and whimsical listen that I always enjoy. With moments of grave, sadness, innocence, and even humor, this album really has it all. I do agree with Kyle that the second half probably could have been pruned down some, but at no point I find myself not enjoying the music. Definitely an album everyone ought to listen to before they die.

Would probably give this 4.5* if I could. I absolutely loved this album. I've never heard of this person but I may have to look up more of their work.

71/1089 - I think this will grow on me. Very coherent instrumentation (can definitely hear the Reich influence) which is rare for indie music in my experience. I would have appreciated more loud vocals in certain places ad wasn't a big fan of the odd-time stuff but that's just my personal preference and not really a problem with the music.

Really enjoyed the airiness and multiple singers. A happy album that also sings about a dark subject, Gacey murdrrs.

Masterful songwriting, really weird song titles.

Just a very fun, colorful, clear-eyed record. It really started to come to life with “Come Om Feel The Illinois! Pt. 1”. Evo with a sing as grim as “John Wayne Gacy Jr”, this whole album feels like floating through a twee, shimmery dream state. Like if “Eleanor Rigby” was more spread out and happy. Son 7 & 8 give you that indie mandolin/banjo fix (the titles are just too long to type out). The intro on song 12 almost shook the belief I was starting to form that this album is perfect to put on and just daydream to. That’s the highest compliment I can pay here, it’s just perfect daydream music. Song 15 might be my personal pick for Illinois, not just for how good it is, but for how it kicks off a string run of back half tracks. A twinkly, dreamy record that functions well as one cohesive listening experience!

Casimir Pulaski is the fave.

I really enjoy Sufjan’s style, it was so new and unexpected when I first heard it, but it has continually drawn me in the last two decades.

I love Sujan Stevens, but I admittedly haven't listened to one of his albums all the way through until this. This isn't my favorite album by him, but it's still so good. His voice, musicianship and lyricism is so good and I love the themes that he covers in his songs. I loved this one

dava pra cotar umas musicas e fazer um disco mais curto e coeso, mas mostra o Sufjan Stevens fazendo arranjos orquestrais muito bem ainda no início da carreira. Não é meu favorito, mas necessário pra entender a trajetória dele

Soundtrack of a few of my high school/jr high years.

overall it was good but it went on a bit too long for my tastes.

4.4 I was so close to giving this a 5*. Many listens over several weeks to fully explore it. It's a beautiful album. Some really lovely tracks, great lyrics. The thing that lets it down is the length. This might be modern day short attention spans, but I feel it just didn't need to be that long. A few tracks had some unnecessary codas when a perfect natural conclusion would have been a minute prior. A few tracks towards the end could also have been binned, after being so captivating for 30-40 mins it's easy to zone out which is a shame. A great album for sure, but so close to immortality

Really well-constructed, a great listen

Pretty interesting album. Maybe 20 mins too long, but good nonetheless. It's sort of a 3.5 for me, but marking it as 4 to give it at least a second listen. Maybe it will grow on me.

Casual music, but very nice

Molto carino, rilassante e di gusto

Fantastic album. Despite its length, the album is engaging all the way through. Quite a number of stand out tracks