Reviews (page 7 of 16)
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
Wow. Went into this relisten thinking I loved this album. Came out with some real issues. Bloated, repetitive, and pretentious. This album should have half as many songs, and the song names should be half as long. Done good gems in there, but overwhelmed by bloat.
Coil
Beautiful album, but I think Carrie & Lowell is his best
Not terrible
Not for me at all
8/10
Different. Unexpected. New and enjoyed.
Not my cup of tea, also too long
I love all the song titles in this album
Very pretty album but a bit long and tends to blend together
This is one of those albums that makes me so sad I didn't listen to it sooner. I think listening to this album earlier would've really shaped the route of my music exploration. It's a feat, a true gem, and will absolutely be an album that stays with me for a long time. It's more than an album. It's a full musical without the need for a stage. It speaks for itself and by itself. I cannot think of any piece of music I've listened to that is similar, even Sufjan's indie folk contemporaries lacked the vision that this album has. As an instrumental alone, I would give this 5 stars. The fact that such contemplative, heart-wrenching lyrics accompany the vast soundscape is astounding. Simultaneously being a profound poet and an immensely skilled musician is so rare. I was truly amazed by this. I feel like I'm overhyping it, but this was truly one of the most beautiful, moving pieces of art I've ever consumed. Immersive, interesting, and sharp. This album could not be any better.
Nicht Cat/Yusof Stevens ..aber eigentlich ziemlich guter Emo-Folk-Pop. c
Stephen 7r3d o
I’m a day behind and really tried to catch up with this one, but am ashamed to admit that I threw in the towel by the fifteenth track. It’s brimming with ideas, and there are some truly lovely moments, but, just as a single fondant fancy is delicious, I don’t want to eat 22 of them.
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.
Likely hugely biased as listened to this a lot when it was first released. Probably not his best album (Michigan or Carrie and Lowell are probably better standalone pieces of work, Seven Swans my personal favourite), but perhaps the best introduction. Could see why some people might find the shift from more symphonic pieces to more delicate arrangements jarring but I like the meandering styles that it dips into. There’s a lot of lovely sprinkles in the mix to make the music pop (the woodwind on ‘the predatory wasp..’, piano on ‘John Wayne Gacy, Jr’, horn section on ‘Jacksonville’, the shift from 5/4 to 4/4 in ‘come on! Feel the Illinois’). If there was a criticism, it would benefit from having some of those ideas refined a bit more but I enjoy the maximalist approach of just throwing everything into the pot by virtue of the concept and variety of stories attempted to be told.
Probably the find of this year.
This album is brilliant. That’s all that really needs to be said about it. Sufjan Stevens is a musical genius, and I think this album will end up being one of the best albums of the century. Now that the hyperbole is out of the way, I’d heard about this album in 2005 when it came out because all I heard was this album was incredible, it was the best of the decade thus far, and blah, blah, blah. I was knee deep in System of a Down, the White Stripes, and other metal-ish music, probably even nu-metal, ugh. I’m not sure I would have appreciated this album as much if I had heard it in 2005. Sufjan Stevens is a singer/songwriter who claimed he was going to write an album about each state. He started with Michigan, which is where he was born, and then Illinois was the second album. Turns out he was joking about his 50 albums for 50 states, but thank God he at least got to Illinois. This album is hard to explain. The style is indie rock? I guess? It’s not the Strokes or Wilco or whatever indie rock is supposed to be, I don’t think. There are orchestras, lwith oboes and strings and bells and it’s like the soundtrack to a musical that wasn’t created yet. Though they did make a musical out of this album in later years. Here’s a peek inside my brain, I love musicals. Don’t know why. Maybe it's because I love music, I've got to have it in my life. So if the songs are good, I’ll buy into people singing to each other all day long. The songs are a mixture of history about Illinois and Stevens' life growing up in and around Illinois. There’s a song about losing a friend to cancer, that almost had me bawling at my desk here. There’s another song about the dead rising from their graves to attack the living. There’s a very beautiful but creepy song about John Wayne Gacy and how each of us has that evil side that we try to hide from everybody else. This album is a must-listen in my mind. Check it out one time and if you don’t like it, I’ll give you your money back. As long as the listen costs you nothing. I’m excited to add this to my regular rotation of albums to revisit every so often, to explore it even deeper than the two listens I had yesterday.
The first 'new to me' artist/albums that's gotten a 5 star rating. Incredibly well done album
Nothing really stood out. Not my jam.
3.5/5
Great listen, too many fillers for the full 5
концептуальный альбом, совершенно ничего особенного не представляющий собой музыкально, но рассказывающий какую-то глубокую умную историю в текстах, которую я не понимаю? спасибо, неинтересно. а ведь увидев имя суфьян стивенс я очень обрадовалась...мда
I don’t know where to start when talking about this album. For me, and many others, it is a true time-capsule that when revisited awakens the full spectrum of emotion. No exaggeration there. Just is. These songs unlocked something wondrous and led to my personal discovery of other artists and songwriting techniques I hadn’t considered before. Masterpiece.
A Sufjan album is too much Sufjan.
Concept album on paper/in the track listing, but very accessible sweetness. This threw me back into lovely sad boys Bon Iver and Ben Howard
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?
yeah it's long and twee and peak millenial self-seriousness...but that was what was up! all 74 minutes still hit so hard for me, bringing me back to so many different moments in my young adult life. i'm glad he didn't actually devote his career to 50 different state albums, but would have loved to hear his take on Torrington, Connecticut.
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 was not that interested in those too ‘Americana’ things
This is #day404 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... 1 h and 14 min of dreary '00s indie folk, aka a concept album about Illinois (?!), I mean... For fuck's sake. The average rating for this record makes me worried about humankind again. This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day405.
I think I would have liked this more if it was a purely instrumental album. There was some really nice instrumentation and some interesting things going on. However, the lyrics were so incredibly twee and pretentious and just really annoyed me. I'm sorry, Sufjan, I know a lot of people like you, but I didn't enjoy this. It was like listening to a Wes Anderson film.
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.
Some beautiful sad, real sentiments and washy lush sonic-scapes. The wrestling with God is both appealing and off-putting for me. I got quite bored and had to take a break about 2/3rds of the way in though. I had listened to some of the somgs off this before but not the whole album. Quite samey in places with occasional flourishes. Feels like it would benefit from cutting down to the old school 45 mins maybe. Again very of its time.
I've listened to this album quite a few times over the years and the more I listen to it, the less I like it. Somehow I feel patronised. Like The Wiggles for adults. Something about "here's instruments for a few bars, now here's me singing my poetry" rinse repeat. Smug. It feels smug.
I dunno, I didn't find this offensive but also not all that interesting. Quite twee and I felt unremarkable I doubt I would remember any particular songs from this. The piano was nice.
A totally unique musical experience.
So weird yet so bland
I like this more as a project and a concept than as a thing to listen to, but it is fun and has some good stuff in there. Just not the kind of thing I see myself reaching for too often.
meh...
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!
Jacksonville is great
It's fine. It has good lyrics. It's too long.
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.
Technically it's a great album. The production, the lyrics, the talent. It feels a little long, but not terrible. I can handle a little Sufjan at a time, but a whole album was more then I prefer. Still it's a really good album. 3.5/5
Pretty good music. There's just one song that's really not for me.
Endlessly interesting. So much to enjoy on this, I've listened three times today and still want to hear more. Only knew 'Casimar Pulaski Day'. Songs are sad, happy and beautiful. Hell of talented man this Sufjan.
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.
I guess I knew the song Chicago, but I'd never heard this or any other Sufjan Stevens album. I do, however, have a passing familiarity with the art-rock gang Black Country, New Road, and I was under the impression that they were making new-sounding music. Turns out they sound a lot like this guy! It's too long and self-important, but it's possible that he really is making a contribution to music and it's pleasant to listen to.
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
One of my favorite albums of all time.
An interesting artsy concept album. Reminded me a bit of what Damien Rice did with "O" back around the same time. I wonder who copied who. I liked Damien Rice's final product better, but this was cool. The recurring themes were a bit same same at times: I accidentally restarted the album 4 songs into it and didn't realize it.
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.
3.5 if it were an option
I'm not sure I like this baroque pop but at times is very pleasant, other times is not really heartfelt for me
Sufjan is almost uniquely able to combine extreme beauty with the kind of light-heartedness and lack of pomposity that brings you song titles such as 'To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament, and It Involves Tube Socks, a Paper Airplane, and Twenty-Two Able-Bodied Men'. In some ways, all SS songs follow familiar lines, highly-skilled guitar work and his unique, instantly identifiable voice. But there's also so much variety and mystery in each song. It's very good, is what I'm driving at here. I wonder if the Project will see fit to give us Carrie and Lowell, because that's probably a 5.0 for me, and I've scored Illinois accordingly.
all time classic, really makes you wish you were from illinois.
Misspelled his own album title on the cover! Oh dearie! Everything about this is wrong and I have no idea what to think except "huh, that was kind of good, I guess." And that's probably wrong too. Regardless, there's so much musical content here that it's a little overwhelming. And none of it is particularly mind-blowing, save maybe for the catchy and instantly memorable track Chicago buried somewhere in the middle of the record. The "title" track, Come On!, is also solid, along with some of the proggy songs like The Tallest Man and The Predatory Wasp that move through several distinct sections. Can't really go wrong with that. The album is dotted with unusual time signatures – maybe not quite as impressive in 2005 as it is in 20th century records but still a cool addition. The "make every name way longer than it should be" gig gets stale pretty fast, though I'll give Stevens props for the opening track. The title "Concerning the UFO sighting near Highland, Illinois" goes kind of hard. Stevens has an almost comically stereotypical voice for any male 2000s singer-songwriter artist. He also sounds like a slightly happier Elliott Smith (may he rest in peace). I'm on the fence as to whether it's necessarily *good* (or, for that matter, enjoyable) but it gets the job done. The instrumentation is a scattershot of weirdness that employs everything but the kitchen sink and any kind of standard rock instrument. We bounce everywhere from marimbas to brass bands to airy violins to light, exotic percussion. And weird synths/SFX (I think). The two final tracks, Riffs & Variations and Out of Egypt, suffer particularly from the strange instruments because they're the only tracks completely devoid of anything found in mainstream music of the time. Out of Egypt is entirely marimbas (and/or marimba-adjacent instruments) and lacks any kind of melody, let alone a catchy one. Riffs & Variations, like most of the sub-one-minute tracks here, should've been cut entirely. 3/5 Key tracks: Come On! Feel the Illinoise!, Chicago, The Predatory Wasp, The Tallest Man
I already listened to this one.
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.
He just takes too long. I can hear and see why it´s objectively good, but goddamn, get to the point man.
Bit too ethereal and hippy for me, however, critically acclaimed. Not sure what he’s trying to say or how anyone can write an album about a State-or geographic area….
There are moments I really like on this album, particularly where it becomes more melancholy and simple. However mostly this sounds like a musical, and I hate musicals.
Could never get into their music. Jacksonville and Chicago are decent tracks.
Album 7/1001 Favourite (and only enjoyable) song: Chicago 🌃 1½ / 5
2,5
this album is perfect progressive chamber beauty and it's so charming
kind of grating to be honest
Great vocals and story telling. Production and music were great too! Didn’t add many songs from it but glad I listened.
Good instrumentals and very creative but just not my taste. I thought that it would be great for a Disney soundtrack
Beautiful in parts, wishy washy in others. Very laid back and easy going. Jacksonville and Casimir Pulaski Day the highlights.
perfectly funday for monday. thank you sufjan
Musicals energy (I sadly don't like musicals). 2.
Not for me
Tedious, pretentious, indie BS. Further evidence that the naughties were the worst decade of music
Jeg er op og ned på de her 00'er-10'er indieboys men den her var virkelig fantastisk
Det er så vildt at den her plade eksisterer
Masterpiece. Every song is unique and perfect.
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.
Incredible album.
This was great. What a trip!
Great album but more my partner's taste than mine
Omg this album was so boring
"Indie prog" Similar to The Dear Hunter. Top track: Jacksonville / Chicago
One of the absolute best!
Quite bland to be honest, not necessarily bad, but it feels too safe to be properly enjoyable
Hmmmm!... Great arrangements and production, and I find the artist's voice pleasant enough. However, this is just not my kind of music, and I did find it pretty bland, boring, and over-long.
If you like LCD soundsystem, stereo lab, Geordie Greep, etc. you will like sufjan stevens. I worked out and did chores listening to this.
Very good. Not far off a 5
American modern folk 2005. Sei la que porra é essa!
Not delved Into Sufjan’s work before but this was a surprise. One that kept me intently listening, I really enjoyed the journey it weaves through with its occasional interludes. Hard to pigeon hole into a genre but the arrangements were lush and an interesting concept for an album.
I KNOW DATS RIGHT!!!!!!!!
This thing drifts along like a paper sailboat on the ocean at low tide, with monotonous, sing-songy lullabies stretched into an entirely too long album. What some hail as intricate storytelling instead feels like endless musical notes ebbing and flowing with no payoff, tiresome in their own self-importance.
Very Indie. Very enjoyable. Not every song hits, but when they do they do. This is right up my alley. Soft tones, lyrics with some interest. What's not to love?
This one surprised me; It's one of those albums that never seemed to fit what I was into at the time. I finally listened to this on my way through Illinois as I traveled back to Tennessee and was drawn in immediately. It feels like a musical or a soundtrack , in all that it cover,but the vocals and arrangements are spot on throughout. It made me want to move back even more than I did at that point.
where to begin ? i initially thought i was going to enjoy this immensely; it should be just my kind of album. a concept album when done properly can be an engaging and enjoyable listen. two such albums which come to mind being: The Decemberists - The Crane Wife Jeff Wayne's War of The Worlds but when not so well executed, it can seem disjointed and with 22 tracks covering a sprawling 74 mins, this album felt more like a slog and a chore to get through than the delight i hoped it would be. so what's the problem here ? do i have to be an American or better still an Illinoisan to get this album ? the album comprises 22 tracks, with plenty of short interlude tracks and the lengthy runtime of 74 mins giving it a lack of cohesion and a serious commitment to listen through. Essentially, there is a lot of cruft and padding. Too many of the complete songs mind me of ones you might hear in poorly-received musicale, whose critics' scathing reviews would have closed down within the week. where are the positives ? well in all honesty, there are few tracks that i'd seek to replay and i'd happily skip the majority (plenty of filler and little killer). I would shorten the album to 5 or 6 tracks at most. on to my listening experience. the first three tracks would have passed me by registering only a vague interest, were it not for an annoying phrasing in Come on Feel the Illinoise that bears a strong resemblance to Close to Me by The Cure. Is anyone else hearing that? Already three tracks down and I'm not feeling any attachment or connection yet. Next up is John Wayne Gacy Jr. and was the first track to fully capture my attention, a song about a psycho serial killer who buried people under his house so the crimes would go undetected. this gentler, folkier version of Sufjan Stevens is the one i enjoy listening to most and this track is one of the highlights of the album. followed which we have several meh tracks, which again revisit the musicale theme and for me fall quite flat. all are them are easy skippers. And then 24 minutes in, we have the rousing Chicago, which without a doubt is the track of the album. It is a celebratory and unashamedly euphoric and it juxtaposes a beautiful folk vocal from Sufjan opining on his love for Chicago, rejoined by the uplifting swell of a joyful choir who are accompanied by a bright, happy brass section. for all that had preceeded Chicago, i was in no doubt that what followed would also fall a long way short of the album's centerpoint and I sensed that making it to the end would most likely be a somewhat less joyful affair. The next tracks on from Chicago, Casimir Pulaski Day and To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region are pleasant enough and are certainly not skippers, but the euphoric effect left on me by Chicago meant that anything following would have a tough job indeed. And why wasn't one of the instrumental interludes selected as the next track on from Chicago? to provide some breathing space and to cool our euphoria before the next song proper? this would have made for a better sequencing in my view. I then felt little enthusiasm for the next three tracks and only again felt a connection and a desire to check the track name when I was on The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us! A pleasant enough song and one which would make the grade for my short form EP. Following on from that They Are Night Zombies!! was equally enjoyable, if also not amazing. I am looking now impatiently at the track lengths of the remaining 6 tracks; we have 3 complete songs and three instrumentals to get through. i don't really see the purpose of all of these short interludes; they could easily have been the outros or the intros of the tracks which they are placed between. they contribute little to the overall flow or listening experience. my score is not going to take account of these short mostly instrumental segments. so with 3 tracks to go i can only honestly say that 2 of them were underwhelming, with only the final track, an instrumental, being one of the few to fully capture my attention. Is my attention span to blame or is it the curse of the double LP ? how do i rate this overall? as an complete album, it don't feel it lends itself to repeated full listenings; i would just cherry pick the few songs which really resonate with me. five or six at most, and release as an EP which would have made for a far more engaging and enjoyable listening experience. whilst not a terrible listen, it was most definitely underwhelming and certainly fell far short of my expectations of one of the 1001 albums you must listen to. i score this a 2.50 at best. if i have to rate either 2 or 3 stars then i am downrating it to 2 stars
Takes me back to youth group
Pretentious crap
Really good, dynamic, soothing but ups the energy
Eclectic. In a good way!
Lots of ideas. Some interesting. There is a definite feel of an early summers evening in a European city about most if not all of these songs. The lyrics and the slightly affected vocals never match up to the instrumentation could have listened in silence really.
Emotional
I adore this album, its perfect in every way.
This was a great listen, added 3 songs from it, and listened to the album multiple times.
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.
Peaceful
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.
Delicate songwriting. The songs can begin to feel very similar and this can seem more like an album of vibes. But I found each song unique and the whole album held my attention.
Very beautiful music. A little long winded but some good stuff in here.
niceee i think sufjan is so clever when it comes to sounds, blends so many influences i love it think i prefer carrie more, even though it makes me so so sad listening
Relaxing, pretty nice music.
Certainly not breaking any new ground.. just straightforward 2000s indie rock. As a fan of the genre, I’d say it’s decent, but nothing amazing
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.
It was better then i was expecting. Not sure if i'd listen again.
Sort of a weird idea for a concept album, but it was decent. Not great.
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.
Pas transcendant mais pas horrible
Couldn't finish. Comes at you with all the power of three ghosts trapped in a Mason jar.
fantastic
Incredible production. Peaceful and relaxing but also majestic and theatrical. I like the flutters of percussion in the background. Feel a bit like a woodland creature lol, there’s a whimsical element that takes me back to childhood.
I’ve never heard of this person so I read the wiki and a few reviews before I played a few tracks. It was better than what the reviews led me to believe, but yes, as some other reviewer said, this music is for people who buy activated almonds and Gwyneth paltow’s gunk.
Ponad godzinny album i nawet sekundy nudy. Giga fan trąbeczek i instrumentów smyczkowych
kolejny banger z nazva stanu
One of the very best state-based albums and also one of the best indie albums. #1 state-based indie album.
Can’t believe they actually made Chicago into a real city
Fantastisch album. Mooie instrumentatie, bijzondere liedjes. Gevoelig en complex
sorry my guy, this one is the shits
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
W.T.F?
Alright, some good songs on here like Chicago, Casimir Pulaski day. Too long of an album though
Will this album ever end? It sounds like an album Thom York would put out of he was working at a local coffee shop and trying to impress a sad girl.
Давно не повертався до цього альбому. Поважаю Суф'яна, дуже цікавий артист, купа класних альбомів (але й посередніх вистачає). Цей прям монументальний, під 80х хвилин. Для мене завжди було трохи занадто. Я одночасно отримую від нього задоволення і втомлююсь. Саме тому й особливо до нього не повертаюсь, хоч це і видатний інді-альбом нульових.
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.
Never got this album and I don't think I ever will.
Some nice stuff on here but man it dragged
Det går 14 på dussinet av såna här. Om du ska vara nånting att ha måste du antingen vara en vansinnigt bra låtskrivare eller ha produktion/sound/uttryck som är helt unikt (tänk t.ex. Bon Ivers andra platta). Sufjan är varken det ena eller har det andra. Det blir sålunda svintråkigt. Det kanske är kompetent, ja t.o.m. intelligent men jag har inte roligare för det och absolut inte över 22 spår. I stunder får det mig att tänka på Paul Simon (solo) och jag avskyr Paul Simon, ur all tänkbara aspekter. Det här är aptrist och således underkänt, simpel as that Lyssna hellre pá Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver, Bright Eyes - Lifted, or the story is in the soil, keep your ear to yhe ground, Nicolai Dunger - Play
Två okej låtar: Chicago och Casimir Pulaski day. Resten borde ha stannat på idéstadiet.
Här krävs antagligen en mer koncentrerad lyssning än vad som nu varit fallet. Med det sagt, varför utbildas musiker allt för sällan i ”less is more”? Ett evigt långt plinkande som inte tycks ta vägen någonstans. Här och där vaknar man till och kommer på att det spelas musik i lurarna. Men allt som oftast bara pågår Sufjans utan att vare sig göra till eller från.
Jag fattar inte grejen med det här överhuvudtaget. Det låter som någon släppt in kulturskolan i studion. Alla instrument ska med! En gäng amatörer som anstränger sig till det yttersta för att låta proffsiga. Resultatet blir så fruktansvärt stelt och ointressant. Är det meningen att texterna ska vara roliga? De är de inte. När Sufjan istället försöker vara historieberättare, blir det bara pinsamt. Sufjan själv verkar skämmas för sina texter, som han sjunger så försiktigt och utan inlevelse, så att ingen ska råka höra honom.
5- Stars (13/15)
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)
I love the lyrics in every song. The vocals and sound of the music feel modern and nostalgic. I really love this album. I've even heard some of these songs before without knowing who sang them.
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.
"Singing softly, going nowhere, four syllables, I just don't care." This is the best that the 2000s era of indie/pop/folk/rock has to offer, but it's still not good. It certainly doesn't sound unpleasant, but it has the musical depth of potato salad from Jewel Osco; is good enough to bring to a get together but I'm not enjoying it at home.
Still better than Kanye West.
Listen to this now. I mean now.
Groovy
I grooved.
Glorious highs buried in a haystack of filler.
Is it too long? Yeah. Are most of the little interlude tracks unnecessary? Mmhmm. Do some of the songs linger on for too long? Yep. Is this still a 5-star album? Oh hell yes!
Love love love. So unique/off the beaten path.
Some really good stuff on this album but also what feels like a lot 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
Everything I listen to says I should love this but I don't.
I've listened to this album so many times in the last 20 years and still to this day when I have a moment to listen to it I enjoy ever second of it. Sufjan Stevens was a huge influence on the band I was in during my college days.
What can you say? I think amongst even his peers in the indie space Sufjan remains a fairly singular musical voice. His methodology around composition of single pieces is maybe only matched by his attention to the album as a whole, and how the album flows. This is easily showcased by his choice of starting song (Concerning the UFO...), the small musical interludes that space out songs and move the album from one sound to another, and ending the album with a pulsing and discordant instrumental. As a lyricist, he is equally talented. Singing songs ranging from personal loss, Lincoln, John Wayne Gacy, and Superman, Stevens is masterful at weaving narrative into his melodies. I wish I could say I had always loved Sufjan Stevens, but it is not true. I think only though having someone show me the depth of his music did I come to appreciate on of the best Indie artists of all time. I think this prowess is shown well by the fact that out of many of the bands that hit it big in the Indie explosion of the mid oughts, you don't hear their music commercially that often. Yet it seems as if "Chicago" creeps out of nowhere to appear in some modern media at least once a year.
There's something about this album that makes it PERFECT listening for working overnight at Toys R Us in 2007 and stocking shelves or unloading freight in the truck bays in the quiet of the night, as you sob silently
I liked some of this but it was very long
Couldn't really do it too soft
Se não é um album experimental, eu não sei o que é. Muito instrumental desconexo, parece um negócio meio natureba, sei lá. Dificilmente eu ouviria de novo.
Very interesting?? Definitely not my muisc very theatrical and not exactly to my taste but it’s still a good album just not my music highlights: Chicago, casmir pulaski day
"Hey, ChatGPT, generate me a concept album, but, like, *real* arty." Four songs in, my conclusion is: I do not like Sufjan Stevens. ...of course, I've decided that by song four or five (c'mon, "John Wayne Gacy, Jr."? Your stepmother in Decatur?), and then I discover I kind of liked "Chicago" and was genuinely moved by "Casimir Pulaski Day". Even with that said, though, I understand why critics liked this album, and I also understand why I don't.
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
Tried and tired. I tried to listen to this, but quickly tired of it. This wasn’t my first attempt to listen to sad sack white boy music, but it will be my last.
Another one I'd heard before... and am happy to listen through again! My current favorites are Chicago, John Wayne Gacy Jr., Predatory Wasp of the Palisades, and Casimir Pulaski day, but we'll see if anything else stands out to me on another run through it Update: I really like The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders! Love the switching time signatures punctuated by the clapping. Whole album really hits as an Experience when heard start-to-stop: I don’t do that enough with this music (or music in general really - though my 2025 goal has been to work on that, hence partially this 1001 undertaking!) - usually I just listen to the four songs I cited above within various appropriate playlists
Fun as hell! Might even become a 5-star on repeat listens.
Meh
I may need to give this a closer listen.
Chicago rules
Великий альбом самого нежного американского сонгврайтера. Странным образом, я узнал о нем благодаря фильму "Маленькая Мисс Счастье", который я очень и очень люблю. В том числе и потому, что нашел его музыку, которую люблю с тех самых пор. Лучшая песня - Chicago.
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.
Incredibly fun. The song titles are goofy and disarming, the lyrics pay homage to the state of Illinois while also sneaking in some wonderful introspection, and the music is just so pretty. I can't settle on a favorite song yet.
Ok
I love this album. I love his expansive vision of what music can be. His lyrics are poetic and playful. It was a major discovery for me in high school and I think truly an album that shaped who I have become.
Long album. Made it about 60% through. Solid calm vocals with fun lyrics. Good instrumentals. 3.5/5
A masterpiece album, though I can't listen to it anew since it's so baked into my early 2000s life.
A weird relationship with this I love it y hate it i feel asleep and i woke up in joy 10/10
Patiently waiting for the next state
Sufjan’s best, although a few of the more recent albums have been close to rivaling this indie masterpiece.
Det här blir lätt. En femma. Har lyssnat väldigt mycket på detta album och Sufjan i övrigt. Det var ett tag sen sist. Men jag njuter lika mycket som förr. Det är en ljudbild som tilltalar mig. Melodiskt, intressant, piggt och varierande, aningen bombastiskt. Jag kan dock förstå om det inte riktigt klickar för någon (typ).
Min första tanke när jag satte på denna var ”fy fan allt låter precis om ett Wes Anderson-soundtrack”, vilket också var det bestående intrycket efter att ha lyssnat klart. Roligt att sen upptäcka att en av de första recensionerna sa precis samma sak och att man inte var ensam om den slutsatsen. Det är förstås imponerande att han spelar instrumenten själv och han är ju uppenbart talangfull, men den här stilen är inte min grej. Det låter bara så…fjantigt? Det blir heller inga pluspoäng för längden, de pretentiösa låttitlarna och de poänglösa mellanspelen. Jag kanske skulle omvärdera om jag lyssnade mer och ”vande mig”, men jag orkar inte.
This was definitely an interesting album. Glad I listened, but couldn't tell you any of the songs now.
Not what I was expecting at all. The album is experimental and flows nicely. It's just a little too long
Some I enjoyed but for the most part wasn’t to my taste
Banger track titles, I liked this one a lot.
2.7/5 it was very pleasant on the ears but I just didn’t really vibe to it
That’s a no from me dog. I know Chicago but the rest felt exhausting. Also those song names, kind of glad we left that in the 2000s. Even the description of the album is exhausting. “Sufjan Stevens has a secret to share: There are moments in his life—particularly when he’s posing, and finds himself playing a role he does not momentarily believe—when he might as well be a serial killer”
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.
Interesting - pleasantly surprised.
Best Sufjan album, did not relisten
Good but I maintain that Carrie & Lowell is his best work.
Facile pop music for people who don't listen to a lot of music. Not bad tho!
It was alright but dragged on for a lot longer than I'd like. If it was 45 minutes, I'd give it a 3. Couldn't really groove with it.
This is a composition of true musical genius that you fall in love with the more times you listen to it.
I like the album's cover art, but the music isn't for me.
Brilliant, love it
cool singer songwriter stuff from the 2000's, and if an album has as much trumpet in it as this does, i'm gonna enjoy it. also what a cool album concept wise
An interesting concept album that went places, and I'm not surprised this album was chosen for this list. Flows nicely, but not my thing.
This album is great. Really dig the crazy ass song titles. It's obvious this guy is extremely talented musically. I like this type of indie rock and I'll look a little deeper into his catalog. Now I understand why Spotify keeps recommending his albums.
An odd and beautiful album that is equal parts haunting and quirky. This is a great album to encapsulate that sensitive alternative rock that emerged in the mid 2000s. I’m glad I didn’t hear this album when it came out because I would have been insufferable with the amount I would have become obsessed with it. This album is definitely one to listen to multiple times, and an easy recommend to others.
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
Boring.
Sok
Very interesting
As a guy who grew up in a small town in Illinois, never feeling connected to the boring, midwestern world around me, Illinois helped open my eyes that the Midwest could be cool, and was full of history! I'm not gonna say that we have it all figured out, and that it's the greatest place on earth, but I've grown to love the Midwest and Illinois along with it, and Sufjan's album here definitely contributed to that feeling. It's a beautiful, lush album full of wonderful harmonies and strings. Choirs and woodwinds. It manages to fly by in a brisk hour and fourteen minutes. Truly one of the greats. *Heard before
Neither hot nor cold is how I feel about this album.
It’s not bad. Just wasn’t for me. Solid 3
The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts is a slow burn with adventurous melodies and intriguing lyrics that hint at deeper rewards over time, though it often feels overstuffed and could benefit from some thoughtful editing, an enjoyable but occasionally overwrought listen.
Nothing really too it. Perhaps good backgfround msuic
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
Not my style.
One of the best albums of the 2000s. Cohesive, catchy and emotional.
This is just enjoyable. And basing it on Illinois is so odd. Anyways, I approve. Especially love the electronic but instrumental sound
I liked maybe 2 out of the 22 songs on the album, but then again I stopped listening at song number 10. It was just SO boring.
I have tried to like Sufjan - like seriously tried - but this album is just like nails on a chalkboard to me - everything about it - his voice, the lyrics, the song titles, much of the music just irks me. I gave it an honest try again, but I just can't.
This strange album requires a bit of a different review than I normally give. The good: the instrumentation is solid throughout, the nod to Quiet Riot in the album title, the song Chicago. The bad: the singing is very substandard - airy, limited range, just no weight, adding nothing to the songs - and the lyrics aren't that good either. The ridiculous: The names of some of these songs. I do think that when an artist does what Stevens does - e.g. the theming without a real point, the extraordinarily long song titles - it’s a form of compensating for the fact that the songs aren't that good. When it takes longer to read the title than to play the whole, something isn't right. In this case, it's the songs. Not a total waste of time, but pretty close.
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.
Really really loved this one. He has such a good voice and the instruments all sound just perfect and the lyrics are really good as well. Have to give it 5 stars
this was so Important to 16 yo tylore it’s unreal. I know it’s long, and there’s too many transitions, but every song has a moment where I go “this is the best thing ever written” and that’s enough for me! (chicago -> casimir palaski day is the best song of all time)
Happy songs are happy and awesome quality. Sad songs made me sad.
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.
Favorite Track: Chicago
Chicago, John Wayne Gacy Jr and Cassie Pulaski Day have always been standouts for me. I will always love this album and I wish he would have made a few more state-themed albums.
Very good songwriter with great melodies
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 bit sickly sweet and indulgent really
A very pleasant sounding album with some great songs. It does overstay its welcome though.
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.
I love a lot of Sufjan, but this wasn't my favorite by his. A lot of it felt dragged on and bloated - I'm not sure where this falls in the discography, but if I had to guess, this sounded like an artist still finding their voice. It was still great, but not along the lines of the more recent Sufjan projects that resonate with me more deeply and feel more cohesive. Favorites off of this project were: "Chicago," "The Man of Metropolis...," "The Predatory Wasp...," and "They Are Night Zombies!..." Definitely, definitely planning to dive into the full discog sometime.
Demonic stuff. And not even entertaining.
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.
This was excellent!! Loved the music!
Num gosto tanto
not bad
Denne platen ble dessverre for lang og noenlunde ensformig for min del. Der er en del å sette pris på her, deriblant vakker instrumentering, fine melodier, og noen engasjerende tekster som forsterker konseptet om staten Illinois sin historie og kultur. Jeg liker godt inspirasjonen han tok fra komponister som Steve Reich og Philip Glass på visse sanger. Men i sin helhet er det mange sanger som gjør lite inntrykk på meg. Jeg har også forståelse for de som misliker Stevens sin sangstemme. Han lider generelt av noen tidstypiske troper og trender innen totusentallets uavhengig musikk, for eksempel den hviskete og pustete syngingen. De altfor lange sangtitlene syns jeg også blir teit, unødvendig og usympatisk. Det virker kanskje pirkete å klage på, men alt påvirker helhetsinntrykket.
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
Not my jam. I listened, but it isn't something I will start either.
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 have this album
I’d heard his music previously, but couldn’t remember much about it. I appreciated this for what it is, but isn’t really my thing. I could tell this was an album that would benefit from multiple listens (as is the case for a lot of albums, obviously) but I’m not sure I enjoyed it enough to give it more time. The songs just went over my head and didn’t keep my attention. I felt it needed it should have been more varied and challenging, but I appreciate I might have missed the entire point. Either way, just not for me.
a lengthy folksy concept album that's dedicated to the state it's named after, lots of callbacks, references and cultural lyrics from beginning to end. it's a very humble album, definitely the sort of music fitting for a small town instead of a big urban city. there's an even blend of gospel, country, and mid-century singer-songwriter energy this gives. when the album first started i wasn't feeling it too much, but the more i listened to it the more i ended up liking it. apparently a musical was made after this album released.
Love this album. Brilliant
Nope. I do not like this guy’s reedy voice nor his xtian nonsense. Just not for me.
bored, liked one song
Engaging storytelling, music and titles. Puts you under a spell. 10/10
Super nice surprise …
Absolutely fine album. Very pleasant background music but it just kinda faded into the background. I listened to this album maybe 10 times because I kept forgetting it was on and would take my headphones off to do something else.
noch nie habe ich so gefühlt
At times this sounded like low rent Arcade Fire, which is the most generous thing I can think to say.
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!
Another album I have been looking for a reason to check out for years. The song Chicago popped up on my discover weekly not to long ago and I felt bad for enjoying it so much without the context of the album. This is an absolute masterpiece in songwriting and production. The wide variety of instrumentation used across this sprawling epic makes the run time feel less intimidating, and though most of the album is interconnected it gives you plenty of room to breathe. It is lush and dense and Sufjan knows how to paint a picture and fill it to the brim with emotion. The melodies are great, the vocal harmonies are plentiful, the instruments are gorgeous. I don't know what else to say about this other than I throughly enjoyed it and this will become a regular in my rotation. Oh and the song titles are long and emo af haha, hits a soft spot for me. Favourites - Concerning, Come On!, John Wayne, Jacksonville, Chicago, Casimir Pulaski Day, Man of Metropolis, Predatory Wasp, Night Zombies, Out of Egypt
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.
This is the kind of album where I give it five stars, then some people be like OF COURSE you gave that five stars, and then I'm like yeah no shit I just gave it five stars. I prefer Seven Swans and Carrie and Lowell and I tend to be sparing on how much emo guy folky music I allow into my life, but as far as that stuff goes, this is primo.
This is the type of album sites like Pitchfork love. All introspective with swirling strings and sensitive vocals that are meshed into a weird concept album. Not me. This is drivel disguised as ambitious indie faux rock/pop. Don't get it. Don't understand it. Pass.
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.
Needs understanding... Not sure one listen does this justice.
While Sufjan is great at structuring intricate and lush instrumentals, I find his christian leanings preachy and the songs to listen a bit pretentious. Illinois is also a bit bloated, with many of the songs on the second half of the album not feeling necessary. A good album, but flawed nonetheless. 3/5
Mom always said, "If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all".
Did not like it specially
Illinois as an album A+, Illinois as a state: F-
More interesting than good, but there's value also in there. 6/10
Quite slow and quiet for a starter, judging off the cover I didn’t expect it to sound like this Little more lively? Not really Pretty alright so far Slow again Honestly I’m not feeling this, it’s well made but it’s not my thing at ALL
Not familiar Favorite song: Chicago
I like the indie folk stuff, but I could do without the baroque pop. John Wayne Gacy Jr. is such a sad, beautiful song. There are a few other tracks on the album that are pretty good, but there's a lot of filler as well.
love it
2,8/5
I know this is a good album, just not much my style.
vier plus
This is the musical equivalent of bread sauce. It’s boring (in that all tracks are kind of the same), it’s uninspiring (in that it’s all just a wee bit dull) and it’s unnecessary. It’s also far far too long, and the vibe feels more like Iowa than Illinois.
Mediocre Millennial Cat Stevens impression
College flashbacks but never really truly hooked me
the first boy i ever kissed played me come on! feel the illinoise! the first time i found myself in the passenger seat of his beat up old car. i was totally enamoured (with both him and the music). horns! pianos! the softest voice you’ve ever heard! the full album feels both cohesive (in its instrumentation) and diverse (in its subject matter). instrumentals paint sweeping landscapes, and the tracks with vocals delve into feelings of joy and fear and wanting and sometimes murder. it’s a beautiful journey to go on. it’s a total coincidence that this album was generated a few days after illinois turned twenty, but i have to bring it up, because i've been spinning it pretty often in the past week to celebrate. i’m predisposed to give this album five stars. the amazement and awe of first loves and first sufjan albums creeps up and makes my chest ache every time i listen. only 48 states to go!
I liked it, it's bloody long but some really nice songs
Kinda funky and liked it
Upbeat and skilled musician but not my cup of tea.
Lovely album. (Have heard prior) 8.8/10
# Album Name: Illinois # Artist: Sufjan Stevens # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: A one hit wonder. Album is way too long. # Top Tunes: Chicago # Would I listen to it again? No
Ambitious yet quirky indie album.
I've never been but I'd like to go. 5 stars.
For reasons I can completely understand, this album has always been somewhat divisive in my friend circles. I've heard it described as "too indie" or "cringe" by close friends whose music opinions I highly value. But I have to stand by it; this was the single most formative album of my adult life. I listened to it for the first time nearly a decade after its release, so I wasn't exactly on the hype train for it in '05. It was my first exposure to Sufjan, and my first listening experience coincided with the release of Carrie & Lowell, the saddest of sadboy albums. Hearing these albums back-to-back solidified my love of experimenting with music. Sufjan was the first artist I really resonated with who didn't follow what I understood to be standard rules of songwriting, and from then on, there was no going back. Few artists or albums have opened doors for me in the way this one did, and I'm forever grateful. But how does it hold up 20 years on? Well, it's still virtually perfect, if even for just the fact that there's never been anything really like it since. It somehow manages to capture the feeling of being human; what it's like to experience great joy and great loss. If you're willing to go with it, Illinois takes you on an incredible journey with homemade production, kid's toys used as instruments, bizarre lyrics and themes, and heartbreaking, yet life-affirming revelations.
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.
Boy, I hated this a lot.