Landmark in indie folk of the 21st century. Each track is beautifully arranged with carefully crafted instrumentation and introspective lyrics that draw from classical compositions and great poets. Subject matter is focused on Illinois topics and his own Christianity, making for a very personal experience. I could point something that stuck out to me on each track. For example, "Come on Feel the Illinoise" has a distinctive Chicago sound that reminds me of the musical. It's feels like a classical arrangement divided in movements, still cohesive, but flows naturally. In "John Wayne Gacy Jr", we see inspirations of his Christianity to humanize one of the most infamous serial killers in history, an individual who has a soul just like everyone else but grew up in circumstances that unfortunately led him down this past, teaching us that we can make the difference to prevent further massacres or redeem them as productive citizens. "Jacksonville" and "Decatur" remind me this is indeed a folk album with instruments like the banjo and a clear focus on the vocals. Oh and while I'm at it I love all the back vocals. You can tell there are different people on each track and it helps give each of them an identity. But then we get back to "Chicago" and the mood shifts from small time folk to big city feels (more like indie pop) with busy instruments and loud vocals, inviting the audience to sing along. And again it feels like a musical (Chicago) with the focus on the narrator given those momentary soliloquies about his personal experiences. Love the coda but I'm not sure it fit with the rest of the song since the rest of the song didn't feel particularly holy. This is followed by "Casimir Pulaski Day" which is another favorite of mine, for its simplicity and all-over-the-place story that reflects youthful grief and confusion. "The Man of Metropolis" is probably the next most complex song after "Chicago", fusing many different genres, especially rock. Love the distorted guitar sound at the end. "Prarie Fire" to me starts out sounding like it has a mystery theme turning into some holiday-themed Eastern European folk song between the chorus vocals and strange Christmas-like instruments in the latter half. Again, I could talk about the rest of the songs, but the point is that each shows Sufjan's creativity and masterful display of how to use the limited tools at his disposal to the full extent, playing with instruments and vocals in a million ways that doesn't sound experimental or repetitive, making each song stand out while still putting emphasis to his poetic lyrics. From start to finish, this album is a masterpiece to show indie musicians just what is possible with pure talent.