Sufjan Stevens is a guy after my own heart. He's said he wants to make an album about each of the 50 states, but I don't think anybody really believes him. His first album was all about Michigan, but where do you from there? There's tons of great stuff to write about Michigan so everything else will pale in comparison - especially when your next state is Illinois. Right?So just as millions thought I'd never make it past "B" on my iPod, Sufjan has made it to Come On Feel The Illinoise. Even if the album is terrible, it already wins best title of 2005.
Sufjan does take a little getting used to. He makes music for people who buy cast albums to musicals they've never seen and listen to indie rock. It's a small demographic, but probably not as small as people who buy cast albums and listen to gangsta rap.
The songs are elaborate and filled with twee backing vocals. I'll tell you, it didn't catch my fancy right away and this is from somebody who was instantly captivated by a girl who plays a harp and sings like an elf. I gave Illinois a cursory listen last fall and began to think maybe it wasn't for me. When I dialed it up on Declan today, though, I started to see the appeal. He has beautiful lyrics and the soft music can be lulling but isn't annoying. Believe me, there's a difference.
Sufjan also has the sweetest song ever about a serial killer and that beats any cast album any day (even Assassins).
2 comments:
Heh, the best is how he's got that song with the zombies. I was all like "huh?"
I like how all the song titles are, like, 8,000 words long.
And yet, my favorite song on the album is just one word - "Jacksonville."
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