| | Sufjan Stevens Illinois CD Sufjan Stevens Discography of CDs
 (13 Customer Reviews)
Remarkably, in its intricate, gorgeously crafted surfaces, ILLINOIS lives up to its aims. In addition to its symphonic grandeur, the album also showcases Stevens's heartland folk, and some of the album's most shimmering moments are its most ... Full Descriptionspare. "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.," for instance, is an absorbing narrative that features Stevens's sweet tenor couched by guitar, piano, and backing vocals. "Casimir Pulaski Day," similarly, rides a rootsy banjo and guitar groove while Stevens unfurls image-rich lyrics over a lilting melody. Witty, audacious, and moving, ILLINOIS manages to be spiritual, entertaining, and educational all at once, resulting in an utterly unique conceptual and musical statement.
The first new album since Seven Swans and the second in his 52 state series. Sufjan is one of the leading figures in the twisted folk revolution that includes Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart and Iron + Wine. 22 tracks, it is a breathtaking record, sure to be in all of the end of the year best of polls. ''A consistently moving, subtly beautiful experience'' -Billboard. ''A record of remarkable delicacy'' -the Guardian. ''Quietly beautiful'' -Rolling Stone. Spunk Records. 2005.
The second entry from sui generis singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens in his absurdly ambitious project to make a record for every state in America outdistances even 2003's superb GREETINGS FROM MICHIGAN in scope and beauty. A sweeping paean to the Lincoln state, ILLINOIS weaves together history, personal confession, and detail-filled scenarios with chamber folk, expansive orchestral pop, and back-porch pastoral settings for a stunningly progressive indie gem that sound like Brian Wilson, Stereolab, and Neil Young holding hands in heaven.
Personnel: Sufjan Stevens (vocals, various instruments); Craig Montoro (vocals, trumpet); James McAlister (drums); Daniel Smith, Elin Smith (hand claps, background vocals); Matt Morgan, Shara Worden, Katrina Kerns (background vocals).
Spin (p.64) - Ranked #8 in Spin's "40 Best Albums Of 2005" - "[A] Chicago World's Fair of the ear -- a rebirth of wonder, discovery, and progress..."
Spin (p.105) - "[The album] sounds as informed by middle-American community theater, church choirs, and John Adams' American operas as any canonical 'folk rock' it may resemble." - Grade: A-
Entertainment Weekly (No. 829, p.71) - "...[F]inespun songs variously inspired by Carl Sandburg, John Wayne Gacy, Jr., and the 'Seer's' tower....ILLINOIS sounds quaint and even magical." - Grade: B+
Uncut (p.86) - 5 stars out of 5 - "ILLINOIS is an extraordinary achievement, all the more so as Stevens played most of the parts himself."
Magnet (p.52) - Ranked #5 in Magnet's "The 20 Best Albums Of 2005" - "[The album] continues his brave/insane quest to document the whole of our great nation's quilt of quirks..."
The Wire (p.41) - Included in The Wire's "2005 Rewind: 50 Records Of The Year."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.60) - Ranked #24 in Mojo's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2005" - "A boundless cornucopia utilising choir, woodwind and Vince Guaraldi-like piano..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.98) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[W]hen focusing on life's minute joys or its mundane horror, Stevens' voice is as true and profound as an angel." Hide Description Sufjan Stevens Illinois Songs Illinois Music Review Average Rating: (4.8 out of 5 stars)   List All Reviews Over-Hyped pretension
Ok, it was fine, unique, playful, yet substantive an all that. Hard to use the word original in music, but he comes as close an anyone. For that, he has my praise.
However, it is a tad pretentious to me. Mix the elitist sort of Sigur Ros overtones of messiah complex with Neil Young and the 70's show He Haw and some bad Indie "B" rated movie and you have Illinoise.
It is worthwhile listen, do not get me wrong. But its a bit pompous.
Submitted by Nigel (London, UK)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 2 of 2 found this helpful.
a cool breez in the desert
songwriting doesn't get much better than this. sufjan stevens is definitely one of the best new artists out there...illinoise is raw, real, deep and full of emotion. i've got metal head friends who hate singer sonwriters, but will listen to this album for hours!
FIVE STARS!!!
Submitted by bandnavalis (stanton, DE) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 1 found this helpful. An amazing CD
This is truly an amazing CD. The lyrics and music of each piece are so penetrating, unique and memorable, and the entire disk works together as one. No small feat. A real pleasure to listen to time and again
Submitted by PFCarch (Cranford, NJ, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 2 found this helpful. Refreshing and jubilant
I bought this CD after hearing one track on the radio (They Are Not Zombies...). The tracks are all extremely well thought through..lyrically and musically. The best word that comes to mind for the feel is jubilant. Not cheesey, but very celebratory of life. There are many catchy musical phrasings. Many stuck with me many days after my first listening. Unusual with so many trite and redundant albums being produced.
Submitted by doug.peeler (Austin, TX)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No You'll either Love it or Hate it.
If you're looking for something original in pop music, this is the album for you. It's not heavy rock, but it's not sugary pop either. Some songs are heavily orchestrated, but in a very original way. Not since "They Might Be Giants" has an artist used instruments this cleverly.
Lyrically, you won't find a more engaging and intelligent record out there. Someone IS still making great music that hooks you and pulls you in. Maybe not on the first listen, but after a couple of spins, you'll begin remembering the haunting line or beautiful melody and you'll keep going back to this album time after time.
Granted, some people really hate Sufjan's style, but if you're one of the many that like it, you'll really like it a lot.
Submitted by Dave (Missouri, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No List All Reviews | Have you heard this album? |  |
Purchase Illinois CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | VH1 Presents The Corrs Live In Dublin CD (2002)
Illinois album
 $6.39   
This audio document of The Corrs' Dublin homecoming concert has pretty much everything fans of Irish pop could wish for, including an appearance from Bono in his earthly incarnation, fresh from an audience with President George W. Bush. It's to the band's credit that the charismatic singer fails to steal the show, despite creditable efforts via an anthemized version of Ryan Adams' beautifully downtempo "When the Stars Go Blue," and a great, leering rendition of Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra's "Summer Wine."
Somewhat more mysteriously, Rolling Stone Ron Wood also turns up on what ...
| | Sufjan Stevens Greetings From Michigan CD (2003)
Illinois CD music
$12.19 
Bearing true affection for his home state, Stevens opens the record with the delicate, melancholy "Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)," followed by the chiming, Stereolab-like "All Good Naysayers! Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!" The exclamation-mark-happy performer also shines on the spare, sleepy "Holland" ...
| | Iron & Wine Our Endless Numbered Days CD (2004)
Illinois music CDs
$12.19
Initial pressings of OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS comes with a 4-song bonus CD.
While Sam Beam's self-recorded first outing as Iron & Wine, THE CREEK DRANK THE CRADLE, features a hushed bedroom atmosphere, his second full-length album, OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS, invites listeners into a slightly larger living room. Here there's enough space for an outside producer (Brian Deck) and additional musicians (including Sam's sister Sara on harmony vocals). Though Beam's musical palette has broadened to occasionally include drums, bass, and various stringed instruments, the spare, Southern Gothic tone remains intact, thanks ...
| | Sufjan Stevens Seven Swans CD (2004)
Illinois songs
$12.25
Multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens made a couple of records that slipped under the radar before his third, the astoundingly lush post-rock concept album GREETINGS FROM MICHIGAN, gained ...
| | Arcade Fire Funeral CD (2004)
Illinois album
$12.25
Favorably compared to the Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, and Broken Social Scene, the Arcade Fire's sound seems to come from a lifetime of listening to the Cure, Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, and many others--even a dose of soul gets worked into these grand anthems. Chassagne delivers some spellbinding vocals on "Haiti," while the tinkling piano and strings on "Crown of Love" conjure up a heartbroken surfside ...
| | Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning CD (2005)
Illinois CD music
$10.69
| | Bevis Frond New River Head CDs (1991)
Illinois music CDs
$15.15
| | Best Of Mood Music CD (2003) (Import) Japan
$27.59 | | Ekkehard Ehlers Soundchambers CD (2004) (Import) Germany
Illinois songs
$16.55
| | Square One Supersonic CD (2006) (Import) +2 Bonus Tra
Illinois album
$24.95
Additional Tracks
| | Carter Family Original And Great CD (2006)
Illinois CD music
$6.09
| | Mark Quartet Sanderson Caiman Vacation CD (2007) (Import)
Illinois music CDs
$13.15
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