Search - Sufjan Stevens :: Illinois

Great

Tom | USA | 02/27/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sufjan Stevens is a bona fide songwriting machine. Stevens released a new album every year from 2003-06, the pinnacle of which was 2005's 'Illinois.' Strangely enough, it's also his only album to feature tracks that aren't actually songs, as 6 out of the 22 tracks are snippets of sound under a minute long. Some help connect songs, some are just fun, and a couple are simply unnecessary filler, which is not something the already 74-minute long album needs. Regardless, the actual songs here are superb examples of refined, affecting writing that combine to create one hell of a concept album, and perhaps the most influential musical work since The Strokes' 2001 debut 'Is This It.'



Standout tracks: Casimir Pulaski Day, Come On! Feel The Illinoise!, Chicago"