Illinois Review: An Ambitious Indie Folk Epic
9/10 — Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005)
Pros
- Rich, inventive arrangements
- 'Chicago' and 'Casimir Pulaski Day'
- Emotional depth
Cons
- Twee at times
- Overlong
Illinois, also known as Sufjanology or Come On Feel the Illinoise!, was the second album in Stevens’s unrealised plan to write an album for each US state. It runs to 22 tracks.
What works
‘Chicago’, ‘Casimir Pulaski Day’ and ‘John Wayne Gacy, Jr.’ are remarkable, and the arrangements, with horns, strings, banjo and choirs, are rich and inventive. Stevens’s whispered vocals are intimate.
Where it falters
The long song titles and cute quirks can be twee, and the album is long.
Verdict
A beautiful, ambitious record.
