Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

[Caprice]

My friend who plays the guitar really good has been on Sufjan Stevens for the past, half a year. Seriously he wouldnt shut up about this guy.

Then he finnaly bought Illinois the day it was released over the internet. Me and him drove into the city and listened to the whole album in the meantime. It really is a good album. I like the banjo alot.

My friend went to Los Angeles and bought Michigan from sufjan while there and me and him listened to the whole CD

Illinois is better. More songs i like.

If i did buy a sufjan album, it would be illinois.

cheers

[den]

After one listen, I agree, it's quite good. Maybe I'm a little attached being from Illinois. It's nice to hear something that reminds you of home. Immediate stuck-in-your-head favorites: Chicago, Decatur. John Wayne Gacy Jr. is pretty chilling.

Mr. Stevens seems to be generating a lot of buzz about this album, especially in the college radio/indie scene and beyond. I'm sure it's even worse in Illinois. In Chicago, I bet WXRT (the best commercial radio station) is playing this to death Is there any other big press for it?

[Eikman]

it got the highest rating from pitchfork this year

[den]

Fair enough! Pitchfork is what it is, but I feel they are still pretty predictable and a bit full of themselves, but not as much as before. They are also based in Chicago. Hmmm...

[Dave]

Well it is also number 1 on metacritics best of 2005 so far.

Which is obviously a little less biased.

[Tom]

2c

This album is quite stunning on first listen. I'm definately going to play this out a lot over the next few weeks.

[groovypanda]

i too am loving this album after the first couple of listens - his voice reminds me a little bit of badly drawn boy

can anyone tell me what other albums of his are worth checking out as i'd definitely like to hear more of him..?

cheers

matt