Mark Hamilton / Posts

Wednesday
May 18, 2005

11:30 PM

Mark Hamilton
Sufjan

Come On Feel The Illinoise

The first time I'd even heard of Sufjan Stevens, he broke my heart with nothing but a banjo and some tragic odes to his home stage of Michigan. Now, for the second chapter in his proposed 50 States Series, Stevens re-tells the history of Illinois through a toy orchestra masterpiece that's part folk heartbreaker, part ride through the Presidential theatre at Disneyland. Bonus points for the artwork by Waking Life's Divya Srinivasan. Check the bio and Sufjan's website for more on one of 2005's best albums.

Comments

I agree, one of this year's best. I was extra thrilled when I read a Pitchfork interview and he mentioned Oregon (my state) as one of the next two he's working on.

And then I said …
monkeyinabox
  • Thursday May 19, 2005 6:36 PM
  • monkeyinabox

I completely agree. Even though I'm a devoted reader of Pitchfork, I love Sufjan too much to even care what Pitchfork has to say. If they praise Illinois (which they should and must do... come on, have you heard "Jacksonville" [Track 5]? This is brilliant stuff), then good for them. And if they criticize Stevens' latest incarnation, then they've discredited themselves forever in my mind. That is all there is to it. Certainly on my own top 10 list for 2005. Wait till the freaking vinyl comes out... I'm salivating just thinking about it. Long live Sufjan!

And then I said …
Colin
  • Monday May 23, 2005 10:18 PM
  • Colin

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