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CRITIC REVIEWS
100
It's an ambitious and unwieldy experiment that could've gone terribly wrong but Stevens pulls it off with grace and gusto.
100
It's ridiculously ambitious--and consistently surprising.
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7mo
100
It's incredibly diverse, both in its exploration of Illinois and in its exploration of music ... This is truly incredible music to immerse yourself in, an absolute essential.
100
It’s easy enough to let the heavyweight themes wash over you, so marvellous are some of these tunes. But really sink into ‘Illinoise’ and its depth is evident.
100
Stevens creates songs of rare visceral force and emotional complexity. Breathtaking.
100
If the value of individual compositions is a bit lost, the landscape is open, a flowing anthology of stories whose characters’ dreams and morals reflect freely off one another from across county lines.
100
Illinois is an extraordinary achievement, all the more so when one considers that besides researching and writing the album, Stevens also played most of the parts himself.
100
Perhaps most remarkable about Illinois is that Stevens's exceptional lyrics are surpassed by his diverse, ambitious compositions.
94
It’s all true. Everything that made Michigan great is here, but the layout of Illinois is more focused.
92
Musically, Illinois is strange and lush, as excessive and challenging as its giant, gushing song titles.
12y
91
Stevens dissects civic character, questions an appropriately merciless God, and tells lean stories like the literary fiction writer he studied to be.
90
There's a conviction and a reverence that fluidly runs through these songs - there are so many minute nuances to pick through and convince you that this is not a project taken on lightly.
12y
90
Most of the songs on Illinois are meticulously put together and well thought out, resulting in some very gorgeous music.
12y
90
Vast in scope and breathtaking in its beauty, Illinois may very well be the album that heralds Sufjan Stevens as one of this young century’s most talented artists.
90
The bittersweet twists and turns of a lifetime eloquently described in a folk-pop song—it really doesn’t get much better than this; these songs that must be heard to be believed.
12y
90
These are adventurous pop songs with intricate arrangements and sophisticated chord structures.
10y
90
It doesn’t matter where you’re from, you’ll find a lot of yourself in Illinois.
83
Thanks to Stevens' penchant for illustrative instruments like glockenspiel, flute, and sleigh bells, his Illinois sounds quaint and even magical.
80
For a musician like Stevens, going too far and trying too hard is the point, the way to get beyond where a more austere songwriter could get with a more naturalistic pose. So the most pleasurable music here is the most ambitious.
80
Stevens's love for the region, its people and legacy is palpable and infectious enough to send the curious scuttling straight towards the bookshelves to discover more.
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7mo
80
Illinois is not nearly as Schoolhouse Rock as it sounds, and the songs themselves are sincere, inventive and messily joyful.
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5mo
80
There's a distinct community theater vibe to the whole affair... but the majority of Illinois is alarmingly earnest.
12y
80
Come On ... is a remarkable album that manages to pack in a state full of instruments (flugelhorns, choirs, presumably at least one watering-can solo) and sounds as simultaneously vast yet intimately detailed as Polyphonic Spree produced by Brian Eno.
80
It’s his masterpiece so far; a staggering collection of unspeakably precious music.
10y
60
When focusing on life's minute joys or its mundane horror, Stevens' voice is as true and profound as an angel
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3y
We are living in an oppressive, anti-drug society. The way the government prohibits the use of narcotics is simply dictator-like, and if you don't believe me, then we'll take a closer look. As you can see, projected on the wall behind me, there is clear evidence of drugs actually boosting creativity, and happiness. Further, if we look at more graphs and lines, you can clearly see that people who are on drugs are considerably more sociable. If you still don't believe the benefits of drugs, then ... read more
My friend @snoozeybro said in his review that it feels like a thousand colors and swirling around throughout the album, and I couldn't agree more. There's something so magical about this, the extravagant shows, the humble ballads, the heres and theres and in betweens... this is a trip. If you asked me whether I prefer this or Michigan, I honestly couldn't give you a straight answer, but I love both equally for different reasons. There's so much ambition in this! I also appreciate that he took ... read more
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Track List
Total Length: 1 hour, 14 minutes
Year End Lists
| #1 | / | No Ripcord |
| #1 | / | Pitchfork |
| #7 | / | NME |
| #8 | / | SPIN |
| #9 | / | Rolling Stone |
| #23 | / | Gigwise |
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