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Album review
SUFJAN STEVENS - COME ON FEEL THE ILLINOISE
"If Sufjan Stevens has dabbled with the notion of classic pop
songwriting before, its on CHICAGO that he finally
succumbs and delivers his first genuine masterpiece. A sweeping
slice of orchestral pop thats not so much colourful as it is blindingly
Technicolor,"
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Perhaps one of the most ambitious and audacious
of the singer/songwriters doing the rounds at the moment,
Sufjan Stevens is someone with a little more vision and scope
than your average lovelorn balladeer. Embarking on a project
in which he intends to record an album for each of the American
states, COME ON FEEL THE ILLINOISE is record
number two in a fifty-two record cycle. Having already completed
the first with 2003's GREETINGS FROM MICHIGAN
- in which Stevens tackled his own home state, COME
ON FEEL THE ILLINOIS is a bolder and braver record,
the result of a years worth of extensive research into Illinois'
history, myth and legends.
A brighter and more colourful album than his previous work,
here Sufjan Stevens weaves his tales to a musical landscape
of theatrical orchestrations and broadway musical themes,
alongside his more trademark downbeat acoustics and banjo
plucking introspection. A song like JOHN WAYNE GACY
JR. is a low-key acoustic ballad that tries to get
under the skin of the notorious serial killer, turning ugliness
to poignant beauty while the downbeat pop of JACKSONVILLE
finds Stevens pitting a country rock shuffle against sublime
orchestral sweeps and coming up sounding like Beck on a particularly
good day.
If Sufjan Stevens has dabbled with the notion of classic pop
songwriting before, its on CHICAGO that he
finally succumbs and delivers his first genuine masterpiece.
A sweeping slice of orchestral pop thats not so much colourful
as it is blindingly Technicolor, CHICAGO
is a song that bursts into view - a wide eyed sense of joy
plastered all over its face, joyous melodies erupting as a
brass band marches the whole thing home; a magnificent collision
between Stephen Sondheim and Devendra Banhart.
Replacing the brass orchestrations for messy guitars,
THE MAN OF METROPOLIS STEALS OUR HEARTS is another
joyous explosion of colour - gorgeous melodies riding scruffy
guitar riffs and scatter shot drum beats, a heavenly choir
managing to take the whole thing to a whole new level of the
sublime.
Hugely ambitious and deeply compelling, COME ON FEEL
THE ILLINOISE is an album that keeps on giving, each
listen uncovering new and undiscovered nuances throughout
its twenty two songs - from the rich lyrical themes to the
sweeping orchestral bombast, this is a record that offers
endless ways to hook you in and keep you enthralled. COME
ON FEEL THE ILLINOISE is the record that sees Sufjan
Stevens stepping from the shadows of lo-fi introspection and
emerging as a songwriter of bold, ambitious pop songs - a
mad combination of Beck, Brian Wilson and Stephen Sondheim.
This is an ambitious and sublime masterpiece, roll on the
next fifty states.
Sufjan Stevens was found in a milk crate on the doorstep of
Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, in Detroit, MI, on Canada Day, July
1, 1975. He was wrapped in cellophane, and tagged on the wrist
with a mysterious note: I love you. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens had
three other children: Jo-Jo, Zukey-Dukey and Jam-Jam. Mrs.
Stevens crocheted afghans for the fleas market. Mr. Stevens
was the custodian at the hospital. They had very little money,
but very big hearts.
They decided to keep the baby (using the milk crate to hold
their National Geographics). They named him Sufjan Stevens,
after Abu Sufjan Muhammed, the great Armenian Sufi warrior
who slew ten thousand dragons to save the Fairy Princess.
Despite his despondent looks, Sufjan was a good kid. Mr. and
Mrs. Stevens did the best they could. They fed him carrots,
they read him parts of the Bhagavad Gita, they combed his
hair, they sang songs and tap-danced in the living room. Things
were looking good!
::
Line Up :: Discography :: Merchandise :: Further Listening
:: Web Links ::
| Sufjan Stevens>Vocals/Guitar Elin Smith>Vocals Megan Smith>Drums David Smith>Drums Andrew Smith>Drums Daniel Smith>Vocals/Bass
ENJOY YOUR RABBIT (2001>Asthmatic Kitty)
GREETINGS FROM MICHIGAN THE GREAT LAKE STATE
(2003>Asthmatic Kitty/Sounds SEVEN SWANS (2004>Sounds Familyre/Rough
Trade) COME ON FEEL THE ILLINOISE (2005>Rough
Trade)
Review date: November 2005
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