Illinois

 

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens is an artist that I have heard nothing but positive things about. I was only ever familiar with his song Fourth Of July. With that, I knew the first full album I listened to by him was going to be very good. Illinois was released on July 4, 2005. He claimed that this was one album of about fifty he planned on making about every state but this was later revealed to be a joke to promote the album. He covers a wide variety of genres ranging from pop, jazz, indie, and folk rock. Much of the orchestral arrangements in the album was played by himself, recorded through multi-track recording. The album features several instrumental interludes that break up the album nicely. I found it interesting that Stevens briefly considered quitting music altogether after the release of this album. He views music in such a technical way that it has become difficult to listen to music for pleasure. This is a perspective that I never really considered from artists. Being so involved in your craft that it completely deconstructs your understanding of music itself. I can best describe Illinois as an abstract concept album about the state itself. 

A lot of the lyrics reference people, places, or events related to the state. The first track, Concerning the UFO sighting near Highland, Illinois is about just that. It’s a very short song but the melancholy sounding lyrics and piano melody captures me instantly. Come on! Feel the Illinoise! Is a wonderfully upbeat, two-part song about embracing the cultural differences and identity of Illinois. Stevens views Illinois as the “center of gravity” in the Midwest, this perspective is clear from the way he describes it. The second part of this song was my favorite, the trumpet and string instrumentation in the background of the track is very calming. 

John Wayne Gacy, JR is the most haunting track. As the title suggests, the song is about John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer who is responsible for the deaths of 33 boys and young men. Stevens does something I wouldn’t have expected, he almost humanizes Gacy. In no way does he sympathize with him but he illustrates his descent, urging the listener to think about how someone so evil could come to exist. Gacy believed that what he was doing was right which makes it all the more disturbing. It’s a heartbreaking song as Stevens details how the victims had so much ahead of them, only to be taken away so early in life. In the end he emphasizes that everyone has horrible secrets they want to hide. In the end we are all human and Stevens tells listeners that everyone has the capacity to do bad things. I saw this as quite a big tonal shift from the rest of the track. While I don’t know his true intention behind the last few lines of the song, I see it as more bitter or coming from the perspective of Gacy, who held no remorse for his actions. 

Chicago is a song full of youthful optimism. Stevens recalled taking many road trips to Chicago to leave university life in Michigan. He describes his appreciation for the city, serving as a sort of escapism for him. He emphasizes that he’s made a lot of mistakes in life but All things go, so there’s no use dwelling on the past for too long. Casimir Pulaski Day is yet another tragic song written by Stevens. The title comes from a local holiday in Illinois, celebrating a Revolutionary War officer from Poland. The song itself has a really somber tone, dealing with the death of a childhood friend to cancer. Both occurring on the first of March, this day has been given a completely different meaning to Stevens. Prairie Fire That Wanders About is such a distinctly pretty song that might just be my favorite. What makes it interesting is that this song is written about Peoria. Listening to a song about Peoria while I’m in Peoria is such a unique experience that I wasn’t expecting to have lol. 

There are many songs on this album that I really enjoyed but with 22 tracks I’m not able to cover all the ones I would like to. Even with the more melancholy themes of Illinois, I really enjoyed it. Being from Illinois, I already feel a connection to this album. It feels nostalgic and nice listening to an album dedicated to a place you’ve known your whole life. Sufjan Stevens is a wonderfully talented musician and I really enjoyed listening to this one.