Illinoise

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Amazingly mellow. The piano in it is really gorgeous. It's specially close to my heart since I am from Illinois and live really close to Decatur, one of the names of the songs. Listening to it for the first time flying home was one of my fondest musical memories ever. I love Sufjan and I would reccomend this to anyone!

Description: Illinois is a 2005 concept album by American songwriter Sufjan Stevens, with songs referencing places and persons related to the U.S. state of Illinois. It is Stevens' fifth studio album and his second based on a U.S. state—part of a planned series of fifty that began with the 2003 album Michigan. The album was recorded between late 2004 and early 2005 at multiple venues in New York City with Stevens producing the album and performing a variety of instruments. Illinois was released on July 4, 2005, through Rough Trade Records in Europe and was distributed domestically by Asthmatic Kitty Records starting July 5, 2005. Musica Illinois is a 2005 concept album by American songwriter Sufjan Stevens, with songs referencing places and persons related to the U.S. state of Illinois. It is Stevens' fifth studio album and his second based on a U.S. state—part of a planned series of fifty that began with the 2003 album Michigan. The album was recorded between late 2004 and early 2005 at multiple venues in New York City with Stevens producing the album and performing a variety of instruments. Illinois was released on July 4, 2005, through Rough Trade Records in Europe and was distributed domestically by Asthmatic Kitty Records starting July 5, 2005.

Musical influences for the album cited by reviewers include Steve Reich, Neil Young, and The Cure due to the varied instrumentation and experimental indie folk songwriting. The album was well received by both critics and the public, being the first album by Stevens to place on the Billboard 200, and topping the Billboard "Heatseeksers Albums" list. Review aggregator Metacritic named Illinois the best reviewed album of 2005. ... (more) (less)