“Come on feel the Illinoise” by Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens has documented our fair state with such titles as “Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois” and the disturbing bragging right “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” Mmm. Clowns.
I have to say that I’m ashamed that I waited this long to pick this record up. I have been hearing the buzz for weeks now, first on XRT during my morning commute and most recently from an old friend who insisted that I must be insane for not owning it.
Sufjan has added Illinois to Michigan in the beginning strides of his 50-state musical documentation. The musicianship has a pretty wide breadth and the lyrical content is worthy of a listen by any Chicagoan. “Chicago” has such a beautiful and lush melody, I deny anyone not to fall for the collection based on this single track.
I vote it the Official Record of Metroblogging Chicago.
Challengers?
Pitchfork weighs in with a good review of a recent live show: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/features/live/s/stevens_sufjan-05/
Oh well. The record is apparently much better than the live show.
And seriously, how can you not love a collection of extra-mega-long titles like, “A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But for Very Good Reasons”?
:)
My response would be, I hope the music is better than the titles!
Nikkos, I shall punch you in the arm next time I see you. Pfft.
Ha ha ha, sorry I couldn’t resist!
Anyways, you know my vote for “Official Record” for the blog would be Kanye (assuming it has to be a Chicago artist, or Chicgaop-themed music).
Oh that’s fantastic. Maybe we can do a cross-promotion with the cast of Laguna Beach.
It’s a pretty enough record, but the offical record of Chicago Metroblogging HAS GOT TO BE Cheap Trick’s Live At Budokon. I mean, c’mon!
Oh you have got to be kidding.
This entire record is a postcard about Illinois and Chicago.
Cheap Trick is from the area, I don’t know of any content on that record that specifically references Chicago, and the performance was recorded in Japan!!!
Hellooooo!
Plus Sufjan’s main demographic doesn’t qualify for AARP cards.
i vote for the upcoming “south of north plays the blues… badly” album for our official piece of plastic.
Come on… the song titles are great! And so is the music. I think you should open the official Metroblogging Chicago album up to a reader poll. :)
//This entire record is a postcard about Illinois and Chicago. //
Actually, Alana, it’s not. It’s more about emotions and Sufjan’s inner feeling filtered through an abstraction — a fantastic ideal — of Illinois. That song about Casmir Pulaski? It’s NOT about Casmir Pulaski.
Cheap Trick IS Illinois…and Chicago in particular.
“That song about Casmir Pulaski? It’s NOT about Casmir Pulaski.”
If a tree falls in the forest…
This is way too deep for a girl doped up on the ‘Tuss. ::achoo::
I love the idea of a reader contest to select the “official” ChiMetBlogs record.
Ughhhh….snot….ugggghhh…
I’m going back to bed. You guys have a poll or something.
Tankboy—- read: subjective.
:)
I owe both of you punches.
Uhhhhhgggghhh ‘Tussin.
ps: Wilco.
//ps: Wilco.//
Now you’re just trying to piss me off…
or maybe she was trying to break your heart.
(sorry, but the wilco reference had to be made.)
i’m still waiting for my copy of “tankboy comes alive.”