Sufjan Stevens
Illinoise
Rough Trade
4 Stars - Q Recommends

By Gareth Grundy

He’s the Michael Palin of the American folk scene.

New York-based Sufjan Stevens is nothing if not ambitious. coming to prominence with 2003’s Michigan, a delicate, beautifully imagined trip through the history and topography of the titular Midwestern state, it was the first of his planned musical journeys around the whole USA. Second instalment Illinoise takes another sizeable step forward. Coming on less like an intellectual Nick Drake, this time he’s more outgoing, adding bells, whistles and singalong choruses to tunes about serial killers (John Wayne Gacy Jr), the genocide of Native Americans (The Black Hawk War) and really big skyscrapers. Venturing way beyond the usual tourist trail of Al Capone and electric blues, 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.

Rip It! - Jacksonville

Further listening:
Elliott Smith - Either/Or (Domino, 1997) 4 stars
Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands (XL, 2004) 4 stars