Another beautiful album by one of the best song writers/arrangers of our time. This is a B-sides/Outtakes album that is better than most bands’ A material. One thing that kind of annoyed me about this album was that there are 3 versions of Chicago included; although, it did show me that he chose the right one to include on Illinois. Other than that, all of the Sufjan elements are present. You have the odd time signatures, crazy arrangements and a truckload of instruments. If you haven’t listened to Sufjan yet (What are you waiting for?) then this probably isn’t the album to start with. Although the songs were recorded for Illinois, they do not flow as well as his previous efforts have. This album shows that he could pretty much write as many songs as he wants about a certain subject, such as a state, and still keep someone’s attention. Sufjan continues to paint portraits with sound. He is able to convey emotion in almost every story he tells, whether it be a mid-life crisis or author Saul Bellow.
Highlights:
The Henney Buggy Band
Springfield or Bobby Got a Shadfly Caught in His Hair
The Mistress Witch from McClure
Favorite Lyrics:
“If my father took his life
for the national plan, I don't care
I'm not about to stick my grave with an
apron and a bucket of plans, never ever
I can take the pillow cases
off the yellow pillows,
make a property line from the bed
In the living room, the living room,
the morning papers made the most
out of nothing at all”
“Sound the horn
Make the bed
Pull the cord
Raise the dead”
# posted by Steve @ 8:14 PM
