A Conjunction of Drones Simulating the Way in Which Sufjan Stevens Has an Existential Crisis in the Great Godfrey Maze

I was up late like usual last night. I got a hold of Sufjan Stevens new album Illinois a whole 3 months before release. It doesn't even have album art...I think. I like the variety of instruments he uses but then again he wouldn't be called a multi-instrumentalist for nothing. I hear he is a very good banjo player, I like his drumming too. Illinois is a 22 track and I listened to most of the whole thing straight through as soon as I got it last night. Every Sufjan release sounds different than the others, this one is no exception. This one is more floaty, kind of airy in some portions and also more angelic because of all the backing vocals. This release has a nice selection of happier songs but then a song like John Wayne Gacy, Jr pops up and I'm pretty sure you can figure what its about. Like his last proper album Michigan, this one has the crazy long titles which are way too long for file names like the second track; "The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience But You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, "I have fought the Big Knives and will continue to fight them until they are off our lands!". This album is #2 out of 50, of the 50 states albums. He started with Michigan where he was born and followed it with Illinois. I'm trying to rank this in my head as either my favorite by him or second favorite competing with Michigan, I haven't formed a solid opinion. I thought he would of done New York since that's where he lives but if he keeps the good tunes coming who am I to complain.

Speaking of Indie-Folk that new Okkervil River album flat out knocked me out. Its less folk/country than their usual but it is their best in my opinion. This album ranks right up there with my favorite albums of the first 1/3 of the year. I've been really rocking the folk lately. There is so much you can do with music.