Illinois - Sufjan Stevens
Illinois Image
Metascore
90 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 40 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.0 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 563 Ratings

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  • Summary: The folk singer-songwriter's ambitious attempt to chronicle all 50 states in song continues with this second installment, dedicated to the Prairie State.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. Dot Music
    100
    Once you've taken in how wonderful it sounds, it'll be time to thrill at how much of it there is, then how dense it all is.
  2. Los Angeles Times
    100
    The tone of subdued romanticism is balanced by a fine, seductive sense of melody and arrangement. [3 Jul 2005]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    It’s his masterpiece so far; a staggering collection of unspeakably precious music.
  4. Splendid
    60
    An expansive album that ultimately recycles itself.

See all 40 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 322 out of 340
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 340
  3. Negative: 13 out of 340
  1. mhmusicnmovies
    10
    Sufjan Stevens finds his stride and then some with his second state-dedicated album. Illinois is fun and sad, catchy and haunting, seemingly simple yet undeniably brilliant. Chicago will be stuck in your head for days, The Predatory Wasp is heartbreaking and beautiful. Phenomenal stuff.… Expand
  2. Boosemo12
    8
    Rich, expansive, deep, just a really really good record through and through.
  3. playpen
    7
    Listen to a Half-Handed Cloud album and you basically get the same thing.. and a bit more fun to listen to in my opinion. This is an above average album, nothing earth shattering, it is pretty music but I don't think it was the best album released this year. And it would be better if it were about 15 minutes shorter.… Expand
  4. GregB
    4
    It will only appeal to those misunderstood kids, who are the ones rate albums like this "masterpiece".

See all 340 User Reviews

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