Pitchfork: Sufjan Stevens Reveals Details About His Illinois LP

Sufjan Stevens Reveals Details About His Illinois LP

When it comes to Sufjan Stevens' proposed 50 States project, incredulous smirks seem to be commonplace. Seriously, how could any one man release an album dedicated to each state in the union? That remains to be seen, but for now word is trickling in about Stevens' next 50 States record. Stevens' record label, Asthmatic Kitty, has announced that he will release an as yet untitled collection of songs about Illinois on July 5. The album isn't quite finished, so a tracklist would be premature, but there will be one song entitled "Chicago" and, in total, the record will feature 15 to 20 songs touching on such subjects as the Lincoln/Douglass debates, the Chicago Fire, the World's Columbian Exposition, and Wrigley's chewing gum. A few historical figures/characters that may end up being thrown into the blender of Stevens' imagination include poet Carl Sandburg, Black Hawk, Superman, and John Wayne Gacy.

Described as Sufjan's most ambitious record yet, the album implements more than 30 instruments and musicians, from the usual guitar and banjo to horns, string quartets, and a small choir. The album will feature several guests, such as James McAlister of Ester Drang, Shara Worden of AwRY and My Brightest Diamond, Craig Monturo of Volcano, I'm Still Excited!, and some production help from old cohort Daniel Smith of the Danielson Famile. However, the record was mostly self-produced in a Queens, N.Y. studio. Stevens will also more than likely continue his string of quality visual design by enlisting the assistance of Waking Life illustrator Divya Srinivasan.

As for the sound of the album, PR man Daniel Gill reports that, "One person I've talked to said, 'It's like the music at the Hall of Presidents at Disneyland, like really big and kind of patriotic sounding.' Sufjan really wanted to make it sound a little bit more polished and professional, but it's definitely more in the vein of Michigan than anything else."

Stevens will apparently mirror this folkish complexity by including two sets of tracklistings (which, again, we don't have on hand): The first will be included on the back of the album, while the second will be listed on the inside and will contain track titles stretching as far as three sentences long.

After the Illinois album, Sufjan will hit the road with labelmate Liz Janes in late July. And Gill predicts the Illinois record will not be the sum of Stevens' recorded 2005 output, claiming that "by the end of this year" there will "probably" be another state album that will double as a christmas album. Seemingly relentless, Stevens is also bouncing around the idea of recording an EP for a smaller state. His PR went on to say they think the state records will continue to be produced for the indefinite future.

If all that artistic production wasn't enough, Stevens' label Asthmatic Kitty has already had a fairly busy year. San Diego favorites Bunky just released their debut Born to Be a Motorcycle, while once and future Stevens' road warrior John Ringhofer has just released his third album under the Half-Handed Cloud moniker, entitled Thy Is a Word and Feet Need Lamps. These two outfits will be joined by labelmates the Castanets on March 19 at SXSW opening up for Ariel Pink and Daniel Johnston. Unorthodox Christians and wacky lo-fi workhorses all under one roof.

* Pitchfork Review: Sufjan Stevens: Seven Swans
* Pitchfork Review: Sufjan Stevens: A Sun Came [2nd Edition]
* Sufjan Stevens: <a

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