[Sufjan Stevens]
미국 디트로이트 출신의 멀티-인스트루멘틀리스트이자 싱어/송라이터인 Sufjan Stevens는 'Marzuki'라는 포크락밴드의 멤버로 참여하며 두 장의 정규 앨범을 발매한다. 이후 99년말 솔로활동을 위해 뉴욕으로 거처를 옮겨 2000년 다양한 악기들과 쾌활한 멜로디가 조화를 이룬 인상적이었던 데뷔작 [Sun Came]을 발매하고 세간으로부터 주목받기 시작한다. '음악' 전체보단 '장르'라는 부분을 중시하는 이들에게 일침을 가하는 우주적인 작법으로 자신만의 스타일을 구축한 Stevens는 미국의 주(州)들을 주제로 한 '대작(作)'을 구상중이라 공표하였고 이미 [Greetings From Michigan]을 통해 그 실현 가능성을 시사한 바 있다.
[Illinoise]
이 앨범은 '미국 50주 연작 시리즈' 2탄으로 이번에 그가 선택한 곳은 현재 인디록으로 가장 시끄러운 동네중 하나인 시카고를 끌어안고 있는 일리노이주이다.
전 22곡 74분이라는 방대한 스케일을 자랑하고 있는 이 앨범은 놀라운 스트링 세션, 성가대를 도입한 어레인지 면에서의 대담하고 세련된, 변함없는 신념의 노래들을 담고 있는데, 시카고와 SEER'S TOWER, 그리고 에이브라함 링컨의 UFO 목격이나 슈퍼맨을 비롯한 일리노이에 관련된 여러가지 역사적/문화적 사상을 개인적인 시점을 섞으면서 채택해 가고 있으며 이것은 들을수록 빠져 들수 밖에는 없게끔 청자를 압도한다.
커버 아트웍은 리차드 링클레이터의 영화(혹은 애니메이션)인 '웨이킹 라이프'의 일러스트레이터인 Divya Srinivasan이 담당하고 있으며 앨범 커버에 수퍼맨 그림을 무단으로 사용하여 앞으로 나올 버전은 수퍼맨의 그림을 삭제한다고 한다. 잘라말하면 올해 가장 중요한 인디록/포크앨범!
- 음반사 보도자료에서 발췌
John Wayne Gacy. Jr
His father was a drinker
And his mother cried in bed
Folding John Wayne's T-shirts
When the swingset hit his head
The neighbors they adored him
For his humor and his conversation
Look underneath the house there
Find the few living things
Rotting fast in their sleep of the dead
Twenty-seven people, even more
They were boys with their cars, summer jobs
Oh my God
Are you one of them?
He dressed up like a clown for them
With his face paint white and red
And on his best behavior
In a dark room on the bed he kissed them all
He'd kill ten thousand people
With a sleight of his hand
Running far, running fast to the dead
He took off all their clothes for them
He put a cloth on their lips
Quiet hands, quiet kiss
On the mouth
And in my best behavior
I am really just like him
Look beneath the floorboards
For the secrets I have hid
.................................................................................................................................................
Chicago
I fell in love again
all things go, all things go
drove to Chicago
all things know, all things know
we sold our clothes to the state
I don't mind, I don't mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind
you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go
I drove to New York
in the van, with my friend
we slept in parking lots
I don't mind, I don't mind
I was in love with the place
in my mind, in my mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind
you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go
if I was crying
in the van, with my friend
it was for freedom
from myself and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go
you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things know, all things know
(I made a lot of mistakes)
you had to find it
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things go, all things go
(I made a lot of mistakes)