Sufjan Stevens: The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album - 07/25/06
 

Everybody loved Illinois.....now it's back!

from pitchforkmedia:

Last night, Asthmatic Kitty announced that on July 25, it will release The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album. The disc collects material originally written for Pitchfork's favorite album of last year, revisited by Sufjan in late 2005 and early 2006. It includes three versions of standout track "Chicago", songs concerning Saul Bellow, Ann Landers, Adlai Stevenson, and Henry Darger, and musical contributions from drummer James McAlister, trumpeter Craig Montoro, singers Shara Worden and Katrina Kerns, and, of course, Rosie Thomas.

In typical Sufjan fashion, the tracklist is an adventure unto itself:

01 The Avalanche
02 Dear Mr Supercomputer
03 Adlai Stevenson
04 The Vivian Girls Are Visited in the Night by Saint Dargarius and His Squadron of Benevolent Butterflies
05 Chicago (Acoustic Version)
06 The Henney Buggy Band
07 Saul Bellow
08 Carlyle Lake
09 Springfield, or Bobby Got a Shadfly Caught in His Hair
10 The Mistress Witch From McClure (Or, The Mind That Knows Itself)
11 Kaskaskia River
12 Chicago (Adult Contemporary Easy Listening Version)
13 Inaugural Pop Music for Jane Margaret Byrne
14 No Man's Land
15 The Palm Sunday Tornado Hits Crystal Lake
16 The Pick-up
17 The Perpetual Self, or "What Would Saul Alinsky Do?"
18 For Clyde Tombaugh
19 Chicago (Multiple Personality Disorder version)
20 Pittsfield
21 The Undivided Self (For Eppie and Popo)

Bitchin'.

And (at the top of my lungs!) THANK YOU FOR NOT MAKING IT AN EXCLUSIVE DOWNLOAD!!!

Hellz yes! Anybody know what the next state is btw?

This guy is starting to look like he might be a prolific musical genius in the same league as Beck and Prince. Though maybe not quite as funky as those guys.

Best news I've heard all week!

Yay! My favorite CD of 2005! Any Sufjan is good!

= J

According to Wikipedia:

The next states to be taken on in the project have been reported as Oregon and Rhode Island.[3] Minnesota may be another candidate; in late 2005 and early 2006 Stevens played a new instrumental track titled "The Maple River." The river mentioned in the title of the song runs through several counties in southern Minnesota.[6] Sufjan also recorded "The Lord God Bird[4]"—a song about the ivory-billed woodpecker rediscovered in Arkansas—in connection with a National Public Radio piece.

this news is almost too good to be true. look at all those different versions of Chicago.

It's a great opportunity to hear 21 outtakes from one of the best albums of '05.

realllly excited about this, sufjan is incredible

I just read this at the Asthmatic Kitty Site. I can't wait!

I wonder if one of those version of Chicago is the same one from the vinyl or if it is three new ones.

ive slowly warmed up to sufjan. i dont think its the masterpiece its known to be but its decent. now if andrew bird (the true stand out of 05') would come out with some outtakes.

Sorry, but there's no way Andrew Bird's CD was better than Illinois.

= J

it was to my ears. at least 20 other cd's from last year were also. i just dont see whats so great about it and i live in illinois. i does have a few gems on it though.

Anyone catch Sufjan on Austin City Limits this weekend? I thought he put on a great show. I'd love to see him in concert sometime.

Sufjan Stevens Song List
Recorded 9/17/06:

* Jacksonville
* Casimir Pulaski Day
* The Dress Looks Nice on You
* Oh Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head!

Just a reminder as well that his 5cd Christmas Album comes out next week (Nov. 14th).