Seriously, where did he go?  It wasn’t that long ago that I was cruising on 74 in my loud ass Audi 90 CS Quattro, listening to the then freshly-released Illinoise with a pair of miscreants on my way to the Windy City.  It was the perfect album for cruising through the terrible monotony of Indiana.  It gave the road a beat–something to keep us from passing out on the long miles of straight lines and tall grass. 

 Illinoise perfectly captures the feeling of rolling past Gary, IN and seeing the big ass Sears Tower looming miles away through a fog of industrial indifference.  Chicago seems just within reach but no…1 hour of bumper car ballyhoos awaits while the Really Tall Sears Tower Tall Building Tall Thing Tall Tall laughs from afar on the endless horizon. 

Now Sufjan, you brought us this far, with our hopes of a 50 state tribunal laid out for our ears to judge and now we’re left hanging out on a limb.  I thought it a very logical step to jump from Michigan to Illinois to Ohio.  I mean, seriously, who cares about Indiana.  Geographically it might make sense but in terms of reality it just doesn’t really exist. 

Ohio, when all is said and done, is the heart of it all.  We are the crash test lab of the United States, where dreamers and floaters collide.  We have it all; international ideals mixed with small town stagnation.  God dammit Sufjan, spread your xylophone love over our ignorant Midwestern bodies!

Here’s Illinoise in its entirety, just in case you’re feeling nostalgic.

http://www.mediafire.com/?nnyoymxzrkq

Here’s a nice creepy video for you as well.