Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A CD for life, 3 Sep 2006
This deserves its top rating based on sheer durability. I never seem to tire of it, particularly for late night listening. The 75 minute sequence (the average for a Sufjan CD!) seems effortless, the quality never dips, every song justifying its place, and each is a highlight in its own way.
If you've heard Illinoise, this CD is similar but mellower, and because Michigan is Sufjan's home state the songs are more personal.
Best time to listen: Late at night
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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's not the destination, but the journey, that counts, 5 Jul 2005
At first listen, I began to panic that I had purchased a dud. However, before I'd even had the chance to play it again, many of the tracks repeated in my head and found a place to settle there. The album requires a little more effort than usual, simply because it works as a cohesive whole, instead of the sum of so many parts. There are few 'singles' here, but an inventive collection of songs that really do complement each other. I have never been to Michigan but have been offered a sense of place and spirit by this abum that is rewarding and grows with each listen. His affectionate but unsentimental vision of Michigan is communicated with sincerity and heart. Some individual tracks did not grab me but they all contribute to the bigger picture - the journey. The harmony of instruments, that could have led to a cacophany in less capable hands, makes the album rich but mellow. Each song is different but they clearly all belong. The feeling of travelling through a space - geographical or emotional - making various stops along the way, is an elegant idea. Sufjan Stevens manages to execute it extremely well. I've ordered Seven Swans on the strength of this. Because of the considerable flair and originality of 'Michigan', I don't expect to be disappointed.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
needs to be heard, 9 Mar 2004
i was recommended this by a friend, someone who knew i liked beck,sparklehorse and others that can never really be shoehorned into a genre.
Im still not sure if this is lo-fi,indie,rock or jazz? its all a bit confusing at first listen especially when that listen is about 1h 10mins, yeah, its an epic.
I first thought it was 'interesting', but after a week ive heard nothing else, i love it, best thing ive heard this year.
The tunes on here are the heroes, bags of emotion and melody, if you like the pace and melody of sparklehorse then you're in for a treat, theres banjos-a-pleanty, acoustic guitar, fragile vocals sometimes with a female harmony. Each song sounds important as it seems to tell of some major event concerning relationships, leaving the listener identifying with most.
Sufjan has his box of musical tricks which include,.. english horn/recorder/xylophone/glockenspiel, all of which he plays himself.
This album will never chart, but could break the hearts of those who buy it.
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