I know he's been around and fairly popular for a few years, but I hadn't listened to him at all until recently. Pray For Mojo covered one of his songs for the LA stop on the tour, so I downloaded it and checked it out and really liked it. I've downloaded another 8-9 songs of his and so far am liking most of them a lot. Too bad about the whole Christian thing, but it doesn't grate on me too much. I think I mostly like the stuff from Michigan and Illinois, but it seems like he's put out a lot of songs and records. Does anybody have any recommendations of other songs/albums of his that are particularly good?
If you like the stuff from Illinois, then of course I have to recommend the follow up The Avalanche. It's billed as "Outtakes and extras from Illinois," but it's a great album in its own right.
It's a little out of season right now and there will be some tracks you want to skip, but his Christmas box set is really awesome and got my wife and through some fairly long drives to the relatives' houses. His original Xmas songs are particularly good.
I don't know which way Sufjan's winkie waggles, but I very much enjoyed the illinois(e) album and would do him if it was on offer. The rest (5 CD album included) seems like progtronica indulgence. There are more than 2 states. The rest is pure whimsy.
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