From the Salmon

Exciting news in this morning’s edition of Pitchfork…

Sufjan Stevens is close to finishing the follow-up to his 2003 masterpiece Greetings from Michigan “The Great Lake State.” Tentatively scheduled for a release date of July 5, Sufjan’s next album is a tribute to the great state of Illinois. There’s no word yet on a track list or title, but since Illinois is probably the closest thing I’ve got to a “home state,” I’m pretty excited. While it sounds like he’s still putting the finishing touches on the album, it would be reckless speculation to say that he’s spent the last 12 hours feverishly rewriting his 17-minute ode to the formerly undefeated Illinois basketball team.

Pitchfork also indicates that Stevens may not rest on his Prairie State laurels but may knock off another state or two from his ambitious 50 States project by the end of the year. There’s no indication as to which states he’ll tackle next, but my bets are on Wisconsin: Chicago’s State Park (the tag line to an actual commercial created by an actual tourism agency for a state that clearly has no self pride).

In celebration of the good news and in the spirit of the recently-launched Digital Skillet, I’ll offer up the following links to legal downloads of a few recent Sufjan Stevens songs:

• “All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace” from Michigan
• “Holland” from Michigan
• “Niagara Falls” (unreleased)
• “Sister” from Seven Swans