Michigan (album)

Untitled

Michigan is a concept album by Sufjan Stevens, with songs referencing cities and people in the state of Michigan. It is the first in "The 50 States" project, a planned series of 50 albums to encompass all 50 states of the United States. Although the album cover reads "Greetings from Michigan the Great Lake State", the official album title is simply "Michigan".

Guest artists

Elin, Megan, and Daniel Smith (of Danielson Famile), and John Ringhofer (Half-handed Cloud).

Album art

Album art features original hand-paintings by Martha Stewart Living crafts editor Laura Normandin.

Track listing

1. "Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)" – 3:44
2. "All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!" – 4:33
3. "For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" – 3:57
4. "Say YES! to M!ch!gan!" – 2:46
   • (The track title refers to a Michigan tourism slogan from the 1980s)
5. "The Upper Peninsula" – 3:23
6. "Tahquamenon Falls" – 2:18
7. "Holland" – 3:26
8. "Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)" – 8:20
9. "Romulus" – 4:41
10. "Alanson, Crooked River" – 1:18
11. "Sleeping Bear, Sault Saint Marie" – 2:52
12. "They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black (For the Homeless in Muskegon)" – 6:21
13. "Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickerel Lake? Pigeon? Marquette? Mackinaw?)" – 9:23
14. "Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)" – 2:02
15. "Vito's Ordination Song" – 7:07

Other editions

Asthmatic Kitty has also released a two-disc vinyl edition of the album. Bonus tracks included on the vinyl release:

1. "Marching Band" – 3:41
2. "Niagara Falls (final)" – 2:22
3. "Pickerel Lake" – 3:11
4. "Presidents and Magistrates" - 4:16
5. "Vito's Ordination Song (demo)" – 5:25
6. "Wolverine" – 2:10

The vinyl release also includes an alternate arrangement of "Vito's Ordination Song".

The European re-release of the album in 2004 also contains the bonus tracks "Marching Band" and "Pickerel Lake".

The two-disc vinyl edition of Michigan contains an inscription within the run-off groove of each LP side:

• "Say YES to Michigan!": This was an old state tourism board slogan.
• "Go! Tigers!": The Detroit Tigers are an MLB team based in Michigan.
• "If you seek a Pleasant Penninsula, look about you"(sic): This is the English translation of Michigan's state motto.
• "The Great Lake State": This is a popular nickname for Michigan.

Covers

The album A Collision by the David Crowder Band includes a cover of track 13, "Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickerel Lake? Pigeon? Marquette? Mackinaw?)".

Trivia

The song "For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" was used in The OC.

The opening chords of "Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)" were used in an NBC news special on June 8, 2008.

The song "Holland" is frequently used in Dutch TV-show Draadstaal

"Holland" was also featured on the soundtrack to Weeds.

The entire album was recorded with 2 Shure SM57s and a AKG C1000. It was recorded at 32 khz, as opposed to CD quality 44.1, or the higher rates typically used in recording.