Following last year's best-of mainstay Illinois, Sufjan Stevens, who's lauded state-themed record saw his profile increase ten-fold in 2005, is set to release a record of outtakes from that celebrated album's sessions. Apparently, according to the press release, Illinois was at first intended to be a double album, which was scrapped in favor of the more compact, yet no-less epic, twenty-plus tracks of the single disc version. It seems Stevens still has much territory left to cover in the great state, with songs dedicated to Ann Landers, among others. In addition to re-recording some bits to give the record a more finished feel, there will be three (yes, three) alternate version's of the Illinois favorite "Chicago" as well as the previously vinyl-only tune "The Avalanche." Titled The Avalanche: Outtakes And Extras From The Illinois Album, the record is due July 25. No word yet on Stevens's next chosen state (here's hoping it's Maryland!), and although rumored on the blogs earlier this week, Stevens is not due to have a child with former-Sub Pop songsmith Rosie Thomas. A blood heir to the State project will just have to wait. Tracklist For The Avalanche: 01. The Avalanche 02. Dear Mr Supercomputer 03. Adlai Stevenson 04. The Vivian Girls Are Visited In The Night By Saint Dargarius And His Squadron Of Benevolent Butterflies 05. Chicago (Acoustic Version) 06. The Henney Buggy Band 07. Saul Bellow 08. Carlyle Lake 09. Springfield, Or Bobby Got A Shadfly Caught In His Hair 10. The Mistress Witch From McClure (Or, The Mind That Knows Itself) 11. Kaskaskia River 12. Chicago (Adult Contemporary Easy Listening Version) 13. Inaugural Pop Music For Jane Margaret Byrne 14. No Man's Land 15. The Palm Sunday Tornado Hits Crystal Lake 16. The Pick-Up 17. The Perpetual Self, Or "What Would Saul Alinsky Do?" 18. For Clyde Tombaugh 19. Chicago (Multiple Personality Disorder Version) 20. Pittsfield 21. The Undivided Self (For Eppie And Popo) http://www.asthmatickitty.com
