Sufjan Stevens "Come on Feel the Illinoise" [2005]

I'm still not sure why there should be a correlation between multi-tracking abuse and boy-man whisper-singing, but it's possible it all started here with Sufjan Stevens' 2005 release (and the only one anyone ever cared about), "Come on Feel the Illinoise." If it did, feel free to blame this beardless musical egghead for the indie scene being overrun with ball-less beardos for the following decade. Imagine The Cure as teddy bears, but with far more grandiose orchestral conceits. Even more accurately, think Elliott Smith duct-taped to a chair in Belle & Sebastian's basement by an overly articulate baroque composer. What any of this has to do with the state of Illinois, let alone Quiet Riot, is anyone's guess -- though Stevens did manage to flip through a "Land of Lincoln" tourism guidebook and at least one sensationalist work of nonfiction on John Wayne Gacy before writing out his lyrics. So I'd advise not investigating those teddy bears too closely unless you're one of those perverts who enjoys finding horribly grotesque things in your cotton candy.