Sufjan Stevens

Of all the songs on the second installment of his 50-state saga, "Chicago" is the most intriguing. The other songs tell tales of famous figures, serial killers, and historical events of the state. But for a tribute to the Windy City, Stevens embarks on an interstate journey.From the twinkling intervals of the first six notes, then the breathless, rollicking drive (that pushed "Little Miss Sunshine" through its voyage), the song begins as a celebration of freedom ("I drove to New York / In a van with my friends / We slept in parking lots / I don't mind, I don't mind / I was in love with the place"), which makes a perfectly fine road-trip and soundtrack song. But as the song begins to reflect on itself, we hear about the double-edged sword of nomadic existence, and that's where Stevens makes a song of the decade. - Treeswingers