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Steve: All Delighted People being what it is actually hurts Adz a bit I think.

Noah: Agreed. It's impossible to know why he did it, but Stevens released All Delighted People before The Age of Adz and it's more of what people were expecting. Yes, it's also a better album. The existence of All Delighted People effectively makes The Age of Adz the EP.

Steve: I'm not sure that my evaluation of The Age of Adz would be different if it were released without the existence of All Delighted People, though. In other words, I don't think the problem here is one of expectations, fair or unfair, created by what I thought he was up to based on All Delighted People. I think it boils down, for me, to Age of Adz missing the key element of emotional connection.

Noah: Isn't that directly in contrast to Illinois, though?

Steve: What do you mean?

Noah: I find Illinois very much a listening experience I connect to. Songs like "Decatur, Or, Round of Applause for your Stepmother!", "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." or "Casimir Pulaski Day" are completely engrossing. Even "Chicago" just takes you away.

Listening to his Michigan album is a similar (if less well-known) experience.

Steve: I agree with all that.

Noah: So for me, the contrast of those albums with The Age of Adz is fairly jarring. Maybe All Delighted People was intended as a bridge?

It's impossible to remove The Age of Adz from the context of his previous work, and I think it suffers as a result. While your points about the lack of emotional connection are accurate, it doesn't upset me in the same way.

Steve: I don't want to put him in a box. It would be unfair to say, "there's only one kind of album Sufjan Stevens could make that I'd like.”

Noah: But...

Steve: But, accepting there are different buttons to push, Age of Adz didn't push any of those buttons. I like music that does any or some combination of the following: It can punch me in the gut (see: White Stripes), it can make me want to dance (see: LCD Soundsystem), it can blow me away with its sheer pop hookiness (see: New Pornographers), it can move me emotionally (see all of Sufjan Stevens' work prior to Adz). Maybe a few other categories are in there as well. One of those categories is not "make me appreciate how complex it was to make the music" ... which is about the best thing I can say about Age of Adz.

Noah: I think that's fair. I generally agree with you, but I do like The Age of Adz more than you. I listened to both All Delighted People and The Age of Adz the other day on my home stereo at an incredibly loud volume. I did find that I was connecting with The Age of Adz. I do still prefer All Delighted People, but I think it's important to note that "Djohariah" scared my dog. That's a good thing, by the way.

Steve: I think "Djohariah" is the perfect example of a song being experimental, dissonant, and still beautiful. It also kicks some ass at times with the inclusion of (I'm assuming Stevens') electric guitar work. It's not a "typical" Sufjan Stevens song in that it's not quiet and precious, but it is still awesome. What's your highlight song on Age of Adz?

Noah: Probably "Vesuvius", which may prove your larger point. The more I think about it, the closest thing I found this year to a Sufjan/Illinois experience was Jonsi's "Kolnidur" from Go.

Steve: I agree with something you said earlier, which is how Age of Adz reflects a cohesive vision on Stevens' part. I liken it to a movie soundtrack.

Noah: That's a good comparison. Must be a really crazy movie. So on our scale of Great, Really Good, Good, So So, or Poor, where do you rank The Age of Adz and All Delighted People?

Steve: All Delighted People - Great; The Age of Adz - So So.

Noah: For me, it's All Delighted People - Really Good; The Age of Adz - Good.

Steve: So we're covering all the bases

Noah: Seems fitting considering the scope of the albums.

For the original version of this post, including music, click here.

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