Barely a week ago, Sufjan Stevens fans were graced with a surprise announcement from Asthmatic Kitty of the sudden and unexpected arrival of his new EP, All Delighted People. I bought the album immediately and after a few listens I had fallen in love. But then again, Sufjan can record an hour of his bowel movement and it’ll sound like Handel’s f**king Messiah to me. So you can imagine how thrilled I was this morning when Asthmatic Kitty announced that on October 12th Sufjan will release The Age of Adz, his first song-based full-length follow-up to 2005’s Illinois. I’ve already ordered it on vinyl, which includes a free digital download of the album which will be available two weeks in advance of the October 12th. So you can expect another post about the album after I listen to it a couple of times. Sweet Moses, it is sickening how big of a fanboy I have become. Asthmatic Kitty writes: The Age of Adz (pronounced “odds”) differs from Stevens’ previous works in its lack of conceptual underpinnings. The album relinquishes the songwriter’s former story-telling techniques for more basic proclamations unhindered by concepts: there are few narrative conceits or character sketches, no historical panoramas, no civic gestures, no scene, setting, conflict, resolution or denouement. Rather, the themes developed here are neither historical nor polemical, but rather personal and primal: love, sex, death, disease, illness, anxiety and suicide all figure in the songwriting.The title The Age of Adz is a reference to the apocalyptic art of Royal Robertson (1930-1997), a Louisiana-based sign-maker (and self-proclaimed prophet) who suffered from schizophrenia. Robertson’s work depicts his vivid dreams and visions of space aliens, futuristic automobiles, eccentric monsters and signs of the Last Judgment. Portions of Stevens’ album use Robertson’s work as an idealistic springboard and a selection of Robertson’s drawings (his primary media were poster board, magic marker, and glitter) appear throughout the album art. Here’s the full tracklist for Age of Adz: 1. Futile Devices - 2:11 2. Too Much - 6:44 3. Age of Adz - 8:00 4. I Walked - 5:01 DOWNLOAD ME! 5. Now That I’m Older - 4:56 6. Get Real Get Right - 5:10 7. Bad Communication - 2:24 8. Vesuvius - 5:26 9. All for Myself - 2:55 10. I Want To Be Well - 6:27 11. Impossible Soul - 25:35

Barely a week ago, Sufjan Stevens fans were graced with a surprise announcement from Asthmatic Kitty of the sudden and unexpected arrival of his new EP, All Delighted People.

I bought the album immediately and after a few listens I had fallen in love. But then again, Sufjan can record an hour of his bowel movement and it’ll sound like Handel’s f**king Messiah to me.

So you can imagine how thrilled I was this morning when Asthmatic Kitty announced that on October 12th Sufjan will release The Age of Adz, his first song-based full-length follow-up to 2005’s Illinois.

I’ve already ordered it on vinyl, which includes a free digital download of the album which will be available two weeks in advance of the October 12th. So you can expect another post about the album after I listen to it a couple of times.

Sweet Moses, it is sickening how big of a fanboy I have become.

Asthmatic Kitty writes:

The Age of Adz (pronounced “odds”) differs from Stevens’ previous works in its lack of conceptual underpinnings. The album relinquishes the songwriter’s former story-telling techniques for more basic proclamations unhindered by concepts: there are few narrative conceits or character sketches, no historical panoramas, no civic gestures, no scene, setting, conflict, resolution or denouement. Rather, the themes developed here are neither historical nor polemical, but rather personal and primal: love, sex, death, disease, illness, anxiety and suicide all figure in the songwriting.

The title The Age of Adz is a reference to the apocalyptic art of Royal Robertson (1930-1997), a Louisiana-based sign-maker (and self-proclaimed prophet) who suffered from schizophrenia. Robertson’s work depicts his vivid dreams and visions of space aliens, futuristic automobiles, eccentric monsters and signs of the Last Judgment. Portions of Stevens’ album use Robertson’s work as an idealistic springboard and a selection of Robertson’s drawings (his primary media were poster board, magic marker, and glitter) appear throughout the album art.

Here’s the full tracklist for Age of Adz:

1. Futile Devices - 2:11
2. Too Much - 6:44
3. Age of Adz - 8:00
4. I Walked - 5:01 DOWNLOAD ME!
5. Now That I’m Older - 4:56
6. Get Real Get Right - 5:10
7. Bad Communication - 2:24
8. Vesuvius - 5:26
9. All for Myself - 2:55
10. I Want To Be Well - 6:27
11. Impossible Soul - 25:35

It’s not often you get goosebumps from watching a band or artist perform — it’s probably only happened a handful of times for me in the last five years (Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, and Owen Pallett are the first that come to mind).

But Stevens’ gentle earnestness coupled with his impressive musicianship packs a pretty strong emotional punch.

In fact, my friend Mimi told me yesterday that she can’t seem to listen to “Casimir Pulaski Day” anymore without sobbing.

And come to think of it, that song should probably have the same effect on me and millions of other people who can recall having learned the tragic news of a loved one’s impending death.

But I’ve realized that music does not make me cry, just bad movies. I once cried three times while watching I Am Sam, in theatres, no less, on a third date situation.

The age-old Hollywood formula of “Loveable Retard + Cute Kid = Waterworks” seemed to apply to me. By some inexplicable reason - a damn miracle, actually - there was a fourth date, despite my shameless display of sentimentality.

So when Asthmatic Kitty brought announced yesterday that Stevens will embark on a 24-date tour this October and November, you can almost hear the enthusiastic shouts of joy from myself and thousands of other Sufjan fans.

The tour kicks off on October 12th at Montreal’s Metropolis Theatre and closes with two dates at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on November 14th and 15th.

And yes, my dear fellow Torontonians, Sufjan will be making a stop in our city on October 13th at the legendary Massey Hall.

Pre-sale tickets for all 24 dates go on sale today at 1 pm via Asthmatic Kitty’s site, but if you’re reading this hours after the fact then you can try again when they go on sale to the general public at Ticketmaster this Friday at 12 pm.

According to Asthmatic Kitty, “the performances will feature fully realized versions of the songs initially debuted during a late 2009 tour of small clubs in which Stevens workshopped several works-in-progress,” while touring with “his large ensemble performing alongside a full production including projections.

Here’s some footage of what is, in my humble opinion, Sufjan’s strongest new song, “Impossible Soul”, which was taken by my friend Jeannie last October at the Music Hall of Williamsburg show in Brooklyn.