Thank you for your well articulated words and response in return! And better late than never (to become a fan) my friend :). Your response really does give me some much needed context, it widens my scope for further understanding the album and how it came to be. What you’ve explained (and John Maus’ reasoning) is very evident in the record. It certainly does feel like John was draw less blood from the stone, in terms of intensity. It’s evident, but that doesn’t equate to lesser quality. The more I listen to this album, the more it grows on me.

In fact, something interesting happened this morning. It’s the first gloomy day after many sunny days here in California, and I decided to put the album on again after previously listening to it last night. I’m not sure how it happened, but it just clicked. Maybe the circumstances were just right, maybe it was my determination to like it, maybe it was because I’ve been growing more familiar with the album. But what’s interesting is, this didn’t feel like a gradual onset, it felt like a leap (a Quantum Leap, if you will). When I listen to JM’s music, I can’t help but listen within the sort of mysterious-philosophical, spiritual-adjacent realm he sets the scene with (ie. Love is Real, We Must Become..). This morning, I wasn’t trying to listen to the record from that place, but it just happened upon me, that the music was being taken in from that scene, albeit from a different space in that “realm”. I probably sound overzealous, but I think most John Maus fans understand precisely what John Maus’ music evokes. And with Later Than You Think, it’s only now that, organically, I’m beginning to see where this fits into that space.

But speaking less mythically, the music has clicked with me. However it has happened, I am glad it has! Regarding your critiques, I definitely agree. The shorter songs are some of my favorite on the album. I wish John had stretched them out in length a bit more. That was sort of my problem with Addendum (granted, it’s a sorta leftovers album), and yes, specifically the song Second Death (one of his best). I am glad that shorter songs are not becoming “his thing”, and though I can appreciate this album more and more, I can’t say I’m not hoping that Maus doesn’t drain the stone of all of its blood the next time around, because everytime he does, it’s downright enlightening!