The concept of a compilation of b-sides and outtakes filling in a gap between anticipated releases is ages old in rock music. Sometimes they're more successful than others - to use some classic examples, see The Rolling Stones's Flowers, The Beatles's Hey Jude or Elvis Costello's Taking Liberties. Some are complete abominations, like The Doors's Weird Scenes Inside the Goldmine. The difference lies in whether or not the album has anything new to say about the artist. No one needs an entire album of Doors outtakes to know they were a noodling, amateur faux-blues band with a complete joke of a lead singer. And unfortunately for Sufjan Stevens, no one needs an entire album of songs that sound exactly like the songs on Illinois - only a little bit worse.

On the other side of the fence are albums that collect quality material showing a different side of the artist in question. In that vein is Leslie Feist's Open Season - an album similar to Taking Liberties or Flowers in that they display competent genre explorations from rapidly evolving artists. The follow-up to her excellent 2004 debut, Let it Die, Open Season is a series of remixes and collaborations from Feist's talented friends like Apostle of Hustle, Jane Berkin and The Postal Service. Almost every contributor finds a way to reimagine Feist's already diverse songs. The album dives into jazz, folk and hip hop and succeeds on all counts.

Feist describes Mocky's remix of "Mushaboom" in the liner notes as "snow-crunchy Saskatchewan-meets-Sun-Ra-Berlin version," and she can actually back up a pretentious statement like that. But when Stevens titles a song "The Vivian Girls Are Visited In the Night by Saint Dargarius and his Squadron of Benevolent Butterflies" you can't help but groan and wonder how in the world he's going to get through 50 states when he's writing 50 songs about each one.

Illinois was great, rightfully garnering a rare five star rating from the Daily. And the only real criticism levied on it by anyone else involved its length. Originally conceived as a double album and wisely cut to a still-really-long single disc, you understand that the left-overs were left off for a reason. They aren't terrible in their own right, just way too similar to have any sort of impact after Illinois. If The Avalanche came before Illinois, it wouldn't have been such a let down, but expectations for Stevens are sky high. It might sound harsh, but another album about Illinois, no matter how well done, is pretty boring.

Open Season is no grand statement either, but it shows Feist is evolving as a musician, and the results sound undeniably fresh. Her next album, almost completed, should be great. Sufjan, on the other hand, now has to prove that his creative ascent won't plateau, and that he can offer a different sentiment with his next state.

Open Season: Four out of five stars
The Avalanche: Two out of five stars

Feist
Open Season
Interscope

Sufjan Stevens
The Avalanche
Asthmatic Kitty