Just in...Sufjan Stevens: The Age of Adz

    Well, Sufjan keeps evolving, and combining genres better than anyone else. The Age of Adz, the latest release is no exception. This album is actually not slated to release in the U.S. until Oct. 12th, but a digital download was offered today to those who pre-ordered the album on the Asthmatic Kitty website. The album artwork is a nod to schizophrenic artist Royal Robertson, and the "Adz" is a reference to his apocalyptic paintings, which heavily inspired the thematic content of the album as well. The booklet insert includes some of Robertson's work. We've already talked a bit about who Sufjan is, since this is the first artist I have double posted about, so we're going to skip straight to the album itself. And if you want to hear every minute of the 1:14:47 album, check it out on NPR here: http://entertainment.ie/music/news/Sufjan-Stevens-Streams-New-Album-Online/51278.htm (EDIT: no longer available).
    Alright, to start, some of the skeptics of Sufjan's electronica Enjoy Your Rabbit (2001) may be fearful because of rumors that The Age of Adz is another foray into computer electronic inspired sounds. I say, bring an open ear to this album, and then for some songs bring your old ears and you'll be just fine.
    The first song, "Futile Devices", for example, is gorgeous--perhaps one of Sufjan's most beautifully written compositions to date. It is gentle and ethereal (literally with vaporesque vocals brought on by slight reverb effect), folk inspired and the violin pizzicati are the perfect touch.
    The next song, "Too Much", has been available for streaming on Sufjan's website (along with "I Walked") for a couple weeks now. It starts with a bang, let's say, and may require the greatest amount of grace, as the glob of electronic sounds is odd and begs to be skipped. But, the song progresses nicely; even still with electronic beat sounds dominating over lush string writing, trombones and wind flourishes at points, plus the chorus we have come to be accustomed to since the All Delighted People (EP). By the climax, it is hard to determine whether Sufjan has overdone the electronic, I guess I'll leave that up to your discernment.
    The title track, "Age of Adz", is more of "Too Much" but tries to sound more heroic, or diabolical, and is definitely, imo, influenced slightly by hip hop with the break beats style. I guess you could call it--similarly to baroque pop--hip hop pop. Enjoy the sleigh bells too!
    "I Walked" is another echo machine track. I would say it even tries to be trip hop with its underlying dirge-like and dusty beat over the harmonized "ahs".
    Back to a gentler rhythm, "Now That I'm Older" is another ethereal, ambient vocalise. Sufjan truly pushes the reverb effect on this and records his voice multiple times for this track to sing melody and harmony also.
    "Get Real Get Right" is reminiscent of the Chariots of Fire soundtrack, with the driving electronic beat, but has beautiful wind flourishes and brass bandy punches. The final trombone chords are brilliant!
    "Bad Communication" is a meld of ambiance, electronic fast repeated notes akin to a bad electronic piano version of flutes, and brass chords that expand. I don't know if it is meant to create an unsteady feeling, a trippy delirium, perhaps to further signify "Bad Communication".
    By this point in the album, with the track "Vesuvius" I think I'm starting to think that the electronic sounds are just too aggressive or unedited, idk. One interesting aspect of this song is the Renaissance pop with the recorder (remember those beige clarinet like instruments you used to play in general music as an elementary school child?) choir, tambourine and something that reminds me of a bad sounding oboe or shaum.
    "All for Myself" is like a skipping track, with noticeable breaks left in, which actually creates a cool repetitive anxious but forward motion. It also sounds like Sufjan shook giant pieces of sheet rock metal and recorded it, or just somewhat grand but odd electronically generated gestures.
    Typical upbeat Sufjan ingeniousness is "I Want to be Well". The wind flourishes are refreshing and a drum set is used, which has been mostly delegated to the sidelines this album. The middle section is very interesting, with chattering noises and a growing chorus, building to a false and then true climax. Sufjan also uses the F word in this song, saying "I'm not F***in around," which is repeated a lot as the text of the chorus.
    The final song, "Impossible Soul", starts with a Radiohead chord similar to "House of Cards" from In Rainbows (2007). What can I say about this 25:35 minute track? It is a true overture and exposé into just about every style of more modern Sufjan music. A few notable instances: an electronic solo that reminds me of the experimental progressive rocker Omar Rodriquez-Lopez (from The Mars Volta); Sufjan uses voice modification software at one point, like many rappers or Daft Punk; and about 17 minutes in sounds like one of the TV network's football anthems (can't remember which). If there was one flaw to this album, this track typifies it: eclecticism. But, then again, that may not be a bad thing, as it will appeal to many different people in one way or another. I just hope they stay long enough to learn to enjoy all aspects of Sufjan's latest opus. For now, enjoy the track "Get Real Get Right" in the MixPod player!