(Asthmatic Kitty Records - 2010)
Fans of Sufjan Stevens have been on their toes for another state concept album since his 2005 masterpiece, Illinois. While I was never keen on his early experimental and electronic records, Stevens' 50 State Project - one album for each U.S. state - launched his music to the top of the "most anticipated" list for me and many others.
When The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album followed a year later, it seemed that Stevens was so full of musical ingenuity and a burning desire to combine research with melody that even a b-sides release could leave listeners glued to their headphones. Perhaps it was naivety, perhaps it was simply wishful thinking, but there was a window of obsessive fandom where I really believed that there was hope for all 50 albums.
That bubble was burst in an interview with The Guardian in 2009, when Stevens said, "I have no qualms about admitting that [the 50 States Project] was a promotional gimmick."
The Age of Adz, Stevens' latest album to be officially released on 12 October, puts to rest any concern among fans of Michigan and Illinois that his music will suffer the same fate as the remaining 48 states.
Adz combines Stevens' early experimentation in electronic mixing with the beautiful song-writing; quiet, melodic vocals; and varied instrumentals of his State albums. Stevens' lyrics are deep and thoughtful, exploring questions in his own life, his past loves, his faith, and his grasp on reality. While listeners won't get an adventure about the dark secrets of infamous American serial killers, as they did with Illinois, Adz takes you into Stevens' mind as he reflects on his own skeletons. The result is an absolutely mesmerizing package of songs that, through his trademark haunting vocals, leave the listener stricken with emotion. The Age of Adz is Stevens' best work yet.
The opening track, "Futile Devices" introduces the album with a soft and repetitive guitar riff, shortly followed by quiet, echoing vocals. It's immediately clear that those expecting a return of the bouncing horns and fun instrumentals heard in Illinois and The Avalanche can dash any hopes of a "feel good" record. "Words are futile devices." Stevens' sings as the short, two-minute track cuts out.
Subsequent songs suggest new musical influences in Stevens' writing. Mixed, rythmic bass lines reoccur across the album; some reminiscent of Stevens' earlier experimentation, as can be heard in "Too Much"; while others pulse heavily and walk a fine line between electronic and hip-hop, like those in "I Walked". "Get Real Get Right" features a hook recorded in robotic vocals that had me immediately drawing parallels between it and Kanye West's "Stronger". Even as he plays on the edges of different genres, Stevens remains careful not to alienate fans of his eerie voice and thought-provoking lyrics by maintaining softer, melodic vocal accompaniment throughout.
The title track, "Age of Adz", personifies the perfect marriage between the old Sufjan and the new. Metrical pulses are combined with dancing violins and fleeting horns that, together, create an emotional tension, which is finally released by a lone guitar and Stevens' quiet singing. He questions the value of his life and to what he has amounted. Instrumentals and emotions rise together as Stevens apologizes for being "consumed with selfish thoughts/ It's only that I/ Still love you deeply/ It's all the love I've got" with almost-angelic choir accompaniment as the song winds to an end.
"I Want To Be Well" suggests Stevens' uncertainty with his subconscious and grip on reality. It's a dark and fascinating song as he questions his "twisted thoughts" and pleas to get better. The refrain, repeated over and over, sings, "I'm not f*cking around/I want to be well".
While The Age of Adz is not what advocates of the 50 State Project were hoping for, it surpasses expectations of quality music on every level. The 11-track, 80-minute album has not a single low point. There may never be a New York or a California on the way, but Stevens' talent for inspiring music is far from lost.
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