The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens (1 Viewer)

Jim Daniels

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Wasn't sure at first, but after several listens I think I'm coming around. It seems to have a similar effect to oversleeping. Makes me want to go on a run, or at least open a few windows.

Wonder how he'll pull off the live shows..

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Some nice stuff on there but the beats are so repetitive they me feel a bit queasy. I got sick of it quickly and the songs are so longggg it makes it a bit of a drag.

Looking forward to the next one though, hopefully it's a bit more refined or soething.
 
Yeah he could have easily lost a few minutes of each of the longer songs. He's so good with woodwind arrangements though.
 
Why is it so crappily titled?

Sounds like something the Strokes would have considered for their second album then discarded for not sounding groovy enough
 
I believe the title has something to do with a mentally ill southern preacher who wrote weird diatribes about modern times. Its mentioned in the Pitchfork review.

While I like Sufjan and I definitely like parts of this album, there's so much about it that annoys me. For starters, there's too much ornamentation with that glitchy computer stuff, which is used really tastelessly in part.

Secondly its too long. The 25 mintues of Impossible Soul make me never want to listen to it, despite liking chunks of it, because there's so much pointless repetition. Most of Sufjan's songs are fairly simple repeated 4 chord sequences with loads of instrumental variation over the top. It can just get a bit static and boring where he just goes into slightly different stylistic variations of the themes and then jams five of those songs into one overlong track. Add to that, its not the kind of repetition where you can feel the tension build and climax at all. Its probably cos he plays most the instruments himself that there's absolutely no live feel on this record whatsoever.

I think Sufjan is always hiding behind some pretty obstructive artifices. On the states albums (and even the religious one) that worked really really well but on most of the stuff he's released since then and since his "whats the point of it all" style crisis I don't like what he's hiding behind - the tracks he released on Dark Was The Night and various cover versions of Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs he's released have be alright - real technical showpieces but with absolutely no emotional connection.

Also - releasing a 70 minute EP the week before your album comes out is just silly. Just more hiding behind things. People are already looking forward to your album, there's no need to obfuscate the issue by releasing a load of second rate (not too mention over-long, over-elaborate) stuff just beforehand.

On the plus side - there are few really lovely tracks on this - All For Myself, I Want To Be Well, Too Much and parts of Impossible Soul where I think Sufjan sneaks out from behind the deceit to make a connection.

If you're interested in hearing something with some fairly trippy electronics combined with vocal and orchestral arrangements, check out The Getty Address by Dirty Projectors. Its pretty harsh and obtuse and can be difficult to get into, but some of it is like nothing I've ever heard anywhere else.
 
Also - releasing a 70 minute EP the week before your album comes out is just silly. Just more hiding behind things. People are already looking forward to your album, there's no need to obfuscate the issue by releasing a load of second rate (not too mention over-long, over-elaborate) stuff just beforehand.

I kind of agree with all you said there but I've only listened a couple of times and need to let it sink in a bit more before fully making up my mind.

But, initial impressions are that if he picked the best from this album and the best from the EP, discarded the rest, he'd have a hell of an album on his hands.
 
I kind of agree with all you said there but I've only listened a couple of times and need to let it sink in a bit more before fully making up my mind.

But, initial impressions are that if he picked the best from this album and the best from the EP, discarded the rest, he'd have a hell of an album on his hands.

He'd have a better bunch of songs all together but he'd still suffer from all the same problems if you ask me. I'm jsut listening to Seven Swans again and I like it so much more - just more direct and less bullshitty. I must add that the title track from the Age Of Adz is growing on me cos of its great chorus, but its still cloaked in layers or electronic sequins and glitchy rhinestones.
 
and yet nobody wants to write reviews for thumped

Ha! Yeah, that post by @coast to coast was the best review I've read of the album. I think people feel that writing an official review is really putting yourself out there, while a post is generally just an opinion, that can be as strong or as off the cuff as you like.

The thing I miss about the album is a song, where the lyrics really stop you in your tracks, like say on Casimir Pulaski Day. Maybe they are there, but are hidden behind the orchestration.
 
Some nice stuff on there but the beats are so repetitive they me feel a bit queasy. I got sick of it quickly and the songs are so longggg it makes it a bit of a drag.

Looking forward to the next one though, hopefully it's a bit more refined or soething.

Have you heard the EP that he put out a few months ago? Bit more of what you might typically expect of him.
 

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