Sufjan Stevens "The Age of Adz"

Sufjan's second release of 2010 after All Delighted People in August (read about it here). I really liked that record but The Age of Adz is something else entirely. I'll be the first to admit I don't know all the nuances of Electronica -- at times the bleeps and bloops just seem random -- but if Sufjan loses the listener in places, he never loses himself. Yes, this album is rife with experimentation but you can still hear Sufjan's orchestration. As a composer, his songs are always building, building, building. He does lose some of the intimacy he shared on previous records but the melodies continue. And I must mention 25 minute closer "Impossible Soul". It is a symphony unto itself featuring movements, themes, and a storyline all it's own.

Must hear: Too Much

(Release Date: 10/12/10)