“Sufjan, follow the path – it leads to an article of eminent death.”
“Sufjan, follow your heart – follow the flame or fall on the floor.”
“Sufjan, the panic inside – the murdering ghosts that you cannot ignore.”
So goes “Vesuvius” and the mantra on The Age of Adz, Stevens most primal, explosive, and all-encompassing record to date. From the opening song, “Futile Devices,” Sufjan's vulnerable voice both echoes from the record's production and the themes he's dealing with: apologies, finding true love, concerns of future failure, distractions, overcoming demands, aging, death and the divine. It's dangerous, sexy and provocative. The bombastic synthesizers rarely let up, pushing beats, dissonance and shrills without ever abandoning Stevens' trademark melody, fluttering keys and orchestral punches.