The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens

The whole album is a gorgeous mess, and you’ll immediately want to be dragged through it all over again.

But instead of succumbing to trends, Stevens barrels through with another long-form work that requires-- and rewards-- time and devotion.

The Age of Adz is not an unqualified success; occasionally it does feel like a little too much, and until the dust has settled it is difficult to say where it will sit in his discography as a whole.

Like its concluding song, The Age of Adz is occasionally transfixing, but overall inconsistent.

Sure there’s some nice stuff here and no one ever said Stevens lacked ideas. But I’m telling you that despite this, The Age of Adz is a major misfire from an artist of uncommon depth and talent.

This is an extravagant and undisciplined album that is nearly impossible to digest.