Sufjan Stevens is one of my favorite musicians, being nothing short of prolific. But, its been five years since we've last seen a proper, as he puts it, song-based album. Needless to say, I was ecstatic in the few weeks between the announcement and release of the album, The Age of Adz. It will be officially released next week, though I was lucky enough to get it early through pre-ordering.

The album starts off in familiar territory, but by the second song Sufjan leaves behind his banjo and hits heavy(for Stevens) with electronica. The remainder of the album is a fun, touching, interesting and undoubtedly difficult listening experience for some. There are many moments where it sounds like the sampled orchestra sounds and electronic noises are taking each other apart, but it's Stevens overarching melodies and soothing voice that keeps the seemingly disjointed areas together and what holds the listeners interest.

The songwriting is top notch, but what's interesting here is that The Age of Adz is not rooted in some deep concept like many of his past albums. This allows the songs to live on their own, with their own identities, which is a pleasant change in Steven's style. At over 80 minutes, its quite the listening experience, closing out the album with the epic, 25-minute Impossible Soul. It is a long ride, but it goes fast and it's definitely worth the time. I highly recommend Sufjan fans to pick this up and give it a chance, as well as new listeners looking for something original.