Surfjan Stevens "Age of Adz"

"Futile Devices" are words trying to say something poignant, because i'm not, and i cannot accurately describe the opening tune. "There is Too Much" going on in the second song:s trings,horns, flutes,bloops, all different tempos,video game sfx, but I like it. The "Age of Adz" is upon us, and those ominous horns lead us into a digital universe of echo-ridden hand clap beat, recurring trombone, as well as trumpets and a choir. That then quiets the noise for an existential passage with guitar strums, and then harp, morechoir, ufo's door opening up, trumpet, and  more. "I Walked" away from this cd because it was ticking me off, so in this one he just kept it simpler with an angelic choir,distorted beat, and lyrics that cry " For when you went away I went crazy/I was wild with the breast of a dog/I ran through the night/With the knife in my chest/With the lust of your loveless life." The next song's title can have you think it's reminiscing about prior times, it is, but it was about a time when he thought he was in love with someone, but now he is not exactly sure why he liked  her so much."Now That I'm Older" It's time to "Get Real Get Right" and realize this song rocks with it's hip hop tendencies, nice horn inclusions, skittering keys, and that digital choir; oh yeah! Maybe it is also about finding religion because he sings  "I know I've lost my conscience/I know I've lost all shame/But I must do the right thing/I must do myself a favor and get real/Get right with the Lord/I know I've always loved you."  One of the choir members became a robot! The former starts with organ and a beautiful choir."Bad Communication" has more choir, digital swoops, strings and a wish  that if only the phone line didn't have as much feedback. "Vesuvius" is another beautiful song to keep "All For Myself," but I suggest you listen to it. The latter is about being greedy and not willing to share the pain with someone else, or love, ok both. "I Want To be Well" with this reverberating distortion and prominent quick paced beat with flutes that then goes into a slowdown at 2:06 after a little guitar riff and piano where he longs to be well, "And I forgive you even /As you choke me that way /With the pill or demon /And the shrouded shalom/Under conversation /In tremendous weight of /A crowd of ages outside /Dressed for murder." he then declare's it no joke and then it goes into a quicker temp; I'm not f***ing around,this is a great song. Well, as if the album wasn't long enough we end with a twenty five minute and thirty four second track that has "Impossible Soul." The several part epic thats starts with these keys that remind me of KOL's True Love Way and it has awesome choir, more horns, digital bloops, and around 10:15 we have the inclusion of vocoder, but he actually starts singing at around 10:39 with this choir that says it wasn't safe and gets louder almost every time. Arouind 13:00 minutes we get in a dance beat and a chorus telling him to hold on, as the choir joins him, as well as synth, and then it gets into an uplifting refrain "Boy, we can do much more together/ It's not so impossible." The next part, starting at 20:27 reminds me of Muse's Undisclosed Desires,and has great instrumentals, it starts singing the same refrain, but the vocals sound much more gloomy and negative; kind of scary. Then feedback and the actual fifth segement starts at 22:21 with him singing at 22:49 with it's folk-acoustic shimmer. If I needed to advertise seven songs I would have to choose: Too Much, Age of Adz, I Walked, Get Real Get Right,Vesuvius, I Want To Be Well, Impossible Soul. Incredible disc.