"So the good news is that Stevens is back. The bad news, for fans who only want to hear more of the same, is that his new EP and album show that he has little interest in rehashing his old sound. On The Age of Adz, Stevens replaces delicately plucked banjo lines, wispy vocals and sentimental melodies with glitchy soundscapes, hip-hop beats and heavily filtered vocals. As an added touch, he soaks the whole thing with a warm, deep wash of reverb. It's a bold move, and it pays off incredibly.
The Age of Adz opens with "Futile Devices" (is that a nod to his trademark sound up to now?), a relatively spare track that would fit alongside much of Stevens' earlier work. But the album takes a whiplash turn on the second cut with "Too Much," a regret-filled love letter layered with so many swirling electronics and drum machines, it sounds more like something from an Animal Collective record. The nine tracks that follow are equally and magnificently orchestrated, showing an inspired artist deconstructing his sound and rebuilding it with grace and flair. And while the mix is unexpected, Stevens retains his gift for crafting songs that are both epic and intimate. The Age of Adz may be a challenge for some longtime fans, but it's also more mysterious and less precious than anything Stevens has made up to now. Stevens has always pushed beyond the staid conventions of pop and rock music, and even if he's given up the "states" project, it's refreshing to see that he still loves the art of sonic adventure."
-Robin Hilton, NPR
