Stevens’ new full-length album “The Age of Adz”, is streaming on NPR in its entirety. I urge you to check it out. This record is groundbreaking and affecting on several levels. First off, it’s a huge (and in my opinion, beautifully advanced) departure from Sufjan’s earlier odes to Illinois and Michigan. The album is a soaring orchestral maze with twists of unexpected rough blips and frenzied turns that throw your emotional state through the wringer. All in the most artful, deliberate manner.
The most impressive aspect of this project for me, however, is that the artist whom Sufjan was inspired by, and whose artwork graces the cover, so accurately shines through this poignant journey. Self-declared “Prophet’” Royal Robertson (1930-1997) was one of the most intriguing and phenomenal artists of our time. I have been collecting his art for several years now, after exposure through my dear friend Scott Ogden’s amazing documentary, entitled “MAKE“.
Royal suffered from undiagnosed schizophrenia, which manifested itself through visions of time travel, aliens, and extreme paranoia. A trained sign painter, Robertson covered every inch of his trailer home with artwork and signage, often quoting biblical references, many times addressing his ex-wife, Adele whom he believed had cheated on him, and whose departure after 19 years of marriage he would never fully recover from.
Sufjan accurately represents the chaos, delusion, heartbreak and isolation that Robertson was surely plagued with his entire life. And the beauty of it all: Sufjan, like Royal, managed to transform this intensity into a body of art.
*You can pre-order The Age of ADZ through Asthmatic Kittty now and receive MP3s of the album prior to the release date.
*To learn more about Royal Robertson, or for information on how to purchase a work of art, contact The Webb Gallery or MAKE Skateboards
Two original photographs of Robertson’s home 35mm c. 1990 collection Jim Linderman
Front and back sides of one of Robertson’s paintings, from my own collection
