Every once in a while a record will come along and be so mind-altering and ethically transforming that it leaves you questioning your own beliefs. That could explain the recent flux of the androgynous community wandering the streets lately. Their leader, one multifaceted and make-up coated androgen singularly named Antony. All homoeroticism and stereotypes aside, Antony has created one of the most beautifully haunting and touching records this year.

From a single look at the cover art, a fitting image of Peter Hujar's 1974 photograph of "Candy Darling on Her Deathbed," Candy's darkened eyes provide windows to Antony's soul. Once inside, the listener finds himself immersed in a sea of emotion and pain quite graciously reflected in both lyric and composition. It's a dark place seldom explored, but within the depths is a harsh and private beauty. Antony's unique persona is complimented by his equally distinctive voice - his strongest attribute here, where he mingles intimate vibrato with hypnotic and confessional words. On "Man Is the Baby" he cries, "Losing, it comes in a cold wave of guilt and shame all over me. Child has arrived in the darkness, the hollow triumph of a tree. Forgive me, let live me…set my spirit free."

Though his songs are full of hopeful despair, Antony is not alone here. This outing finds him joined by long-time idols and clear inspirations Lou Reed and Boy George, as well as peers Devendra Banhart and Rufus Wainwright. All of which add up to an evocative aesthetic that makes I Am a Bird Now so captivating and the individual performances so outstanding. The strongest collaboration of the lot lies in Boy George's effort on "You Are My Sister." His presence is obvious and is the perfect compliment to Antony's mood shifting grace.

At the conclusion of the journey through Antony's murky soul, we're left with the certainty that I Am a Bird Now is an unparalleled and timeless masterwork and will be found among the best of what 2005 will offer.