Love This Giant is an eclectic, exciting, flamboyant album that eludes any kind of categorization. While it could be lost in the sea of other great albums that came out this September, Love This Giant stands out because of the unexpected but brilliant partnership that produced its vibrant sound: the collaboration between David Byrne (best known for his work with the Talking Heads) and Annie Clark (also known as St. Vincent).

Byrne and St. Vincent both are at the top of their game, and it’s evident in Love This Giant. You can feel elements of both of their styles that end up synchronizing perfectly into these songs that kind of feel like they speak to an older version of yourself. Each track shudders with this life that St. Vincent and Byrne poured into it; they shiver with the energy of the incredible brass band and the strength of the esoteric lyrics. The chemistry of the partnership between St. Vincent and Byrne is tangible and creates a beautiful album.

Music is kind of like art that you find in museums. Some pieces are mediums for the artist to send a message, and this kind of art requires insight from the viewer. Then there’s art that is aesthetically pleasing, art that is simply pleasant to look at. In the same way, there is music that requires analysis and careful listening to discern what the songwriter is trying to say, but there is also music that is just fun to listen and dance to. Usually, it seems like any given artistic style or musical album can tend towards one end of this spectrum or the other, and to me, the best art and music are the pieces that embody both types at once.

Love This Giant hits that binary on the head. Byrne and St. Vincent have created songs that are not only toe-tapping and pleasurable on the surface, but have a message as well. Their music tells of the human experience, of simple circumstances and the deeper meanings that lie within them. Their songs ask you to love this giant. Love this thing that I am, whether it’s weird or out of whack or whatever I may be. Love me anyway.

“Who wants to climb aboard?” the duo asks the listener in the opening track. I encourage you to accept their invitation and dive into the incredible soundscape that is Love This Giant.