Anohni and the Johnsons: My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross (Rough Trade/digital outlets)

Formerly Antony and the Johnsons (Antony now Anohni and identifying as a woman), this soulful art-rock outfit from New York has delivered some extraordinary albums, notably I Am a Bird Now and The Crying Light (and the electronica-influenced Anohni solo debut Hopelessness) where queerness, emotional drama, chamber pop and the politics of the personal were bound together under the spell of her remarkable high and expressive voice.

There has always been a theatrical element to her work but nothing quite like this album which adopts soul as the vehicle for lyrics about the need for change (social, personal, political) and acceptance.

The opener It Must Change sets the tone as a soulful plea with the kind of deep ache Marvin Gaye brought to the What's Going On album where strings and groove work together seamlessly.

However the next track – the 90 second Go Ahead – comes with searing guitar Hendrix brought to The Star Spangled Banner as Anohni challenges a detractor or those who would tear down a liberal view of the world.

But mostly these are moving songs of love, passion and compassion (Sliver of Ice, the gorgeous-then-anxious Can't), environmental (It's My Fault) and socio-political concerns (Scapegoat) with suggestions of gospel, folk, rock (the pummelling prog of Rest) and folk alongside the soul.

And the album closes with the wonderful You Be Free in which Anohni acknowledges our place in the longview of changing times, how we are part of a continuum.

Antony/Anohni has made some exceptional albums but few quite as approachable as this.

If she has gone past you this is where you can enter with confidence to reap the rewards.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here