I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. Unless you've been living in a cave for the past while, you know that Kanye West's new record, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, was released on November 22. You may also know that this might be the very best record released in 2010.

In case you haven't been following, West took some time out of the public eye after the now-infamous Taylor Swift incident, retreating from the media and reflecting instead on who he is and the direction he wanted to take in his career. The result is a brilliant album, more accountable and introspective than anything he's done to date. Though he's always written from the heart of his experiences and struggles, he's outdone his previous work in major ways.

Music is powerful because it can invoke different reactions from different listeners — an experience many people take for granted. Artists themselves fall often into this category — a musical equation combining overproduced, manufactured music with artists trained more in promotion and hype than in music theory results in an industry overly homogenized, and there isn't much room in a world like that for someone as genuine and creative as West.

And that's his only real problem, in light of all of the headlines he's made in past weeks — while at times offensive, West has effectively turned off the filter from mind to mouth, a trait that should be applauded rather than be condemned. Just as when he first broke in 2004, he's making soulful, thoughtful music while his contemporaries sit quietly colouring inside the lines.

The difference now is that West is taking us all along for the ride; while he's always written his lyrics to reflect his personality, pains and triumphs, with this latest record we've been wholly invited into the process by West himself, who began to use Twitter and the Internet to interact with the public and grow as an artist in front of our eyes.

The most profound insight one can derive from the experience is that by opening that door to us, West has taken one step further away from the idea of a stage persona, underlining his own personal thoughts, ideas and flaws. More than ever before, West made himself visible and available for scrutiny, an idea that has been an enemy to him on a few occasions.

This is where My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy comes in: not in a long time has an artist so directly and honestly addressed his or her personal flaws and shortcomings, a great risk on West's part. The lyrics on this record are a return to form of sorts as well, as West has found a graceful way to mix deeply personal discourse with biting socio-observational wordplay that surpasses even his Late Registration album of 2005, considered previously by many to be his finest work.

"I just needed time alone with my own thoughts/Got treasures in my mind but couldn't open up my own vault/My childlike creativity, purity and honesty/Is honestly being prodded by these grown thoughts/Reality is catchin' up with me," West raps on Power, the first single released back in July. He addresses far more on the record — the lyrics reflect that this has been a project that has consumed his life for the better part of a couple of years.

Also breaking away from his standard over the past couple of records, West has invited a wide array of talent to appear on this album; appearances on the record include a mix of predictable guests like Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z and Kid Cudi with unpredictable choices like Fergie, Elton John and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. Like records in the past, however, West has carefully cast his masterpiece and coaxed brilliant performances out of everyone involved.

From the grand beginning of Dark Fantasy and into Gorgeous, West soulfully builds up the excitement with slow grooves, constructing strong musical landscapes to deliver his thoughts. Then comes Power, a song near enough to legendary status that the minute-long interlude that follows it is a necessary flavour in order to cleanse the palate. The next song is an overwhelming effort by a starstudded group, All Of The Lights - a track slated to be the next single. The album gets dynamic and interesting in ways you simply have to hear.

Though West provided the entirety of his record to us in advance by means of his Runaway film and as offerings of his G.O.O.D. Fridays music program, he's had every opportunity to finetune the songs long after the official completion of the project occurred ... something he's done to perfection, as each track is compelling to the listener and brilliantly individual, collectively or not.

He's also had a lot of time to reflect on himself and who he's becoming; at the start of the month, West was awarded Stylemaker of the Year at the 2010 ACE Awards, and delivered a fantastic speech (posted on NYMag.com) that sheds a little light into his world lately.

"I just appreciate the people in this room that are open-minded enough to remember when they were a 5-year-old. To remember when they could colour outside the lines, to remember when they could give their opinion honestly without affecting their job, without it affecting their well-being," he said. "I thought that's what true art was. I thought that's what a true artist was. It's rage, it's creativity, it's pain, it's hurt, but it's the opportunity to still have my voice get out there through music."

What do you think of West? Post your thoughts and see more in the Music Recommendations thread in our FSU social network, and get the latest news, views and downloads by following @FSU_Bobbyisms on Twitter. I'm out of words.