For me, it's between Antony & The Johnsons and Xiu Xiu.

Isn't that two works by the same person?

I have to say... after think that A & the J was the worst, most DERIVATIVE garbage ever, finally sat down again and listened to it (for the the fourth time?) last weekend and almost get what people are talking about... if I concentrate on the melodies, and song structures... the guy's voice is just tries way too hard for me. Ambitious? I guess, although mostly I think we are taking unique to be ambitious. Successful? Not entirely...

Ry Cooder brought a lot of different elements, emotions and stories together to lay out Chavez Ravine.

I'm also glad Will Johnson was able to sit down and focus to create a beautiful, cohesive album, South San Gabriel's Carlton Chronicles. Despite somewhat goofy subject matter, Johnson overcame his Pollardesque tendencies and really hit the nail on the head.

I'll agree with you on that Ry Cooder. I dig it even if you do have to have a map and a Spanish/English dictionary to keep up.

Yeh, if we're using the adjective ambitious Ry Cooder shits all over Anthony and Xiu Xiu.

I find all of these to be more ambitious in their own ways (though to varying degrees of success):

Orthrelm - OV
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (albeit part of a larger, ridiculous ambition)
Fantomas - Suspended Animation

Agreed on Orthrelm.

meh. ry cooder just goes old school. what's ambitious about that?

i'll second sufjan.

This is, simply, excellent.

Huh?

You mean actually create a cohesive concept album that tells the story of a bulldozed town that Dodger stadium was built on as seen through the eyes of a UFO?

That's ambitious in theory but the fact that he uses local legends of Tex-Mex, creates songs that actually tell the story, AND have them all work is incredible to me.

The songs, save the narrative ones, can stand alone as great themselves.

I think it works on an intellectual level and a gut level. If you aren't smiling or nodding your head while hearing "Poor Man's Shangrila", "Muy Fifi", or "Onda Callejera" then you never will.

The fact that he still has the chops and the balls to even attempt something this ambitious is incredible.

Gotta be the Mountain Goats for me. The Sunset Tree. Really gets to me with both the stories and the music. Most ambitious one I've heard so far. Vanderslice's production is just right, never over the top or too understated. And the cello and string work is outstanding. Every song is like a new chapter. Very compelling. Well, except for the silly tree picture on the cover. Sure have been a lot of those the last couple years with Over The Rhine and Willard Grant Conspiracy and the Twilight Singers and all the rest

I still haven't heard it yet, but based on what I've heard ABOUT it, the new BRMC seems to be a pretty ambitious change in direction.

The two most ambitious records I've heard this year, Momus and Sufjan Stevens, also happen to be two of the biggest piles of crap I've heard this year.

Amen, brother.