Christmas is still more than a week away, but yesterday, the holiday arrived early for fans of the R&B singer-songwriter Michael Eugene Archer ... better known as D'Angelo. 

D'Angelo became a musical sensation in the 1990s with his hit album "Brown Sugar". 

In 2000 he put out his most recent record "Voodoo" including the song, and video "Untitled: How Does it Feel"

D’angelo - Untitled (How Does It Feel) from Kewellharry on Vimeo.

D'Angelo then went on hiatus; no interviews, no live performances, no new material for 14 years. 

But now, he's back.  Sunday at midnight his new album was released without warning.  

The record is called BLACK MESSIAH.

We talk about it with Randall Roberts,  pop music critic for the Los Angeles Times.