Weekly Release Spotlight: Antony and the Johnsons
Posted on 2/11/2009
Antony and the Johnsons
The Crying Light
[Secretly Canadian]
Antony and the Johnsons is the brainchild of English-Irish born Antony Hegarty. The transgendered Hegarty has been kicking around the New York art scene since the early 90's. In 1992 he founded the Blacklips Performance Cult, an avant-garde drag theater group. It was here that audiences first heard Hegarty's androgynous, hauntingly mysterious vocal renderings. After assembling Antony and the Johnsons, the group released an LP and a couple of EPs before Lou Reed caught wind of the band and enlisted Hegarty's help on a couple of albums and on tour. After signing to Secretly Canadian, the group released their second full-length, 2005's "I am a Bird Now." It won the the Mercury Music Prize in the UK for best album and put the group squarely in the indie-rock spotlight.
Antony and the Johnsons latest release "The Crying Light" continues on the same vocal-intensive path established in the group's previous work. Hegarty's vocals are full and rich, and his lyrics are passionate and heartfelt. The neo-classical arrangements are dynamic and earnest, complimented by Hegarty's androgynous musings and a touch of pop mentality. Though gender identity and societal problems played heavily in the group's earlier work (like "For Today I am a Boy," off of their second LP), this album seems to take a more worldly approach. By no means does Hegarty sound happy while he's singing. But he doesn't sound angry or mad. He just sounds like he's more or less at peace with the world.
Hegarty was reported to have written at least 25 songs for the album which were whittled down to the final 10 that appear on the release. This less is more approach is evident throughout, as each song has strength and merit, showcasing the best of Hegarty's creative output. "One Dove" entails a sparse arrangement and a lover's lament. The decidedly more upbeat "Kiss My Name" could quite possibly be a celebration or a eulogy. "Aeon" is based around a lonely electric guitar and really cuts to the core of Hegarty's abilities as an artist, showcasing his voice and his emotion, some of the reasons why he's been so successful.
This isn't an album to listen to if you're looking for light-hearted pop whimsy. But if you're looking to hear some redeeming music, well thought out and pleasantly arranged, this could be your ticket. And be careful, because Hegarty's voice is the perfect combination of strength and vulnerability, love and heartache. And it will continue to dance in your head long after you've stopped listening.
Stream: Antony and the Johnsons - Epilepsy is Dancing
Written by Andrew Zoellner, Radio K volunteer.