Once More With Feeling From Antony
Antony & the Johnsons, winners of the highly prestigious British Mercury Prize, return with their first full-length album in four years, The Crying Light. It’s not surprising that it is just as good as, if not better, than their award-winning I Am A Bird Now.The opening track, “Her Eyes Are Underneath The Ground,” is an inspiring piece in which Antony shows the caliber of his vocal control and ability that exudes a feeling of heartfelt distress on the morbid subject of death. The perfectly executed composition, as with most of the album, is fairly minimal yet not hollow. Anything more would make it cheap and overdone
The band is masters of short compositions that speak tenfold that which a longer piece could. They know when they have something special and do not compromise. On the other hand, the two longer tracks still manage to leave listeners content that the songs have been thoroughly completed. Every song on The Crying Light is thought provoking and inspires feeling. There is no doubt that to share Antony’s emphatic mind would be too much for the average person; even the glints of insight within the album are enough to move listeners to tears.
Antony is a truly great lyricist and his use of imagery is baffling upon the first listen. However, after a few times through one understands that this is a man in touch with a level of empathy most could never reach. This is the voice of heartfelt music of this decade, if not the longer. Their 2005 Mercury Prize is much deserved for their talents, and their individuality and commitment can be heard in their final product
Antony & the Johnsons command the respect of serious musicians with their modern-day cabaret that plays out the Danse Macabre of the 21st century.
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