Antony & The Johnsons
‘Bringing other people in makes me feel less lonely…’
And so explaineth Antony of his expanded Johnsons, Rufus Wainwright, Devendra Banhart, Lou Reed and Boy George: all guest collaborators on revered, second LP ‘I Am A Bird Now’, and self-confessed, gushing fans. It’s hardly a chore to see how.
The bearer of the most trembling, unnervingly brittle and bracingly sweet voice of our new century, Antony is a boy lost, someone attempting in vain to vocalise their fears, but with such earnestness and warming vulnerability that we’re willing to forego the potential slander of deeming it mere melodrama. It’s theatrical, loud and bright. Sparse, piano-drenched arrangements and smoky rhythmic accompaniment silhouette his words and his bared soul. His guests are just that, knowingly – guests. These songs, these sentiments… they’re all about Antony.
The story: a lad growing up in California, clutching Culture Club / Boy George efforts to his chest as some form of identifying salvation; before moving to New York to forge his musical endeavours with a group of musicians that best suited his heart and mode (The Johnsons); and unleashing an eponymous, debut album (available via the Secretly Canadian label), before granting the world his first masterpiece, ‘… Bird…’.
Intimate, crushingly honest. A true art of expression. His marks an existence we should all be grateful for.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: As straightforward as it gets, navigationally, and quietly elegant. View biogs on all Johnsons, as well as Antony, and purvey sound-clips.
ROUGH TRADE RECORDS: They’ve done it again… Rough Trade currently houses a roster which includes British Sea Power, The Libertines, The Strokes, Arcade Fire… say no more.
SINGLE REVIEW – ‘HOPE THERE’S SOMEONE’ 2005: the debut British single from the really-quite-marvellous ensemble.
ALBUM REVIEW – ‘I AM A BIRD NOW’ 2005: the record, and second album, which transformed Antony and The Johnsons from a warming prospect to very real, genuine aural treasure.