"There is a myth that great artists operate in seclusion. Hogwash. One need look no further than to the ten songs of Antony and the Johnsons' new album, I Am A Bird Now, to realize this is an utter fallacy. To be sure, with his androgynous features, the singularly named Antony is an original. Have you ever heard a voice like this, imbued with the transcendental emotion of the blues, yet deployed with an unadorned simplicity reminiscent of medieval music practice, and graced with a top note of childlike wonder? Or songs that blur distinctions of gender and identity, yet which still summon up such powerful feelings: longing, love, lust, loss? No. Because Antony is one-of-a-kind. But he is certainly not alone. We are proud to present you with a record filled with one of the most gifted voices heard in a long time. Antony's vocals are almost inhuman, coming together to compile a creature that's as beautiful and enigmatic as the Peter Hujar photo, 'Candy Darling on Her Deathbed', that graces its cover. The lead-off single to I Am A Bird Now, 'Fistful of Love' is perhaps Antony & the Johnsons' finest work to date. It features a scorching horn section and subcultural icon Lou Reed on vocals and searing lead guitar. In the tradition of subversive soul classics The Crystals' 'He Hit me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)' and Millie Jackson's 'Hurts So Good,' Antony sings this ode to getting the sh*t kicked out of you and learning to love every minute of it. The complex emotional undertow of this track reaches a cathartic roar by the song's finale. Antony shifts from a tremble to a wail -- a tempest of emotion. I Am A Bird Now also includes contributions from friends Boy George (duet with Antony on 'You Are My Sister'), Devendra Banhart (vocals on 'Spiralling'), and Rufus Wainwright (lead vocals on 'What Can I Do')." |