Antony and the Johnsons, I am a Bird Now

Antony and the Johnsons, I am a Bird Now - My other half purchased this CD on the basis of the amazing reviews it was receiving and on the recommendations of a number of other artists, notably Lou Reed, Devendra Banhart and Bernard Butler, to name but a few. Nothing can quite prepare you for the sound of this record, however.

Antony is a NYC cabaret singer with the voice of an angel who writes amazingly moving and sparse torch songs that fall somewhere in between Broadway show tunes, traditional singer-songwriter ballads, and something far more ethereal and indescribable. Lyrically the songs are brutally personal ranging from descriptions of sexual and gender confusion to vast laments on lonliness. Musically they are arranged for the greatest possible emotional effect - much of the record is very minimalist with just a piano or a guitar in the background. Guest appearances from such notables as Lou Reed and Boy George only add to the atmosphere of the record as these VIP musicians are not used to add flash, but instead they play to their strengths giving added depth to the songs.

If you're intending to buy this album, you must approach it with an open mind, but if you do it's likely to send you into a state of both shock and awe which is rare from any album.