
I'll be honest. I started and restarted this review several times before coming to an obvious conclusion: Antony and the Johnsons are incredibly difficult to write about. And they aren't making it any easier with their new album The Crying Light (out 1/20). If you've ever encountered Antony Hegarty, you know exactly what to expect. (If not, pick up last year's Another World EP and report back for further instruction.) No, expectations vs. delivery aren't what's blocking this from being a full-fledged review. Antony's bizarre yet vulnerable voice [...]

I'll be honest. I started and restarted this review several times before coming to an obvious conclusion: Antony and the Johnsons are incredibly difficult to write about. And they aren't making it any easier with their new album The Crying Light (out 1/20). If you've ever encountered Antony Hegarty, you know exactly what to expect. (If not, pick up last year's Another World EP and report back for further instruction.) No, expectations vs. delivery aren't what's blocking this from being a full-fledged review. Antony's bizarre yet vulnerable voice [...]

Someone recently told me that I was his "touchstone of normalcy." This is...terrifying, and after much consternation I have reluctantly concluded that I'm simply not capable of the mental gymnastics needed to unpack this statement. Of course, it's all relative, right? While I'm an oddball for all the usual reasons anyone who voluntarily chooses to blog can be called weird, Antony Hegarty, leader of Antony & The Johnsons , is busy creating his own standard of normalcy. Or weirdness. After two full-lengths and a handful of EPs, it's clear that he really doesn't care what you think. [...]