Sleigh Bells - “Crown on the Ground”
There a bit of vintage Yeah Yeah Yeahs in the Sleigh Bells’ dynamic--the sense that the duo’s light pop elements are floating around savage guitar and beat detonations, casually avoiding destruction at every turn. (All the better since the Yeahs don’t really do that sort of thing anymore.) There are marked differences too, of course. Alexis Krauss’ delivery is much more hip-hop informed, her strut not at all wrapped up in ghosts of post-punk rebellion. And you can’t underestimate the intrigue that comes from the song’s bubblegum core clashing with its shit-tastic fidelity, making “Crown on the Ground” sound a bit like a cola jingle being date-raped by Times New Viking, in, uh, a good way.
Jeff Klingman
UUVVWWZ – “Castle”
Teal Gardner, a Midwestern gal named after a particularly medium shade of blue/green, paints in wild, unkempt lyrical strokes on the best song of her band’s first record. “They took this, past the purpose, and they did their singing on the bus by me/ I could cut up all their lights, so they just get up and leave. “ I don’t know what that means, but I don’t doubt that she means it either. It’s the specificity of language as odd as it is, and the urgency with which she spits it that makes the track seem like such a burst of inner truth. The guitar solo that caps it all is a burst of outer rad.
Jeff Klingman
Polvo - "Beggar's Bowl"
SPOILER ALERT: "Beggar's Bowl" is by far the heaviest song on this list. It's also the rudest, most unexpected, scariest and most out of place. (FYI: It’s also all of those things for anyone else's "Best of 2009" list.) Strutting along like the sexiest torture porn that Rob Zombie never got around to directing, “Bowl” is high on swagger, low on subtlety. For the past few years, critics have been blowing a load all over Battles, acting like they invented math rock. So Polvo dug up their own 90’s corpses long enough to assess the current state of affairs and cockslap the know-it-alls just a little bit. Then, back into the grave.
Randall Monty
The Drums - "Lets Go Surfing!"
For those of you who thought that Peter Bjorn & John’s “Young Folks” was the last word in songs sporting a whistled hook, “Let’s Go Surfing” by the Brooklyn foursome The Drums provides definitive proof of the durability of this simple trope. Unlike the PBJ track, whose whistle expressed a dreamy, po-faced yearning, the hook in “Let’s Go Surfing” is more the wolf whistle of a cheeky teen on a sun-splashed boardwalk, evoking the hedonism of a youthful beachcomber who “don’t care about nothing.” To further underscore the air of innocent good times, the song’s break incorporates the clap-game rhyme “down down baby down by the roller coaster,” and the resulting sonic haze goes down as sweet as a drippy ice pop in July.
David Klein
Vitalic - "Poison Lips"
It's for good reason that Pascal Arbez (nee Vitalic) chose Poison Lips as the song to lead off his 12 minute "minimix" to support the new Vitalic album Flashmob: it is another slice of decadent, delicious female-vocal-led cake that makes his best songs so irresistible. The baseline slowly ascends and descends, as hooks and sirens check in and out, all the while the lyrics are rendered mostly incomprehensible thanks to the fuzzed out beats.
Keith O'Brien
Deer Tick - "Easy"
If this shit’s easy, then Deer Tick frontman John McCauley sure as hell makes it sound like a chore. Bleating with a voice that suggests he gargles motor oil, he shouts a warning that seems to convince everyone in the room of his dominance save one. And there’s the catch. Just as McCaule’s tale begins to show its scars, particularly in the last third where that charming hook wells up, the drums kick back into 4/4 time and the frailty of the whole thing is successfully masked behind false cocksureness.
Randall Monty
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - "Inspiration Information"
As if it were the Mickey Rourke of songs, “Inspiration Information” also found itself recast and reborn in 2009 after decades of wayward abandonment.It’s not often that a 25-year old song that was almost forgotten and covered on a charity album is redefined with enough energy to push its way into a top 50 year-end list. Yet, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings did just that to Shuggie Otis’s 1974 classic. On the original, Shuggie Otis predates Prince by playing and arranging every instrument in the studio. Sharon Jones did not go to the same lengths but with the snap sharp precision of the Dap Kings, she fuels the song into a time loop. Though the chorus still seems like a throwback, Jones’s razor delivery of the verses drive the song steadily forward. The sound is not quite old, not quite new, but really just timeless. It’s a musical Frankenstein. Shuggie provided the brain and body and Jones employs the spark, and by all accounts, it’s alive.
Would you care to play six degrees of cover song separation?
- Shuggie Otis was covered by Sharon Jones
- Sharon Jones sat in to help Phish cover Exile on Main Street last Halloween.
- Phish have been covering Frank Zappa’s “Peaches en Regalia” since 1986.
- The bassist on Zappa’s 1969 recording of “Peaches en Regalia” was none other than a 15-year-old Shuggie Otis…don’t worry, all of this will make sense in 2012.
Yonah Korngold
Liechtenstein - "All at Once"
Sweden’s Liechtenstein (awkward? yes.) laid down the year’s coolest motorik rhythm in their debut album’s first seconds, and, if they never really matched it, they certainly put their best jackboot forward. The rest of the song complicates the cruel bassline with cutesy la la las and inviting guitar jangles, but never at odds with that aloof efficiency. Two lyrics to note: “Now we’re breaking down”—you sure couldn’t tell—and “It’s so like a dream”—boy, is it.
Jeff Klingman
Black Eyed Peas - "I Gotta Feelin'"
Every few years comes a song that defines catchy unadulterated get-upedness, joining the often dubious ranks of choice material from the ultimate party jam playlist. In the mainstream, a newly canonized mega pop hit, embedded in the fabric that weaves prom memories, powering forces behind nodding heads in bars, house parties and discos the world over. Spring break spots will never drop them from rotation. The Black Eyed Peas might be incessantly omnipresent fixtures for annoyance in many critical circles, but when they create stupidly simple upbeat pop like this, it's pointless to deny. Indulge your guilty pleasures and let yourself get dragged into the tide of good times. You may even enjoy it.
Merry Swankster
Antony & the Johnsons - "Epilepsy is Dancing"
Those who wrote Antony Hagerty as an incorrigible drama queen are invited back for a second look. The Crying Light’s chief virtues are nuance, restraint, and uniformity of tone. With albums as solid and measured as it is, singling out individual song highlights is sort of tough, but the imagery on “Epilepsy is Dancing” is likely its strongest. The central metaphor is disarming enough, finding grace in a horrific experience, but it’s one of dozens. I’m partial to “cut me in quadrants, leave me in the corner,” a line of dark self-nihilism that lands softer than anything Jamie Stewart managed all decade long.
Jeff Klingman
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In recent years the crowd that is claiming "the album is dead" has grown louder and louder. We couldn't disagree more. As more and more people turn to iTunes and the Hype Machine to download the latest and greatest singles, we have stuck to the traditional album listening and found that there are still some truly great records being made these days. For most of this year we have been inundated by bands breaking into the world, mainstream artists trying to recapture their former glory, and indie rock "superstars" growing into their own, it has been exciting and fun and we love listening to all these great talents have to offer us. Some might say it was a weak year for music, they're really, really wrong on that one! These are our 50 favorite albums of 2009, it's a list that was pared down from over 300 entries, and which we have slaved and thought over for a good part of the last two months, tweaking things here and there, putting in new albums, taking out other records. There are other great albums that failed to make this list, but should be listened to and adored as well, we only wish we had more time and energy to make this list longer and longer. But that would also cheapen what the Top 50 were able to accomplish. Obviously we encourage everyone to chime in in the comments section, please tell us what we get wrong, what we leave out, what we rank too high, we seriously love those conversations more than you will ever know! Enjoy the list everyone!!!Download the ZIP!Top Albums #31 - 40Top Albums #41 - 5030. Yeah Yeah Yeahs It's Blitz!; As the New York bands that made the city so vibrant and exciting at the turn of the century broke apart into different side projects (The Strokes), released half -hearted records (Interpol), and fled the city all together (Karen O) we were left to wonder what had happened to all that potential. Each of those bands made on great album and then never really matched it again. Well, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs returned this year to show that they weren't finished just yet. It's Blitz! may not have the same heavy guitar sound the band used to feature but it is just as vibrant and passionate as anything the band did before. Zinner's guitar still plays a big part, but now there are synths and electronics that bring the Yeah Yeah Yeahs sound into the current sound. It's not too great a leap, but it's one that make the band relevant and exciting again. And even though Karen O may not live in New York full-time it still has that swagger and attitude that only a New Yorker could possess.Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Zero"Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Skeletons" 29. King Khan & BBQ Show Invisible Girl; The classic strains of the garage rock sound will never go out of style. Throw in a bit of soul and the quirky (to say the least) personalities of King Khan and BBQ Show and you have yourself an act that is impossible to pry your eyes away from. It may not be as immediate or dance worthy as what King Khan does with The Shrines, but this music fits right in amongst the songs and style of the 60's yet with raunchy takes on love and drugs that you couldn't even try to pass off as acceptable to your Mom or any authority figure. But then that's what most people originally liked about rock music so why should it be accepted and clean? It shouldn't be and King Khan keeps things spicy and raunchy enough for all of us, even when he's keeping all his clothes on on-stage. This record flew a bit under the radar this year, but hopefully their drug bust and being named to a few year-end lists will help shine a light on the great tunes held on Invisible Girl!King Khan & BBQ Show - "Invisible Girl"King Khan & BBQ Show - "Truth Or Dare" 28. The Mountain Goats The Life of the World to Come; At this point the purists out there that preferred John Darnielle as the only member of The Mountain Goats need to lay down their cause and succumb to the greatness that has become The Mountain Goats as a full band. The lyrics are still there, perfect storytelling from one of the great songwriters of our time, but the music fleshed out and full matches the passion and emotion of Darnielle's lyrics so flawlessly that the purists' arguments have no justification any more. On The Life of the World to Come, Darnielle focuses on religious undertones, a fitting theme for a recovering addict whose liberal ideals don't always go hand in hand with the church's teachings. It makes for an interesting listen to say the least, but The Mountain Goats always seem to impress no matter what the subject of their songs happen to be. This is just the latest example of why we adore them so much.The Mountain Goats - "Genesis 3:23"The Mountain Goats - "Romans 10:9" 27. Yacht See Mystery Lights; For most of this decade DFA has been providing us with the sounds that have moved our feet. Whether it was LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, or The Juan Maclean, the label has provided us with so many of the best records of the last 10-years that its sometimes hard to believe it's just one label. This year they gave us Yacht's See Mystery Lights another record that fits in with their rocking electronic sound, making feet move and giving us catchy tunes that you could even sing-a-long to if you were so inclined. Yacht makes music that is immediate and that is clear throughout this record as the songs flow into each other, never becoming stale, and always giving us a taste of pop rock that is meant to move. This music is pretty damn great if you ask us, but really it's just another in a long line of DFA successes that will hopefully continue on for years to come!Yacht - "Psychic City"Yacht - "Don't Fight the Darkness" 26. White Rabbits It's Frightening; From the opening cackling into the barrage of drums, the excitement and energy bubbles right off of the White Rabbits' sophomore effort It's Frightening. Percussion has always been at the forefront of the White Rabbits' sound and once again it explodes right from the start, but with Britt Daniels producing the record the album also shows off a lot more depth and range than its predecessor. More vibrant piano, more harmonies, and an overall better vocal sound all made this second record a far more compelling listen than what the band managed to do on its debut. Of course some people accused the band of swiping the Spoon sound for there own, but really if you take in the record as a whole that couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, there's a lot of the influence mixed in there but this record truly stands on its own two legs as one of the finest indie rock records of recent years.White Rabbits - "Percussion Gun"White Rabbits - "Company I Keep" 25. Real Estate Real Estate; We have reached the end of the "chillwave" participants in this year's list! The best of the bunch has to be Real Estate's self-titled debut record, an album that does the best to keep the summer going with more instrumentation than a lot of their fellow "chillwavers". It's a bit surprising that a band from New Jersey would produce the most beach oriented pop music of the year, especially when the beach in Jersey is overrun by all those Jersey Shore cast members, but there is a lot more to their sound than just waves and sunshine. Real Estate put a lot of emotion into this vibrant sound and lyrics aren't always the most positive of emotions. Still, the gentle pop sounds they produce have that warm feeling that has become so hip of late and it definitely fits right in amongst all the others peddling the "chillwave" way of life. This has the best possibility of staying the course, relying more heavily on traditional rock elements than a lot of their synth laden peers. It's a great sound, one we want to listen to throughout the year, not just when the sun is shining, and that's why this is the best of the bunch.Real Estate - "Atlantic City"Real Estate - "Snow Days" 24. Thomas Function In the Valley of Sickness; Somehow within the latest revival of garage rock and lo-fi music currently using up so much bandwidth Alabama's Thomas Function have managed to fly insanely under the radar. Last year the band released Celebration a record that was more or less flawless, straight forward indie rock with charming lyrical content and catchy enough hooks. It was as good as anything that came out last year but was left off of lists like this one because few had even heard of the band. This year's release In the Valley of Sickness provided the same sort of direct indie rock, it has it's witty lyrics and instant riffs and while it's received a little bit more press we don't think they've gotten the recognition they deserve. This band is probably the best band you've never heard (apologies if you actually have) and we can't explain why. The sound fits the times, the music itself is fantastic, and we're guessing it's just missing the gimmick to catch you attention and that's a damn shame.Thomas Function - "Belly Of The Beast"Thomas Function - "Picking Scabs" 23. Raekwon Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II; Whenever you come out with a part two of a classic album you are taking a real big chance. Chances are you're probably not gonna capture the magic that made the first one such a classic, but Raekwon managed to come damn close to matching the power and force of Only Built for Cuban Linx with part II. It's not quite on the same level, but it surpassed a lot of the other hip-hop that was released in 2009 and it definitely showed that Raekwon still has a lot to offer despite spending decades in the game already. Like any good Wu Tang album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II is loaded with sick beats and verses full of the violence of the streets. Yeah, it may be a tired subject but when it's spit with this much venom it definitely has a bite to it and Raekwon did a great job of capturing that and recruiting other rappers that could match his ferocity.Raekwon (feat. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah & Method Man) - "House of Flying Daggers"Raekwon (feat. Cappadonna & Ghostface Killah) - "10 Bricks" 22. Antony & the Johnsons The Crying Light; When you have the voice of Antony Heggarty you don't need much else to create incredible, emotionally charged music. Antony & the Johnsons do an amazing job allowing the spotlight to shine on Antony's voice while the musical compositions stay in the background offering subtle accompaniment to help the emotions of each song reach their full potential. It's a fragile balancing act but these players are so good and passionate that it all works beautifully. Obviously most of the focus on The Crying Light is on the deep feelings and powerful range of emotions Antony warbles through on each song. Sadness comes naturally with this type of voice and most of the songs here truly bring out that emotion, perhaps even driving the listeners to tears. When Antony bemoans the destruction of the earth on "Another World" he does so with amazing strokes of lyrical beauty. "Epilepsy Is Dancing" has the same sort of immediate impact, and really track-by-track this album haunts you well after the needle has left the record.Antony & the Johnsons - "Epilepsy Is Dancing"Antony & the Johnsons - "Another World" 21. Dan Deacon Bromst; After bursting onto the scene with a fantastic electronic album and wildly fun live shows, Dan Deacon somehow managed to expand his sound and retain all the feeling that made his music so unique. By adding an orchestra to the tunes recorded for Bromst, Deacon immediately surpassed any expectations for his sophomore album with a record that had more depth and layers than anything found on his debut effort. The music is full and lively still, there is still very much a synthetic feel to the sound, but it is all bigger and better than ever before. It may have slipped a little since we named it one of the Top 10 records of the first half of the year, but the majesty of it is still thoroughly impressive and the musical content is as exciting as anything else that was released this year. We just feel in love with more records as the year wore on and this got pushed down on the iPod rotation. So it dropped, but still certainly deserves recognition as the great record it truly is.Dan Deacon - "Padding Ghost"Dan Deacon - "Woof Woof" <script type="text/javascript">
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Four mp3s strapped to the back of a bomb. My bomb. Welcome to the Payload.
Antony and the Johnsons - Epilepsy is Dancing
Last month the unmistakable Antony Hegarty released The Crying Light, his third full length and the follow up to his excellent Mercury prize winning I Am a Bird Now (2005). While I Am a Bird Now was stuffed with cameos and collaborations- Devendra Banhart, Lou Reed, and Rufus Wainwright come to mind- The Crying Light is distinctly Mr. Hegarty’s show. Here is the lead single ‘Epilepsy is Dancing’.
Antony and the Johnsons - Epilepsy is Dancing
Benjy Ferree - Fear
There are concept albums and then there are concept albums. Rock and roller Benjy Ferree dedicates his latest album Come Back to the Five and Dime Bobby Dee Bobby Dee to the tragic memory of Bobby Driscoll, the forgotten child actor who played Peter Pan in the 1953 Disney feature and after brief success eventually fell into a life of drugs and passed away at age 31, poor and homeless. Are you depressed yet? Don’t worry, the story is much more bleak than the music.
Benjy Ferree - Fear
Foals - Balloons
Dance punk! Dance punk! Dance punk!
Foals - Balloons
Julie Doiron - No More
No more! No more! Wait…I want more!
Julie Doiron - No More
Related posts:Antony and the Johnsons - Another World It’s been 3 long years since Antony and his...
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100/100The first single to be taken from Antony And the Johnsons’ long-awaited new albumThe Crying Light is the spiralling waltz of Epilepsy Is Dancing a transformed sound still more beautiful. Joining him in the shadows was breathtaking – 5/5 EveningStandard, “This latest reinvention means his own legend is assured” – 4/5 The GuardianIt’s a crushing, mesmerising evening... a revelation” – The Independent 5/5 Another World’, a highlight of the night, conjuring up the devastation of environmental destruction as emotively as Cormac Mccarthy’s ‘The Road’... a beautiful evening – Daily Telegraph 4/5It’s a beautifully wrought show. From Brian Wilson on, pop musicians have periodically aspired to the emotional clout and textural subtlety of art music and lieder; Hegarty has got closer than most” – 4/5 The TimesMP3: Antony and the Johnsons - Where Is My Power ++ MP3: Antony and the Johnsons - Epilepsy Is Dancing
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from
8/1 on February 05, 2009
I heard there was a big football game last Sunday. Oh, yeah, I know it was the Superbowl, but I am so lacking in sports interest that I don’t know which teams played or who won. Those of us who are not into Superbowl weekend take advantage of the fact that the malls, parks, and movie theaters are nearly abandoned.
Mr. Folkie and I went to the movies and saw probably the most unmacho selection, Milk, the story of Harvey Milk, the first gay individual to be elected to a major public office. He ran for office and campaigned for gay rights in San Francisco in the 1970s and was finally elected to a city supervisor post in 1977. This era saw the organization and rise of the conservative religious right that still endeavors to push their narrow ideology into our laws.
Sean Penn, as Milk, delivers a very senstive portrayal that plays up Milk’s joyfulness and dignity as well as his personal struggles behind public view.Penn is excellent, getting his character’s mannerisms and expressions just right, but all the actors, with some surprising casting, like James Franco and Diego Luna as Milk’s lovers, contribute to a well-executed film.
At the time of the movie’s setting, the focus of battle was Proposition 6, which, among other things, would have banned gay teachers from California schools. The prop was defeated, but it’s interesting to see the archival footage of Anita Bryant bringing up the same arguments that enabled Prop 8, the gay marriage ban, to succeed just last year.
Not all cultures divide human population neatly into two incontrovertable sexes. Many native Indian tribes recognized a third and sometimes even a fourth designation (GLTBQ article, including bibliography). It’s too much to hope that U.S. culture could embrace that concept, but I would like to see those who pull the God card acknowledge that all God’s creations are beautiful, loveable, and necessary.
As evidence I offer the voice like Antony Hegarty’s, a divine creation that defies categorization as either male or female yet is stunningly beautiful beyond those constraints. His new album Another World is the familiar cry of all humans from birth to be heard, understood, and accepted. Most of Hegarty’s songs are variations on that point, but with the title of “Epilepsy is Dancing,” he compares being born transgender to having a misunderstood and feared affliction and declares them equally without shame.
The Crying Light, like Antony and the Johnsons’ other work, is for the most part a somber album, but that reflects only one side of Hegarty’s musical interests. Last year he provided vocals for some tracks on his friend DJ Andy Butler’s American project Hercules and Love Affair, and he sounds really good singing for the dance crowd.
Antony and the Johnsons: Epilepsy Is Dancing from The Crying Light (2009)
Hercules and Love Affair: Blind from Hercules and Love Affair (2008)
Joan As Police Woman: I Defy,
featuring Antony Hegarty, from Real Life (2006)
Hegarty appeared yesterday on the NPR program Fresh Air in which Antony describes transgender as a condition of the spirit rather than a physical state and makes the point that identification with either sex lessens who a transgender person actually is.
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Illustration Photo : ©Cécile Le Talec. "Rives Sonores". 2008. Une playlist de bruits d'eau et de matin, de nouveautés (a priori) incontournables (Antony & The Johnsons, Animal Collective, Bon Iver, The Decemberists, Franz Ferdinand), de héros sans tête mais à la voix d'Alela Diane, de lumière islandaise et d'enfants équivoques.... ••••••••••••••• ••• [Download MP3] LULLATONE :: Bathtime Beat // Alt link [YSI] Album "The Bedtime Beat". 2008. (Japon). <object height="20" width="200" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"/> <param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702778_62dbn/01%20The%20Bathtime%20Beat.mp3"/> <param name="src" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf"/> <embed height="20" width="200" src="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf" flashvars="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702778_62dbn/01%20The%20Bathtime%20Beat.mp3" bgcolor="#000000" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/></object> ••• [Download MP3] ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS :: Epilepsy is Dancing // Alt link [YSI] Album "The Crying Light". 2009. (USA) <object height="20" width="200" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"/> <param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702779_2arwa/02%20Epilepsy%20is%20dancing.mp3"/> <param name="src" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf"/> <embed height="20" width="200" src="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf" flashvars="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702779_2arwa/02%20Epilepsy%20is%20dancing.mp3" bgcolor="#000000" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/></object> ••• [Download MP3] BON IVER :: Blood Bank // Alt link [YSI] EP "Blood Bank". 2009. (USA) <object height="20" width="200" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"/> <param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702780_bfboa/01%20Blood%20Bank.mp3"/> <param name="src" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf"/> <embed height="20" width="200" src="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf" flashvars="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702780_bfboa/01%20Blood%20Bank.mp3" bgcolor="#000000" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/></object> ••• [Download MP3] ANIMAL COLLECTIVE :: In the Flowers // Alt link [YSI] Album "Merriweather Post Pavilion". 2009. (USA) <object height="20" width="200" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"/> <param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702781_78647/01%20In%20the%20Flowers.mp3"/> <param name="src" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf"/> <embed height="20" width="200" src="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf" flashvars="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702781_78647/01%20In%20the%20Flowers.mp3" bgcolor="#000000" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/></object> ••• [Download MP3] THE DECEMBERISTS :: The Rake's Song // Alt link [YSI] Album "The Hazards of Love". 2009. (USA) <object height="20" width="200" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"/> <param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702782_izgzr/The%20Rake%5C%27s%20Song.mp3"/> <param name="src" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf"/> <embed height="20" width="200" src="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf" flashvars="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4702782_izgzr/The%20Rake%5C%27s%20Song.mp3" bgcolor="#000000" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/></object> ••• [Download MP3] FRANZ FERDINAND :: Bite Hard // Alt link [YSI] Album "Tonight : Franz Ferdinand". 2009. (UK / Ecosse) <object height="20" width="200" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"/> <param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4703056_zvdrg/07%20Bite%20Hard.mp3"/> <param name="src" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf"/> <embed height="20" width="200" src="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_mini.swf" flashvars="mp3=http://boxstr.com/files/4703056_zvdrg/07%20Bite%20Hard.mp3" bgcolor="#000000" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/></object> ••• [Download MP3] HEADLESS HEROES :: True Love will find you in the End // Alt link [YSI] Album (de reprises) "The Silence Of Love". 2009. 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Antony Hegarty, with the face of a saint and the voice of an angel, this week releases The Crying Light on Secretly Canadian, a title that prompts me to mistake it for The Crying Game! His follow-up to 2005’s triumphant I am a Bird Now (winner of the Mercury Music Prize), it is an assortment of immensely dramatic, emotional and symphonic songs, taking on his familiar themes of loneliness, estrangement, and the disappearing natural world.
The deeply personal lyrics are just emotional enough to do Antony’s warbling bird of a voice justice. From the understated “Her Eyes are Underneath the Ground”, enriched by intriguing harmonies and clarinet, to the syncopation of the up-tempo “Kiss My Name”, Antony and the Johnsons do not take any short-cuts with their orchestrations or with the intensity. The current line-up includes Julia Kent, Maxim Moston, Jeff Langston, Rob Moose, Parker Kindred, Thomas Bartlett, Kevin Barker, and Doug Wieselman.
In “Epilepsy is Dancing”, acoustic guitar and piano bob and weave, tangling and untangling, pulling and teasing with tasteful jazz drumming. “Cut me in quadrants / leave me in the corner,” Antony trills as dancing woodwinds build to a crescendo. “One Dove” conjures underwater visions, swimming in guitar and a gentle bass line. In “Kiss My Name”, weak lyrics trip over the syncopated piano as the string section practices its scales. Antony comments on the state of the planet in “Another World”, celebrating its inherent majesty. “Daylight kisses everything she sees” in “Daylight and the Sun”, matched by foreboding strings and screaming piano to fuel a passionate ode to creation.
“The Crying Light” is incredibly hymn-like, and Antony’s voice is most like an instrument here. He sings about secrecy and the “courage to receive love”, offering a message for the transgendered: “I was born to represent you / to carve your face into the back of the sun”.
“Aeon” is a love song stripped naked. Its guitar invokes Jeff Buckley’s ghost in its forlornness, and harp and strings clamor to compete with Antony’s mighty articulations. “Let’s take our power back,” he sings. “Dust and Water” is the most sacred in feeling, and in it Antony chants like a Gregorian monk, the words pouring out of his mouth like liquid. “Everglade” is a jumble of horns and piccolo, the most classical of the included tracks. At times it seems that the clarinet and Antony’s vocal chords have become one.
As sad as these songs may seem at first - stained by sorrow and alienation - a current of hope runs through each crescendo and every vibrato. It is not listening for the faint of heart.
Antony and the Johnsons play the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto on February 17.
MP3:
Antony and the Johnsons - Epilepsy is Dancing
Antony and the Johnsons - One Dove
Buy at:
Amazon
More info:
Myspace / Website
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