Just finally getting around to listening to the orchestra album from Antony & The Johnsons, and the new track that opens it “Cut The World” is utterly gorgeous as I relisten to it now with the rest of the album.
I was a huge fan of the videos I’ve seen from the concert with the Metropole Orchestra, which debuted some gorgeous orchestral arrangements of these songs. And the album versions don’t fail to thrill either, as they are absolutely beautiful renditions of the songs, particularly the heart-wrenching gem that is “I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy”.
At the moment, I guess it’s my favourite of the orchestral albums done by popular singers that I enjoy. The Joni albums “Both Sides Now” and “Travelogue” were for a long time my favourites, but this album is competing with “Both Sides Now” as my favourite.
Anthony’s voice just really suits the rich sound of a full orchestra, without ever feeling overpowered or out of place in that context.
I’ve also been still hooked on the latest Fiona Apple record, which is on almost constant rotation in amongst everything I’ve been listening to. It’s not often I get completely drawn into a record so completely, but there’s something about this album that works so brilliantly for me.
This has been my theme song since the record came out. It’s such a joyous statement:
My scars were reflecting the mist in your headlights
I looked like a neon zebra shaking rain off her stripes
And the rivulets had you riveted
To the places that I wanted you to kiss me
When we find some time aloneAnd then, we can
Do anything we want
It’s such a sharp contrast to some of the big rich textures from her other albums, but the core of voice, piano and percussion never feels too sparse really. It brings to mind how Kate Bush’s “The Dreaming” sometimes feels like such a huge dense sound, despite being just a few elements when you really listen to it closely.
Then really, I guess you should just press play on this video, and spend 43 minutes in the company of Kate Bush circa 1982.
This is the full album of “The Dreaming” on youtube that some fan set to a mix of footage from Kate’s videos from that album, and other random film clips that kinda fit rather well in places.
I feel I should admit that putting this record on one day in uni made my boyfriend at the time run out of the room with his hands over his ears for some reason. He just couldn’t deal with it.
It was obvious that particular boyfriend wasn’t going to last. If you can’t manage to sit through “Sat In Your Lap” ….
Incidentally, I’ve a few little gigs coming up – tomorrow, Thursday 30th here in Galway I’m playing at the Citóg night in The Cellar with My Fellow Sponges and Agogic Logic, who are both awesome. It’s free in, so come along!
Then I’ll be in Dublin on the 22nd of September to play at the Noisy Plug Sessions, which I’m really looking forward to. So, Dublin based folk, take note of that date, and keep an eye on the Noisy Plug facebook page.
