NME journalist, James Jam, has commented on Antony and The Johnsons being ' the best thing to happen in music since The Smiths'.
Just one of the many quotes is, " Antony's victory provided welcome vilificaftion for individuality, a swipe on the scoreboard for personality, as well as announcing the gender-challenging gentle giant as the first great outsider pop hero we've had since we hung onto Morrissey's every wry utterance in the mid-80's. More so last week's Mercury Prize victory underlinded Antony and The Johnsons as the best thing to happen since The Smiths'.
The Smiths will be also be included on a album dedicated to John Peel.
All proceeds from the album will be divided between The Salvation Army, East Anglia Children's Hospices and the Karianusi School Trust. All of which Peel supported.
· NME
· Hello Indie
· More Other People/Bands stories
· More Index stories
· Also by davidt
I urge you all... (Score:1)
I'm hoping to see Antony this year.
(User #13749 Info | http://somedizzywhore.com/)
John Peel album line-up (Score:1)
You'd almost worry about him.
Any more ideas about what other bands/artists will be included in this album? It sounds very promising.
(User #12673 Info)
Unbelievable! (Score:0)
my jaw literaly dropped (Score:1)
oh btw for those who have vh2, on tuesday 27th at 12pm they're showing "The Smtihs: From The Begining"
(User #14395 Info | http://www.camdram.net/shows/06/evening_with_gary_lineker)
I'm not sure (Score:1, Interesting)
Nowt against Ant, but, while his voice isn't overrated, I think his songs probably are.
I don't get it (Score:0)
And how is someone being compared to the Smiths news? The NME has been doing that every other week for the past 20 years.
Better to compare to R. Smith of Cure (Score:1, Interesting)
Re: There's nothing to compare (Score:2, Insightful)
I think winning the prize is good in the sense that he's highlighting a gap for alternative singer / songwriter types, other than the godawful blandness of James Blunt and the like; but sorry Antony, you just don't do it for me.
And no, he's not like Moz and neither is he like Robert Smith. For one, Hegarty's voice is far too reedy and Damien Rice-a-like to be compared to Mozzer's crooning and Smith's cockney wide boy lilt.
Neither were / are The Cure goths; how could a goth write 'Killing An Arab', Jumping Someone Else's Train', 'Friday I'm in Love' or 'In Between Days'? They were post-punk (and their early stuff seems to have heavily influenced Bloc Party) and now they're pop / rock.
Can't Antony and The Johnsons just be Antony and The Johnsons?
I must admit though, I've wracked my brains to think of someone who could be termed an 'outsider pop hero', since Moz and The Smiths exploded onto the scene
(User #14229 Info)
Parent
Not sense = very sensible (Score:2, Insightful)
It has nothing to do with cross-dressing (that's clearly irrelevant, especially since several of Morrissey's hero's were cross-dressers), but rather about being "the first great pop hero" since Morrissey and the Smiths. I think it's clear, and like it or not very, very true.
As far as the Anonymous post claiming Antony's music to be MOR- do you know what MOR is? I didn't think so, cause if you did you wouldn't use that abbreviation. Furthermore, you wouldn't use it in reference to the music of Antony & the Johnsons. Also, you have to remember there is no such thing as original music. Original music is a fallacy. It can be highly artistic but never original. There was/is nothing original about the music of Morrissey and the Smiths. The pretense, delivery, an emotional triggers of that music is highly original and I think Anotny is the first to acheive that level of orignality since. ANtony really is the only "other option" in pop music today.
The music is simple in a way that gives weight to the old adage 'less is more'. Having said that, if Antony was inclined to put an album out a cappella, the strength of his voice would bully your emotions to a point where you might actually combust. His voice is that powerful, pure and simple.
(User #11715 Info)
Just a small point... (Score:2, Interesting)
I know it's a small, pedantic point. But it kinda sums up the NME's habit of making themselves out to be something they're not.
(User #2312 Info)
Last night in LA (Score:0)
Grown men weep when he sings.
quick question (Score:0)
Anthony is nor quite there yet (Score:1, Interesting)
More Greenwich Village cack (Score:2, Funny)
You suck.
(User #6533 Info)
For the first time...I don't get it... (Score:1)
Don't get me wrong, it's not that I am trashing Antony &TJ it's just that like most of the music press coming out of the UK right now it seems to me to be all about hype over substance. I sat listening for hours hoping to hear what some people have in their music and was left with the impression of a morose swim through a sea of molasses.
With so many great things finally happening in music gain and so many true originals finding their public voice why would they get so much respect as the Mercury prize? Erasure's Nightbird shames their effort as well as recent offerings by Bloc Party, Bright Eyes, The Arcade Fire, Interpol and the Killers (if they count for this year), The Tears, Franz Ferdinand, Peter Murphy, even the Rolling Stones who I have disliked for 20 years have put forth their strongest effort to date.
Well if you like perhaps the Tindersticks, Sigur Ros and Goldfrapp and have a yearning for slow cabaret jazz I would run to the local indie record store to buy this album...everyone else should run in the opposite direction and hope this does not become a trend.
Now just to provide a nugget I hope everyone has gone to depechemode.com and watched the video for their new single Precious. Finally they are back in their form as true masters after their not-too-fulfilling Exciter album. Looks like the boys are heading back to their Black Celebration days which is blissful to me. Pure genius.
(User #3249 Info | http://www.myspace.com/coldwarspies)
I saw them Live @ Patti Smith Meltdown... (Score:0)
Lyrics? Well they might be the best thing about him. But then again, I'm sorry to say, they are very samey - no variation.
There is nothing capturing about their concert apart from the Quite "twee" songs which are repeated and repeated.
Not me thanks. Go on Mozzer!
Compare to This Mortal Coil (Score:1)
That being said it is very original... A change from the new folk movement or the "new" new wave
Refreshing, somber, and heartfelt
Much more emotional than anything Connor Oberst has every heard
(User #10663 Info)