Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Nice ballads, really emotional. But also nothing extraordinary. 6/10
Une entrée en matière difficile et forcée. La voix est souvent difficile, si tremblante si violemment fragile et dans une épaisseur glaireuse. Évidement les textes sont aussi poignants. L’orchestration et la voix sont parfois outrancièrement dramatiques. Un coup au cœur pour What can I do. Autrement Man is the Baby, Bird Guhl, Fistful of love.
Too much warbling, not enough substance. This album did nothing for me.
Stylistically and vocally, this makes me think of Josh Garrels. Enjoyable.
s/o to the oscillating fan the vocals were recorded through
A little bit weird, but nice, I can feel it, or at least I think I can...
What in the heck did I just listen to? Looking at the album cover I immediately deduced avante garde but holy moly. Parts of it were.... interesting... but overall just didn't hit it for me.
The instrumentation is pleasant enough, but my first thought is that this voice sounds really annoying, like a kettle on the stove that no one will remove. If I want to hear warbling I'll go outside and listen to birds from the animal kingdom. Then track 2 begins and that annoying voice is there and I realize that this is going to be a long morning. The songs might be poignant, but I cannot get past the annoyance of the sound of that vocal performance. Third track, and I realize I am not going to make it through the whole album. Sorry, this might be self-affirming but it sounds like shit.
6/10 There's a good album somewhere here, but it is buried under a comical amount of vocal vibrato and outbreaks of violent piano thumping. An abject lesson in how you cannot force emotion.
This album is raw as hell, but in a way that just didn’t connect with me at all. While listening I felt mostly uncomfortable and a bit bored — it stays on the exact same tone and slow rhythm almost the entire time, like one long, heavy sigh that never really changes. The lyrics are full of this crying desperation, neediness, and begging for help, shelter, and cover. It’s like constant emotional pleading, and I just didn’t get it. The whole record feels like one big song stretched across the tracks. Not that it flows like one continuous piece, but practically every song has the same sparse piano, strings, and that dramatic vocal style, so it all blends together into the same mood. It’s not the worst album I’ve heard — Antony’s voice is powerful and unique, and there’s real emotion in there — but man, it got repetitive fast and left me cold. I respect what they were going for, but zero chance I’ll ever put this on again.
Too slow too boring too soulful for me. 2/5
I get the feeling this artist puts on a hell of a live show. This is definitely not background music. This is one of those that requires full attention. A little too much attention.
nahh
Wow, what an annoying voice. Vibrato is an ornamentation, not a way of life smh. This is an album you must *not* listen to.
- Too slow for my liking - Crooning and not very melodic, not to my taste at all!
Gute ruhige Musik für nebenbei.
I can't fault the instrumentals for being all that bad, but that voice was nails on a chalkboard to me personally. Not my style at all
Jesus I know being British is depressing enough, let alone being trans on terf island, but this is one dreary album. Short at least
Decent vocals but I didn't get anything else from this
Music has always been a way to explore the fluid nature of gender and sexuality from Little Richard, to Bowie and beyond. It’s deeply troubling that we seem to have gone backwards from the days when most people were generally accepting (with certain politicians and newspapers being the exceptions the proved the rule) to today’s situation. Anohni has a beautiful vibrato voice and uses it to sing songs from the heart about her experiences as a trans woman. The highlights are the starkly honest For Today I Am a Boy and the heartbreaking You Are My Sister featuring guest vocals from Boy George. The musical accompaniment is kept fairly plain, mostly simple piano with a couple of torch songs.
Well this one was interesting. Seems like a real personal passion project. Songs of self-discovery. Just feels like they’re playing to an audience of one. And we really gotta dial it down on the melisma. That’s too much melisma. Not my thing.
dit was vervelend van eerste tot laatste noot... zelfs geen zin gehad om teksten te bekijken,
Beautiful lyrics, everything else sucked
She’s great. The album is expansive
Yet another oh well record.
This is a longtime favourite album of mine, I was so happy when it came up on the list! Anohni has such unique and gorgeous voice- the way the vocals have that tremolo is so beautiful. Nothing else quite sounds like this album- and it is so powerfully emotional. Love it!
I liked it! Really unique voice and vibrato, beautiful songs. Had never heard of them but would happily listen more.
Wow, I couldn't decide whether the awful off-kilter piano on the first track was worse than the terrible singing or not. Much of the album continues in this vein. At least the album was relatively short. 1 star album.
A beautiful record with very soulful singing and intimate lyrics detailing Anohni's inner thoughts and feelings regarding her transition, and how she sees herself. It's complex themes and bare emotions make it a hard pill to swallow sometimes, but simultaneously her earnest lyrical delivery pulls you right in.
Not it
So much for a quick, easy listen while I work on an assignment. This hit me in a place I didn't expect any album on the list to hit. I've never heard of Anohni before, nor this band and had no idea what to expect. This is an album, written and recorded over 20 years ago, that chronicle's a trans woman's thoughts and feelings. The same thoughts and feelings I'm grappling with now. In today's climate, where disinformation and trans hate are so rampant, it's important to remember that we've always existed. I really started to feel this during "For Today I Am A Boy," and it was only strengthed the more I listened. Reaching the final song, "Bird Guhl," and hearing the phrase "I am a (bird) girl," a phrase I have struggled so much to say, was both cathartic and slightly painful. I am so happy that Anohni is able to live her life as she wishes, and I hope that I'll look back on this one day and feel the same about myself. For a quick review of the actual music, and not the devastatingly close to home subject matter, I dug it. The more upbeat songs were my favourites, but the quieter moments were all welcome too. Anohni's got a unique vocal style, and the vibrato may have been a bit intense in the first few songs, but I never found her to be as annoying as many of the reviews here made her out to be. The guest vocalists were all nice to hear, and they never felt like they were haphazardly thrown in to push album sales. I don't know if I'd be rushing to revisit any of these songs unless I was in a specific mood, but I know that the album is there for me to come back to if I feel that I need to. Favourite song: Fistful of Love
Didn’t care for the wavering style of a lot of the vocals, but the track ‘Fistful of Love’ was really good. Interesting mix of a lot of sounds - pickled up on Roxy Music, Van Morrison, and I don’t even know what else.
Loved this album for many years now. A wonderful collection of music full of compassion, beauty and Anohni's unique voice. A true gem.
His voice is annoying. It’s a no for me dog
It was atmospheric and pretty, but not very engaging.
Maybe I just don’t get it, but this didn’t connect with me at all. Won’t listen again.
Quite an intimate album. The music is exactly up my alley.. which makes it even more weird that I don't like this album too much. I want to like it more, but.. the singer's voice is just offputting. It's just vibrato for the entire album, and it takes a way a lot of the beauty. The music's great, but I didn't like it more than I wanted to. 7 / 10
Ehhhhh. Vocally the vibrato drove me nuts. Musically fine enough. 3
Soft, quite relaxing music. Very unusual voice, not particularly soothing but not jarring, somewhere in-between
Unfortunately did not hit, felt like sad clown church music
It's kind of cool but there's just way too much vibrato
I mean it kinda sounds like a bird is singing it
What can I do is an INSANE song, very radiohead vibes and fully increases the rating of the album by a point. Would rate it 3.5 but I'm feeling happy today so sure let's go with a 4 - chase and status good vibes
Couldn’t really get over the spastic vibrato
I really struggled with this one. The vocals just don’t work for me. They’re so prominent that they become exhausting over the course of the album. There may be something to appreciate here, but it’s not a listen I found enjoyable.
I just don't know about this one. I can feel the energy going into it, but have a hard time connecting. Do love a Boy George cameo, though.
This is awful.
Trop aimé, petite vibe Isaac Delusion, instru piano au top
C’est joli mais trop calme, voire déprimant
Je connaissais Bird Guhl, visiblement j'étais déjà tombé dessus et j'avais liké. C'est sympa, un peu déprimant mais l'album est équilibré et a des sonorités sympa
Liked this. Broad and interesting
Besides this album, I've listened to ANOHNI's albums before, but I still don't like her voice or singing style.
First impressions can heavily influence my view on an album. Let me tell you, the first track "Hope There's Someone" really threw me off guard with the vocals. Yes it does sound haunting but in the context of the song, it works. From then on, the vocals are fine and fit the emotional depth of the album. The piano play is immaculate and the string instruments add a nice layer too. With the lyrics written in raw vulnverability expressed in a sorrowful manner. I only give 4's to albums that I would revist again. It's a masterpiece in its own way but not something I'd place in my daily rotation. And for that reason, it's a 3, but a high 3. I would have to be in a very specific mood to listen to this again. Other than that, great album.
Ei mitä helvettiä
Best Song: Fistful Of Love. A gently triumphant song. Worst Song: Spiralling. The intense amount of vibrato was really starting to wear on me by this point. Overall: Kinda of sounds like Rufus Wainwright, but a voice that's even more tremulous. Nicely melancholy arrangements, and some lyrically interesting sections, but I really wish there was less vibrato than there was.
Fistful of emotions
OK, but it doesn't really move me.
Heart-breaking chansons, swirling into hypnotic developments - really plays with texture and voice. Favourite tracks: Hope There's Someone, Fistful of Love
Conmovedor. Excelente uso de las cuerdas. Muy distante de otros discos de la misma época.
Très touchant et de bon goût. Artistique.
I appreciated how different this album was from a lot of the rest of the stuff on here. The vibrato was a bit annoying, but only at a few moments. Favorite Songs: Fistful of Love
the trans experience is one i can not claim to understand, but this certainly gets me close Would I listen again: no Deserves to be on this list: yes 3.5
I enjoyed the piano, but I didn't love the vocals and it's hard to get past them. 2.8
Seems like one of those albums that need to hit you in the right moment to enjoy, I wasn't in that moment.
So beautiful it's hard to put into words, but definitely need to be in the right mood for it
"I Am a Bird Now" is the we second studio album by British singer, songwriter and visual artist ANOHNI's band Antony and the Johnsons. Chamber pop is the sole Wiki-listed genre. Hmmm? It could fit into a few more. The album had very positive reviews and won the 2005 UK Mercury Prize. ANOHNI Haggerty sang lead vocals and played organ and piano. The core bandmembers included Tahrah Cohen (drums), Julia Kent (cello), Parker Kindred (drums), Jeff Langston (bass), Maxim Moston (violin), Joan Wasser (viola) and Doug Wieselman (saxophone). Guest appearances included Rufus Wainwright, Devendra Banhart, Boy George and Lou Reed. Commercially, the album shot up to #16 on the UK Album Chart after winning the Mercury Prize. The first single released "Hope There's Someone" opens the album. A melancholic piano and ANOHNI with a strong and emotional tenor-contralto voice and a vibrating timbre. It's a ballad about loneliness and mortality and wishing for comfort in her final moments. The song goes crazy fast with the piano followed by strings and the vocals leading toward a dramatic ending. Boy George joins ANOHNI in a duet of sorts in "You Are My Sister." A slow piano and layered, harmony vocals. Absolutely fantastic vocals in a gospel-like and spiritual song celebrating their LGBTQ+ family. Lou Reed gives a talking introduction in "Fistful of Love." A piano and ticking drums as ANOHNI takes over the vocals. The pace picks up and music builds with added strings, a saxophone and backing vocals. Reed lends in some guitar kicks. A great song that just takes off. The album closes with "Bird Gehrl." A softer piano and bass as ANOHNI emotional vocals are a whisper. Instruments come in one at a time: strings, drums, loader vocals. ANOHNI's transformation is complete: she is liberated and can fly now. A tearjerker in a good way. This is simply a stunning, gorgeous and liberating album. Very compelling, dramatic, soulful and spiritual. I said yesterday in my John Prine write-up that I've yet to come across a more compelling album than his debut; well, now I have. The central story and album are a journey from loneliness and questioning, to accepting who she is, making the gender transformation and being liberated. The songs are mostly piano led but are enhanced by strings, the sax, drums and bass. The musical highlight, though, is ANOHNI's vocals: a unique tenor-contralto with a vibrating timbre that's strong, emotional, soulful and spiritual. This is s wonderful album and recommended for absolutely everyone.
No<3
In my head, I was expecting this to be more indie (maybe like The Zutons!?) so this was way different! Not in a bad way, I kinda vibed with it but wasn't totally sure about the vocals. Reasonable curveball though
While I see some beauty and serious emotions in this, the music is just not interesting enough. Our main singer repeats same patterns on piano and tries to win via his vocals. Problem is that a vibrato only helps so much. Also, you shouldn't do it for the whole of the album. All the other musicians are delegated to be minor supporting roles even though some might have more to offer. No, sorry, this doesn't need to be on the list. I got better and more experimental stuff in a similar direction by James Blake.
like the composition and instruments, but didnt like the singing. Overall good, but not much replay ability for me.
Не понял Про страдания Про гендерный переход Но вокал вообще мимо Тяжело слушать
This album is a coin toss between terrible singing and terrible everything else. No idea how it survived the cut for 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Those editors were way too generous, if they'd stuck to 500, I wouldn't be sitting here listening to this mess. Less than 100 albums in, and roughly 30% are already one-star disasters in my book.
One of my most disliked albums so far. Excessively melodramatic lyrics, the vocals are a chore to listen to, making 35 mins feel much longer
Genuinely could not make it through more than 3 songs of this because I hate Antony’s wiggly voice so much, sorry
Just awful. This must be #1001.
Geez y'all gave this a 1?
I really needed to listen to this today, its one of my fav albums ever
1001 albums to love or hate by hearing them before you die 22# DAMN I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. I already had a deep dive into this album before, but any excuse to return to it is welcomed. Starting to realise the wikipedia resume of the albums doesn't help a thing. Not one reference to what the album is about or who is Anohni, which is important to appreciate this album more than just it's extraordinary vocals and instrumentation. That voice.. is wrecking, in the verge of falling apart from start to end but at the same time so controlled and passionate. I'd say my second favorite singer of all time, doesn't beat Nina Simone. Such a simple record in terms of instruments (acoustic and string oriented), but it carries so much emotion and has really high levitating moments, like on the end of the opener Hope there's someone. The pacing is extraordinary too. It never feels too much, gives you time to approach each song with its demanding themes. Now delving on the theme. What's it like to not feel at peace with your own body and the mental process to change it, I mean, your genre. I can't begin to imagine the pain of that, but in here it makes me understand a bit of it, in a beautiful open authentic empathic way. Not preachy at all. I have nostalgia attached to at least on of these songs, because my dad bought a song or two from this and used to play on his playlists. That factor helps to appreciate this even more, it's nice to come back to that place and time. Next thing I'm going to do is listen to their debut album. Let's see where they come from, to reach this beautiful accomplishment.
First impressions are strong! This is partway between Nick Cave and Rufus Wainwright. Unique voice and strong songwriting. A little morose though. End of first listen: wow! By four songs in I was fully sold. Then Wainwright himself showed up LOL (I didn’t know that was coming when I made the comparison above). For real though, what a gorgeous,singular vocal sound paired with deep, emotional, evocative songs. Great melodies and beautiful lyrics. I kept imagining myself in a smoky lounge full of people captivated by this tragic and uniquely alluring singer. I’ve bounced off Anohni’s work in the past, but this one clicked and I’m going to go deeper into her discography now. Must-listen #303.
“One day I’ll grow up, I’ll be a beautiful woman One day I’ll grow up, I’ll be a beautiful girl But for today I am a child, for today I am a boy” I went into this completely blind not knowing at all what to expect. This led to quite an interesting and objective experience that allowed me to figure the album out thematically once I’d settled into the sound of it. The vocal performance is immediately striking and I instantly associated it with the intense vibrato you hear from Nina Simone. It is not something I have heard many other vocalists get close to achieving and any comparison to Miss. Simone is of course the highest of compliments. Musically it reminded me very much of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” album which has a weary and wisened Lounge feel to it. Lyrically “I Am A Bird Now” feels very well crafted. You can feel the journey of self actualisation and discovery of gender and what it means to the artist as you move through the album. I was impressed that the record achieves this despite only largely subtle changes to the instrumentation as the album progresses. “I Am A Bird Now” feels like a very progressive and genuine expression of a person’s personal journey to understanding who they are and despite having never struggled with anything similar myself I found it incredibly affecting. That to me is a key element of what makes music, and ultimately art, so important.
Interesting. But not quite my thing for repeat listens. I remember them getting a lot of buzz in the music biz 20ish years ago.
Very pretty, though a little slow. Beautiful, just a bit samey.
It was alright. A solid three. I didn’t not like it.
I can't relate to the lyrics about being transgender, but that's fine. Art is all about gaining a perspective different from yours. I just wish the music itself was more my thing. But bravo to Anohni for living her truth.
God this is bad.
When the album started I was excited to listen to something different. But, slowly it became more clear that while this is different from the rest of the list it's very same-y throughout. The vibrato did get annoying too... I thought I could outlast it but it did start to grind.
So the quaverying, warbly vocal style is . . . oof, not a fan of that, made this hard going. Fistful Of Love was a solid jam, saved this for me. Not that I'll listen again mind you.
This is quite a dramatic sounding record, almost jarringly so. Very mournful sounding. Something about the voice and feeling I get is haunting. I’m torn on my feelings towards the vocals – there’s something in the tone that works well but the shaky sort of vibrato feels a bit overused for me. Interesting reading up that Antony is now ANOHNI as they are transgender – it makes the lyrics for Today I Am A Boy very telling and sad too, you can feel some pain from what can’t have been an easy thing to deal with. The album appears to be a sort of documentation of this journey? There are some nice melodies such as “Spiralling” being a standout. Each song sort of does the same thing though and I find it hard to keep engaged. It’s kind of beautiful in it’s own way I will say – super melancholy, almost gospel sounding at times. Overall, it’s not completely to my taste but there’s nothing wrong with that – for better or worse this challenge is bringing up things I’d never have listened to before and I never know what to expect. The voice is hard to stick with for the whole thing. However there are some beautifully written pieces also, and it feels personal and real.
No. 115 This was incredible. Beautiful vocals, really subtle yet moving music
A delicate masterpiece. With splendid chamber arrangements and one of the most gorgeous voices to ever exist from Antony Hegarty (now ANOHNI). I first was introduced to this artist by my parents when their following album, the also great The Crying Light from 2009, was released and even went to see them live (it was great). At the time the music and subject matter seemed so otherworldly and mysterious. Now, with the advances in social politics, the mystery has somewhat subsided, but the songs remain stellar. Key tracks: Hope There's Someone For Today I Am a Bouy You Are My Sister Fistfull of Love Spiralling Birg Gerhl
interesting folk vibe 3/5
To be fair, on paper it's probably decent, but I just find his voice (especially the tremolo) and the composition to be anxiety-inducing. 2 because of this
Pretty nice - but never been a favourite
Lovely album. First song is the best.
IiIiIiIiI'm NoOoT sUuUrE iF tHiS aAaAaAlBuM iS fOr MeEeEeEeEeEeEe
Fistful of Love was fun but everything else was pretty darn bad.
Oof. This wasn't bad but I was definitely looking forward to it being over. Was pretty happy when it started playing a johnny cash song at the end.
I think this one fell a bit pray to one of the problems with this format in that you only have one day to listen to each album, and therefore can be heavily dependent on the day's headspace. I just don't think I was in the right headspace yesterday to give this album maybe the attention or time it really needs. I listened to the whole thing but I don't remember much Standouts - 3/5
Not terrible, but every song sounded the exact same, so even at only 35 minutes it felt long. Not one I'm likely to revisit.
Not hugely my thing, but the artistry is undeniable. This list would be in much better shape if it replaced 80% of the britpop and 70s dad rock with stuff like this.
7/10
Hope There’s Someone // My Lady Story // Fistful Of Love // Spiralling // Bird Guhl // 4.5/5
The album cover is beautiful The songs are beautiful as well, but wow his voice his crazy, not a fan of the vibrato
Terrible vocals but grew on me. Would not listen again
Antony and the Johnsons, I Am a Bird Now ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Album #12. I did not expect to give this five stars when it came up this morning. I have a real soft spot for this album. I remember when it came out, and weirdly enough I remember listening to it the year it was released. Looking back, I don’t know how I got into this as a 13 or 14 year old, but I did. I think it was because of My Lady’s Story. My Lady’s Story is one of my all time favourite songs. I think it was the only track I’d heard at the time. I must have come across it on some compilation somewhere, and that’s why I bought the album. I’ve been listening to it on and off for years. I’m absolutely not made of stone, I love a good weepy film and a weepy song, and this one routinely brings me to tears. I don’t even relate to the subject matter at all. It has nothing to do with my life. But the composition, the performance, and the lyrics are just staggeringly beautiful. As for the rest of the album, I hadn’t listened to it in years. Looking at the tracklist beforehand, I recognised some titles and thought I could hear them in my head, but I was completely wrong. I didn’t know this album at all. It is so beautiful and so well performed. Antony’s voice is incredibly unique, I genuinely can’t think of another singer who sounds like him. Beautifully emotive. And the lyrics are even better. There’s not a wasted line on the whole record. Nothing feels off or out of place. The imagery is gorgeous throughout. The guest appearances are great as well. Boy George is fantastic on You Are My Sister. And it’s got Lou Reed on it, for fuck’s sake, that tells you all you need to know. I’m loving this 1001 albums exercise because it’s forcing me to re evaluate records I thought I knew. I did not know this album at all. It absolutely deserves your full attention, so when it comes up for you, sit down and really listen to it.
Really nothing special. Just a lot of unmemorable songs. Also, I can't stand his voice, personally. The musical choices were pretty dramatic though, I can at least appreciate that.
Worth listening to at least once. Yes the voice has way too much vibrato, but the vocals were beautiful and melodic. The background instruments were fantastic. And the lyrics were intriguing. I don't plan to listen to this against but I'm glad I did at least once.
Terrible!
De eerste track klinkt als een gevoellige act die niet zou misstaan op het songfestival. Specifiek de inzending van Portugal in 2017, maar dan in plaats van het melancholische een dosis Nick Cave na hormonentherapie. Een soort witte Nina Simone met duidelijke instructies aangaande de pronouns. In kleine porties vind ik dit wel aardig en het album is met z'n 35 minuten ook niet heel lang. Het is wat gekkig, het is zwaar dramatisch, maar ik vind het eigenlijk wel lekker even tussendoor. Heerlijke productie, alle instrumenten (over het algemeen zijn het er niet zoveel) klinken heerlijk. De zang klinkt wat typisch, maar typisch is niet altijd verkeerd. Al kan ik me ook voorstellen dat mensen er op afknappen. Ik ben heel verrast maar ik ga 5 sterren geven, want ik heb dit album echt met plezier geluisterd.
Oh for fuck sake. A New York mercury prize winning clever clever band with a stupid name on this list. And this after REM. There was a friend of mine on murder The judges gavel fell Jury found him guilty Gave him 16 years in hell He said I ain’t wasting my life here I ain’t livin alone Ain’t breaking no rocks on no chain gang I’m busting out and heading home Gonna make a jail break Look into the sky Gonna make a jail break Oh I wish I could fly All in the name of liberty See he’d seen his wife had been messin With another man She was down and he was up Had a gun in his hand Bullets started flying everywhere People started to scream Big man lying on the floor With a hole in his body where his life had been Heartbeat It was racing Freedom he was chasing Sirens Spotlights But he made it out. With a bullet in his back. That one song is worth 500 of this album. At least. Fuck it right off and keep it fucked off
I found this really disturbing. I don't like having to experience something like this. That voice comes from my childhood nightmares, I never want to hear it again. I wish I could erase that experience.
Quelle tragique, darling! There are a lot of really big feelings here. It's beautiful and sad and spacious and terribly profound, but it is a lot. I spent this afternoon doing some random sampling of Anonhi's catalogue, and it is a unique and consistent oeuvre. This album is a good representation of her output.
Tää oli ihan letkeää musaa.
Nice melancholy melodic tunes
5/10 Best songs: Fistful of Love For some reason I always thought this band was much older (from the 80s, which I've never really had an interest in), so I never gave them a listen. The album is much slower/down tempo than I'd expected - for some reason I was thinking it was dance? The constant vibratto in every single song gets a bit old. The lyrics are very, very queer: a desperate yearning for another body, for another self. I don't know if Anohni was aware of her gender at this time, but the lyrics are basically the experience of an "egg," which would be really interesting to study more closely.
Musically, this was a competent enough, but unaffecting baroque pop album. Some nice piano exploits, but overall this was a bit too delicate and polished with little that really broke the mould or solemnity at any point, and it was fairly generic / predictable with regards its cycling between quiet and loud passages. Vocally it was absolutely awful - imagine the geezer from Sleep Token if he was somehow even more over-dramatised, self-important and joyless in his approach to vibrato wailing.
#848. Thanks, I hate it. 1/5: nah
His voice is interesting, everything else was so meh for me
Mixed bag here. There are some truly gorgeous songs on here that I couldn’t hope to ever write next to some songs that I feel like I’m being punked. However, this album was not made for me, and I am trying to be aware and upfront about this. This is such a personal look into Anohni’s life, coming to terms with gender identity and celebrating that in such a beautiful way. Does she use way too much vibrato while doing it? Yes, detractingly so. But it truly is a very intimate window into the trans experience that I’ve never witnessed before; another reviewer likened it to reading a diary and I couldn’t agree more. Lyrically dense and while some of it is silly on the surface, if you really give it time to breathe and do some research, it all makes sense. I’m teetering between a 3 and 4 for personal enjoyment but I fully understand how this could mean so much to someone and be a 5.
Dramatic, different, unique, astonishing...but not entirely enjoyable. I listen to the CD every couple of years, and realise the power of "Hype".
Interesting and unique
Decent listen
James Blakey vocals that waver and foreshadow the indie sad boys that come about 10 years later. Definitely gothic organy and echoy feeling. I don't know if i like this but it's definitely something. The production is actually really ambient and has a warmth to it. Like a remixed rufus wainwright
It’s fine, but why is this one of the 1000 I need to hear?
Yep - got it.
Hope There's Someone 2.7 My Lady Story 2.8 For Today I Am a Boy 2.8 Man Is the Baby 3 You Are My Sister 3 What Can I Do? 3.1 Fistful of Love 3.4 Spiralling 3 Free at Last 2.5 Bird Gerhl 3 Score: 2.93
Das war nüscht.
Manchmal ist auch gut mit Vibrato, hier aber irgendwie nich
Beautiful album, but it felt like it didn't really go anywhere. I would definitely listen to this again in the background at home with a fire going.
It was really good but not in keeping with the vibe of the day. Some beautiful singing.
Well this one was really interesting. Never heard of this artist before. Wasn’t sure what to make of it at first. First thought on first track was something about this reminds me of James Blake. Piano, emotive vocals. The vocals are so unique… vibrato… gender fluid too. That fluidity matches the lyrics and the themes. What is going on here? Beautiful… odd.. so soulful and moving. Gorgeous and melancholy. Clearly the singer is recounting some very personal feelings and the authenticity of their emotions translates into work of art that is hard to turn away from. I think this album is something special. Even if I never listen to it again. Regardless of the star rating, albums like this that I never would’ve listened to but for this list are what I love about this project.
Excellent
Why the fuck is this incessant warbling considered anywhere near a 1001 top album list? Dreadful noise, doesn't deserve the 1 star it will get.
Whatever I was doing on 2005 I totally missed this. Utterly brilliant LP and only the second time I've gone out and bought an album based on this aps suggestion. Thank you 1001
I don't have much to say for this album. It was fine I guess.
Feels kinda pretentious and self indulgent but in a good way.
Antony and the Johnsons (now Anohni and the Johnsons) is basically just Anohni and a revolving ensemble of musicians performing their work. The "Johnsons" refers to Marsha Johnson, a trans rights activist in the early 90's who died under suspicious circumstances. Overall it's a beautiful album that outlines themes of pain, anxiety, fear of acceptance, isolation, longing for self-acceptance....feelings that are very common for everyone, but obviously being trans adds another very thick layer to this. At the end of the day, at least I don't need to worry about socially recognized as a man since I am a cis-man, so I can't imagine the isolation of "society" not accepting your entire identity based on their own ideas of what your identity should look like. What Can I Do? is particularly short, but so powerful. Covering feelings of compassion and helplessness in the face of another person suffering. I think of someone suffering from mental health issues or depression. They're suffering every day in unimaginable ways, and you want to help.....but.....What Can I Do? Just tragic and somehow this one minute 40 second long song captures that feeling. Just incredible. Fistful Of Love is another complex song where the speaker is stuck in a violent relationship and interprets their partners physical violence towards them as expressions of love. This is probably why it's so difficult for people to leave violent relationships as they're trying to understand their partners actions and justify it as loving. Of course, they are not hurting you because they love you and you should definitely leave this relationship. I will say, I hate the electrocution vibrato singing style. I hated it with The Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey, and I hate it here. But something about it here adds to the authenticity and the pain of the music. The album is full of pain and longing for love, acceptance, reassurance, that it isn't hard to find how these emotions apply to our own lives. For people who hate the singing style, try reading and focusing on the lyrics. I knew this was going to be a low rated album, so it took a bit more effort to "get it". Once you get passed the vibrato, which I know it's a tall mountain to get over, you can see how incredibly emotional it is. The ensemble is awesome too. I want to give it a 5, but I just can't because the voice really just is too much.
A real treat, never listened to this artist before but I was extra pleasantly surprised by this glorious work of art. Majestic and poignant pianos and truly exceptional vocals
This reminded me a bit of Tom O'Dell. I liked this album a lot but do not care for the very heavy vibrato. I still really enjoyed all the tracks. Four stars
There's beautiful songwriting, musicianship and lyricism on this. But stylistically, it's not my thing at all. ANOHNI's super-vibrato-y vocals sound like a product of its time. I almost wish there was a different recording and style to these songs that to their core are very strong - but that's not the place they came from of course. Faves: Hope There's Someone, For Today I Am A Boy
hi shit?
less my thing musically but the lyrics were so honest and vulnerable. felt like listening to someone's diary
Thoughtful and talented but not for me and a pretty big bummer.
A lot of socially challenging and complex songs here. Very enjoyable despite the weird vibrato (IMO) Fistful Of Love stands out on its own. Great tune. The rest fit the general sad vibe much more (good in their own right, but not very fun). Ill need another listen to the full album to make the right choice, but for now…
This album was exactly what I needed exactly when I needed it. I’d heard the odd song by them before, probably in films and liked it but never revisited. But this blew me away, truly. The first album I’ve had which I hadn’t heard before that I wholeheartedly agree is a must listen. I’ve already been exploring more of their discography and it’s made a fan out of me, that’s for sure.
This is such an interesting album, I'm not sure how to rate it. It's ok, and obviously deeply personal, but I'm not really sure it belongs on this list.
i see why other people could like this but i found it completely unlistenable
A beautiful album. I hadn't heard of this artist before but they're a great songwriter, and the music is striking and very pleasant. There's no song that I think brings the album down, and the vibe is like a lounge singer in some ways. My favorite track is probably Fistful of Love, but they're all great sounding tracks. The only demerit I can come up with is, I don't see myself coming back to this album unless I'm in a particular mood. It doesn't feel like one I can just throw on. But what it is, is a thoughtful, haunting, and pretty album.
I really enjoyed this one. Eccentric yet mellow!
I thought it was alright. I honestly didn't like the main vocalist. His vibrato was really annoying.
I was nervous going into this one, then I immediately recognized I had heard the voice before. So I looked it up and sure enough it was Anohni, who I had listened to a solo project of before. Similar to that solo project, I didn’t love this album, but it was an overall decent listen.
Lloré.
What always I appreciate of listening to an Antony record is how beautiful and how sad it is. Hearing to any of his records can't be casual listening, it's always an experience that asks for attention. Amazing record.
I've heard this album before, and musically it's actually quite good. That being said, not a fan of the vocal style at all.
j’ai vraiment adoré
No
A little slow. I can tell the singing is good but it's kinda like the Eurovision songs I tend to skip.
Невероятно красиво и эмоционально. Вообще ничего смешного о этом альбоме.
I can understand the importance of this album. The voice made me feel nervous and unsettled.
Another one of these bands I've never heard of before. Pretty mellow but beautiful music. Not really my normal vibe but I did enjoy it.
I am genuinely surprised to see the negativity towards this album. It’s full of genuine emotion, story and beauty and stands apart from so much mediocrity on this list.
The was awful. No thanks
Anohni has an incredible voice, and the instrumentation is beautiful. This music normally isn't my cup of tea, but it's impressive none-the-less. What Can I do is a particular standout track on this solid album.
I did not like the main singers voice. This was going to be a one star album until the song sung by Rufus Wainwright (whom I don’t particularly like, but like a lot more than the main singers voice) and the talking part done by Lou Reed.
i really liked the vocals and lyrics and intimacy on this, great features from rufus wainwright and devandra barnheart too, good vibes
This artist completely passed me by, having known the name and just assumed they were Jake Johnson or the like so this was a real surprise. Great voice simple music, easy 4 star. Probably 4.5 but not going 5 yet.
This album is very beautifully written and composed! However it is not really my cup of tea BUT it is truly beautiful and emotional!
No, no, no, thanks. This voice irritates me. So does the music. :((
Greta album, very poingnant.
This is such a personal album. Fave song: fistful of love
Operatic, sad not my taste
Pleasant singing voice. Not terribly interesting. Meh. Pitchfork: 8.6 Rolling Stone: n/a
Ugh. Heart wrenching.
Perfectly fine album
An unbelievable debut album. Anthony’s spectacular voice, the sparse but all enveloping music marked this out as a special album by a special artist.
This album was garbage. The music wasn't interesting and the singers voice and lyrics were subpar at best. There are better trans artists out there to put on the list if was included to try to be inclusive or an ally.
Tried to be deep but ended up being bland.
Don't like it much
Slow piano-soul-y type stuff, sounds good if not that overall interesting, sometimes does a little extra No strong opinion
Couple of tracks but not a fan of the vocals
Piano felt ham fisted and the vibrato was really hard for me. The content of the songs was very clearly emotional, but the execution for me didn't hit.
The instrumentals are the best part of the album all the way through. The vocals are not quite for me, however the lyrics are enjoyable and I feel sympathy for the singer in their struggles with their gender dysphoria. My favorite track was Fistful of Love, if there were more of that approach to the rest of the album it would receive a higher rating from me. Might listen to again in the future as background noise because of the instrumentals but I don't see myself returning to this often.
Cantado con sentimiento, gran álbum, se disfruta ese poco tiempo que dura Mis respetos para Anohni y los Johnsons Concierto en vivo me sacaría los mocos con la calidad de show que deben tener
There are some albums that are purposely terrible, or difficult. Think Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, the No Wave movement, etc. Their purpose to challenge the listener. They may be hard to listen to, almost impossible, but they make a statement . "I can see what they are doing. This might be art." This album however seems earnestly terrible. The off-key warbling, the plinking chamber-folk. It's very difficult to listen to. Maybe it is art and I just don't get it.
lovely voice and i loved the calm songs
Wow! I didn't expect that beautiful voice.
I can understand why this is good but the voice is not one that resonates with me
wunderschön
Bleak as midwinter, but beautiful with it. The opener’s a slow start, yet stick around—Antony’s voice will floor you. Fragile, haunting, and deeply human. I'm used to Steven Wilson-levels of gloom, so the extreme melancholy didn't bother me!!
I can see why some people find the vibrato vocals on this album annoying, but personally I loved them. I Am a Bird Now, at it's best is a hauntingly beautiful album. It tails off a bit after the excellent Fistful of Love, which is why it's not getting the full 5, but it's a strong 4 for me. I'd not listened to this album for years and this was a good reminder to get it back out again.
🤨, guy sucks, have yet to see music post 2000 that actually deserves to be in this list
Reminds me of all the things I dislike about Rufus Wainwright and Nick Cave, but for some reason this works for me. Intimate and operatic, emotionally raw but meticulously composed. Slow burning and intense. I think what's so powerful and unnerving about the vocals is the combination of the vibrato's wavering uncertainty and the forceful assuredness of the performance.
Teilweise ganz tolle Musik dabei, auf Dauer ist mir das vibrato zu viel
This album is beautiful. I really don't know or understand the trans experience, but I feel I do slightly more now than I did an hour ago. Yes, the vocals can be a bit much at times, but they do have a haunting quality that I can't deny. This album is full of stunning lyric writing and raw emotion, and does an excellent job of not ruining that by being over the top with the music. There's a simple beauty and elegance on display here, and Anohni and the Johnsons kill it.
So good
Nothing too bad, but just not for me
For the first couple of songs, I thought this was pretty painful. Once it hits its stride it sounds like Nina Simone does the Velvet Underground.
Really struggled with his voice and the songs were so insipid. Very little life and frankly depressing. More like I Am a Turd Now.
At first I thought what an unusual voice, then I thought when will the album end! Thankfully there were only 10 tracks on the album 🤯
Oooooo Captial "V" Vibrato. Like - it's kind of a parody of people who sing with too much vibrato. If every song is like this, I don't know how I'll make it through this. Oh yeah - wow. Ok. I'm in a for a long night. Content-wise, I can see why this is on the list; however, vocally, it's almost unlistenable. On top of which, the songs are overwrought, painfully self-serious, and monotonous in their despair. When ANOHNI wasn't singing, the music was quite nice. But that rarely happened, unfortunately. Rufus makes a cameo, and see! A beautiful voice with a perfect vibrato! It can be done! I'm not sure how to score this. I feel like ANOHNI (I hope you're reading that in the MATT DAMON from Team America voice, because that's how I'm typing it) made a very bold artistic choice at some point in her journey which is at least interesting, but for me it does not pay off. There is a reason most human people don't sing like this- listening to it for 35 minutes is horribly grating. But this album also isn't completely without merit. So it has to be- TWO STARS
Meh
Æ falt aldri egentlig for Antony and the Johnsons da dem først dukka opp, og nu når æ hadde grunn til å høre hele albumet fortsatte æ å ikke falle for det. Det e helt ok, men det finnes andre æ heller vil høre på innafor den stilen – eller så vil æ høre på andre som ikke e helt den stilen, men i sånne retninger æ like.
I need the most vibrato singing you have. No, that's too vibrato. It's certainly...musically flawed, but you can absolutely tell Anohni is putting all of her emotion into every line. It's raw and a bit odd but I can't say it's lacking in heart.
Meget fint
Skøn plade. Det er en stemme som ikke altid fungerer men når den gør gør den VIRKELIG, og det her er hendes bedste plade. All timer åbner.
Their voice takes a little getting used to. But it was beautiful.
Great sound and vibe.
has some interesting moments here and there. it has beautiful piano and strings throughout. It's also has some meaningful lyrics regarding ANTHONI's life and transition, plus longing for someone. It’s just not that gripping overall.
Die stem kanik oprecht niet uitstaan, maar de productie is echt heel goed en vooral ook prachtig o. Naar te luisteren
Vulnerable, plaintive, fragile, intimate, hopeful.
This album is a mood. Loved it when I first heard it in 2006ish. Still love it. Vocals are stunning and the arrangements evocative.
A consistent feel and enjoyable music.
You most definitely are not a bird, but you seem very confused as to what you are
Best Track - "Fistful Of Love"
That's a great one.
I suppose it is ok if in the right mood. Just not my style, but not bad
Haunting, thoughtful, brave
I enjoyed it more than when it was first released
Very unsure about this. Gut feeling is the performance (deeply personal and heartfelt and moving) compensates for a series of fairly mediocre songs. Occasionally enjoyable. And possibly the only album I know where the cover is such an integral and powerful part of the story. 3*
Removed Album #21 (List: https://pastebin.com/cSThNiK9) New removed album just four rolls after the previous one. I've been haunted by my last removed album (Bitte Orca), truth be told. I've gone back to "Stillness Is the Move" once or twice just to relive how staggeringly shit that song is. The music video is total hipster wank, too. Yet, the most staggering aspect of that song to me are all of the YouTube comments talking about how they discovered the song through NBA 2K13. This kind of discordant, warbling sound is a baffling choice for a basketball video game, yet even stranger to me is the fact that this song has any resonance with the crowd that plays said video games. I'm not trying to be an elitist asshole - I'm glad the song has an audience. Just how? Anyways, I've no clue to what to expect from this album going by the cover. It's obviously something indie going by the artsy grayscale filter, but what exactly that is eludes me. Is this that album which has a parody EP that pissed everyone off? I'm pretty sure that's a folk album, if I'm not mistaken. Once again, I'm dead wrong. The album I was alluding to was "A Crow Looked at Me" and it's associated parody EP "Playdough Cooked in Tea". Gotta be real, I kind of respect the balls to parody such an album, especially when it's pissing off indie music fans of all people. Granted, it doesn't parody it's subject matter in an interesting or humourous way and the whole thing is kind of shitty, but aggravating music fans is based nonetheless. We're among the most reactionary, performative, defensive and moralising types online, which is made even funnier by how difficult it is to make a reasoned argument for why a piece of music is good. We seriously need to be humbled. Holy shit. I've never waffled like I have in this review before. I'll keep to the album from here on out, I promise. It's kinda suckin', I'll be real. I don't know why these ill-fated vocalists choose to do the warbling falsetto thing. I haven't listened to a single song from these types where the vocalist hasn't been eating dirt the entire way through. Different strokes for different folks I guess, though my mind has evolved in such a way that it filters out most of this album. That being said, the instrumentals are generally pretty decent, though they don't mesh well with the vocal sections, making them somewhat frustrating. Why was this removed? It's impossible to say for certain, but I can check for why it was in here to begin with. "Harrowing, Yet Haunting". Charted well. Won the Mercury Prize. Wikipedia says that this album jumped from #135 to #16 on the UK charts after winning the Mercury Prize, which is pretty funny. It also says that the album has a few notable collaborators and is very well regarded by critics. I'm not sure why this was removed, really. All of their albums have been pretty well-received and they've been met with a respectable level of chart success. I suspect it comes down to there being better albums within this genre of music or Anohni and the Johnsons not being influential enough as a band. I guess I'm on this album's side. I'm always favourable to the out-there picks. I cosign this inclusion.
It starts off fine but I kinda bounced off of this one. There’s something interesting happening with the sound but I honestly don’t care enough to explore it.
Agh I really wanted to like this more. Instrumentally it is brilliant. The string arrangements are breathtaking, piano work is striking and rhythmically interesting. I just cannot get on board because the vibrato in the vocal is so distracting. It’s just too much for me. It feels so melodramatic and cartoonish.
Some nice melodies, but holy God, the campiness factor is song annoying, creepy and cringy. I couldn't stand these vocals at all
That voice is just not for me. The Nina-Simone-meets-Tiny-Tim warbling makes Stevie Nicks' vibrato sound as steady as a dial tone. I'm giving the album one star above the minimum because once I could tune out the vocals, some of the music sounded really good. Give yourself a half-star if you can actually remember what a dial tone sounds like.
The few tracks without the vocal affectation lift this to a 2.
Huh
I rather liked this album. At the first word sung I was intrigued. So much so I did a deep dive on ANOHINI. While I was not totally enamored with her voice, the music and lyrics were enough to draw me in.
Found this a bit underwhelming, felt like a whole album of not quite nailing a half decent sparse piano track. Interesting voice, bit warbly but not quite against it. Album as a whole was on the lower side of okay but won't be back.
Pretty pleased with myself for recognizing Rufus Wainwright on What Can I Do? - however he does have a distinctive voice. Hope There's Someone is the main reason for the 4 - not a massive fan of the wailing breakdown at the end, but the rest of the song is pretty special. His songwriting is immaculate - vivid, spectral, understandable. Lovely business.
Found it quite interesting initially, but it got too much pretty quickly. Could maybe manage a song or 2 but a whole album of it isn't for me.
Pretty depressive album Fistful of love being the only song I've enjoyed here
I've always liked this album and find it very pleasant to listen to.
kinda mid, not bad just didn't like it
It’s alright, not great tho
This was quite good. I enjoyed the guest appearances, and although I get it's a taste thing, I actually quite like the vocals.
While I don't specifically love ANOHNI's voice, this album is full of some really beautiful songs and I have to say I didn't mind going back for a few relistens. Hope There's Someone is a vulnerable piano ballad that swells around the 3 minute mark into something reminiscent of Sampha (love me some Sampha). Other standouts were For Today I am a Boy, Fistful of Love, and Spiralling. Very soft 4 in my book.
Guy kinda sounds like Dadi Freyr. No real notes on this album. Not really my vibe. High 2.
Had some really good parts but then other parts were a complete snoozefest. Some of the singing was a bit weird.
Never heard of these guys but we've had a decent amount of Mercury prize winners and I've liked most of them so excited going in. Something about his voice I am just not jiving with. It's a beautiful record so far about 4 songs in. Voice definitely works better on some songs. Really beautiful on Spiralling. That definitely had a beautifulness to it that I appreciated, but I probably won't be back soon.
327/1089 - Do you want some vocals with your vibrato? That aside, it's competently made but definitely not the type of music I like or would listen to ever again. The first song was pretty awful (I hate "Paul McCartney/Singer-Songwriter style piano playing) but the music got more interesting as the album went on.
Ca aurait pu être juste médiocre si ce n'était pour cette voix absolument insupportable.
So after Tiny Tim got married on the Tonight Show, he put a band together and started singing about Tiptoeing Through the Gender Fluidity? Seriously, what the hell is this? And yet I’ve heard way worse from this list.
Out of 1001 albums, this ranks 1001
Oof. I'm sorry ears. Ok, so the vocals are just weird. "What Can I Do?" is perhaps the highlight of the album, as it has different lead vocals and this singer sounds a but like the dude from The Fray. But...the other songs are sung with such breathy, falsetto vibrato as to be distracting. The primary lead singer has an almost theatrical quality (for an off-off-OFF Broadway show) and honestly would not make it past the first round of auditions on American Idol. Does it havesome beautiful piano and instrumentation? Yes, but that's not enough to salvage the album in my view. iTunes classifies it as alternative which made me excited when I saw that because generally that's a genre I prefer, but alas. "Free At Last" is just a minute of someone talking about telling Jesus they're FREE AT YAST while a Morse Code operator works diligently in the background. (I didn't listen closely enough but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts he's tapping out a frantic S-O-S signal.) Try to avoid if possible. Don't believe me? Play "Spiraling" first and save yourself the trouble of the full listen.
i'll be honest, i didn't really like this (that vibrato 😩👎) but i'm giving it an additional star for trans rights and inclusion on this list. women can make art i don't like too!!
coffee shop background music with off-putting vocals. sounds like he's trying to ape hozier but adding way too much vibrato. i'm not really a fan. the music sounds pretty good in spots though, kind of art rocky. and it's a tight 35 minutes. favorites: hope there's someone, you are my sister, fistful of love.
I really don't see the appeal in this one. The instrumentation is boring, the melodies are too subtle for my liking, and on top of this a singing style that sounds like an out of tune siren. The themes and vibe is supposed to be laidback and reflective, but unfortunately the singing detracts from the intended effect.
Piano-heavy, very slow singer/songwriter. 1 part Hozier, 1 part slower, calmer Nathaniel Rateliffe, 1 part late-Elvis-in-Vegas. Would give it a 1.5 if I could but didn’t absolutely hate it.
this was a life-changing album for me in 05/06 - i saw antony in '07 and i'll never forget it i'll accept that i am a "harsh" rater in this app's estimation - recently even upgraded to "critic" in bold red font! - but please note that i LOVE this album and am rating it at 4 stars. there are 10-star songs on it, yes, but the album as a whole? i won't lie and say it's 5 stars. i won't pretend i like another album because it's a "classic" or because it's "foundational" or "seminal" or whatever else. this project is rapidly turning me into an anti-stan for whatever clown assembled this list
not terrible by any means, but it didn't really grab me either.
This was incredible. Beautiful vocals, really subtle yet moving music. Big fan of this album.
3.5
I keep crossing paths with Antony and the Johnsons, a track here and a track there, and the hushed, tremulous style just captures my attention. But I’ve never really felt compelled to listen to an entire album. I just figured it’s a bit odd and maybe doesn’t weather an extended sit. Am I ever glad I listened to this one. A beautiful and intriguing spin, with some guest artists who I didn’t see coming, but who worked great. I want to go listen to it again right now.
We’re not here to suck farts out of dead seagulls. We’re here to rate albums. And all you pussies better recognise that this is a damn fine example of one.
Kind of experimental sounding operatic music. Very different vocals and not necessarily in a good way. It's like extreme vibrato in every verse. Reminds me of the lion singing about how he is the king of the forest in the Wizard of Oz. The music isn't bad with a variety of sounds and beats, nice usage of brass. The music isn't enough to put it over the top for me though. I probably won't listen to this again and will only remember it for how weirdly bad it was.
Without the vocals of Antony, 4/5 stars. Sadly there were vocals in every single one of the songs, so that drops my rating down to a 2/5. The warbling that was reminiscent of Post Malone mixed with a Yellow Warbler bird was too much to bear on every track. The piano was the only redeeming quality of the songs, and that is the only reason this album is getting more than 1 star from me.
Quite a haunting voice, backed by beautiful, melodic instrumentation. The piano and strings are lovely, peaceful, and serene, which contrasts well much of the messaging of the lyrics. It is obvious that the artist has put a lot of personal messaging in the songs, which is further exemplified in their vocal style. Themes of longing for change and wanting are evident in the lyrics, and you can feel some of the desperation in their voice. Heavy vibrato but so much control. The piano is relatively simple, but so beautiful.
Deeply personal, beautiful songs. The singer's voice takes some getting used to, but this album absolutely belongs on the list. 4/5
This is a pretty unique album I've never heard before. Hope There's Someone is a really good song. I did get kinda bored of it after that though.
Rating: 8/10 after some big stinkers for 2000’s albums in my opinion, I didn’t expect ANOHNI to be featured and this is a really cool and unique piece of music. Born from painful personal experiences but also filled with hope
Honestly I don't hate it, kind of a nice mix up to listen to 6.1/10
Cool chill vibes
Terrible. Couldn't even make it through the entire thing.
Honestly, this is pretty gorgeous. I had no idea going in, and it’s certainly not the type of thing I’d normally reach for, but there's just something about this.. It feels like an emotional exorcism of sorts. It’s got a weird, wonderful gravity to it. Definitely glad this met my path. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - Hope There's Someone - For Today I Am A Boy - Fistful Of Love - Bird Guhl
Extremely beautiful and strange, music that will make you feel. People do not like Ahoni's singing, but I find it so unique and honest.
Blind album and artist. Never really been a huge fan of this style of music, and this album was not an exception.
Un album intimissimo, profondo, struggente. Una bellissima sorpresa
Gorgeous vocals that haunt
Interesting at times, but did not enjoy the vocals. Standout songs: Fistful of love Bird Guhl
Strong vocals and strong instrumentation. The constant vocal vibrato is a bit distracting, but it's so distinct and, at times, inviting that you learn to love it by the end of the album. Fantastic album that feels like it's bearing a heavy load that asks you to share.
Musically beautiful, heavy-handed trans message
I love Martha Wainwright but cannot stand Rufus’s voice! So when he appeared on this Album I was out. I find it difficult to get past the voice, tone, timbre, vibrato, and broken falceto. Also, the music is more depressing than beautiful which is a drag for someone who like disco! Once is enough for this lot
Tiny Tim body swaps with Sam Smith
Pretty weird but I liked it
Ok 2/5
Can't stand this person's voice, and I like a lot of annoying voices (e.g., Rufus Wainwright, Billy Corgan). On top of that, these tunes are bleak as fuck. Fistful of Love was okay, and there were some lovely moments in Spiralling. 2.5 stars rounded down.
Slightly protentious acoustic album which has operatic and jazzy influences
You Are My Sister and Fistful of Love stood out. Not a fan of most of this album, but there were some moments that kept it out of being a 1. 2/5
Music was ok, but hard to get into that wavering voice
The vocal on a good bit of this album is horrible imo. Fistful of love is the only thing saving this from a 1.
1/5 After reading a few of the reviews, I won't even bother listening to this and just go straight to the rating. And the wiki doesn't make this album better. If this guy's a bird, he might be an annoying pigeon. Good for this group that their album climbed a decent bit in the UK charts, but P16 is still P16. Another proof that shit will float if you water it down enough.
Pass
Als zwaarmoedig een persoon was dan heette hij/zij/het ANOHNI. Maar ondanks dat het daardoor gewoon taaie kost is, omdat het geen moment eventjes luchtig is, waardeer ik de emotionele orkestratie wel. Dit is wel art pop in optima forma, ook al is het niet helemaal mijn dingetje. Toch denk ik dat hier later met steeds meer waardering naar geluisterd wordt, want het heeft een 'klassieke' kwaliteit. Waanzinnig breekbaar, maar ook wel echt robuust in zijn instrumentatie. 6,5/10 Highlights: You Are My Sister Fistful Of Love
Mooie bijzondere plaat. Orkestraal echt prachtig maar geen makkelijke kost. De stem van ANOHNI zit in eerste instantie in mijn allergie door de vibratie die in de eerste 2/3 nummers de hele tijd overheerst. Ik ben daar geen liefhebber van en dat zit nu eenmaal heel veel in haar stem. Echter veranderd dat halverwege de plaat enigszins. Ik vind de nummers daar ook luchtiger en er zit een prachtig drieluik in het album (zie highlights). Begon sceptisch maar uiteindelijk toch overtuigd. 7,5/10 Highlights You Are My Sister What Can I Do Fistful of Love
Too artsy and misunderstood for me
Ugh. This is some arthouse bullshit. She wants to be Lou Reed so bad but can't sing without the dumb warbling vibrato.
AHNONI and the Johnsons are a chamber pop ensemble out of New York City, fronted by singer-songwriter AHNONI. If there was ever a throughline for this group that helps give it a bit more identity, it is transgender rights. After all, part of their name comes from trans and human rights activist Marsha P. Johnson, and AHNONI herself has transitioned, which is why I'm not going to deadname them or the group. If anything, getting into the sound of I Am a Bird Now, AHNONI has this soulful vibrato delivery akin to Nina Simone and Billie Holiday, very much rooted in that sincere yet quietly powerful command behind the mic. Her lyrics provide insight into the mental process of transition, striving for one's happiness and self-worth against the perceptions society places on them. It's a sentiment that remains relevant in today's sociopolitical climate. It certainly helps to have some notable collaborators, such as the heartfelt duet with Boy George on "You Are My Sister", Rufus Wainwright taking lead on the elegant piano-driven interlude "What Can I Do?", and the spoken intro from Lou Reed that gives way to the low-key doo-wop swagger of "Fisftul of Love". That's not to mention the rich, organic instrumentation that pervades this record, elegant without overwhelming the vocal performance at the center. I will admit I was not expecting such a profound record like this on my album journey. I Am a Bird Now showcases the kind of uncompromising strife to exist. It's not something I usually seek out, speaking as a straight heterosexual male. But I can't deny how well AHNONI and the Johnsons reigned it in.
This just wasn't really for me?
Almost sad man
Couple of great songs in hope there's someone and fistful of love. The rest is a lot of pap. Critically well received at the time but really doesn't date well. Too melodramatic
It's probably somebody's cup of tea but that person is not me. The constant vibrato in the guys voice is super annoying. Very little energy to any of the songs, and the lyrics felt like they were trying too hard to be deep. The music itself was ok at some points, highlight was the one song with the female vocalist (I think), but even that song was just ok. Prob a 1.5 but rounded up because it's not Beefheart bad.
Just can’t get to it.
It's definitely high quality, but it's just not something I would choose to listen to
“I Am A Bird Now” by Antony and The Johnsons is a collage of exaggeratedly melodramatic songs that at first glance sound like singer/songwriter pieces from the 1950s. The singer's broad vibrato makes the album, recorded in 2005, seem even more anachronistic. I generally like it when artists play with historical set pieces and mix different styles. However, the result is often a matter of taste, and for me, “I Am A Bird Now” seems rather uninspired and difficult to access in this regard. Perhaps it is too quiet on the one hand and too theatrical on the other. I can well imagine that there is a market and a scene for this kind of music, but it's definitely not my thing.
I did not really enjoy this album much. What Can I Do and Fistful of Love were the only songs that captured a bit of interest from me, saving this from being a 1. The rest just did not do it for me at all.
Una maravilla
sehr speziell. ruhige klavierballaden mit wuchtiger stimme.
Unglaubliche Stimme, viel von Brian Ferry und dann wieder nicht. Eine Entdeckung.
Imagine my surprise when Rufus wainwright randomly showed up
Veldig vibrato det her. Musikken er fin, stemmen er uutholdelig