Antony and the Johnsons - Hope There's Someone (Rough Trade)
UK release date: 16 May 2005
Sometimes - not often, but sometimes - a record has the power to leave you open mouthed with amazement. Whatever you're doing, you stop and just stare at the speakers, amazed at the power and beauty of what's emanting from them.
You may be already filing this review as a contender for Private Eye's Pseud's Corner, but that's what Antony and the Johnsons can do to you. Hope There's Someone is an extraordinary song, stark, fragile, moving and uplifting. Antony's marvellously expressive voice inbues each heart wrenching lyric, an plea for companionship, with devasting emotion - as the piano chords build up and up, it becomes nothing less a thing of wonder.
The two additional tracks (not available on the superlative I Am A Bird Now) are almost the equal of the lead song, making this a compulsory purchase. A wonderful, wonderful record - if you've not discovered Antony and the Johnsons, do it now.
more 