Is Antony Getting Too Much Hype?
First off, I need a disclaimer. Can I get a disclaimer up in this shit?
*** DISCLAIMER***
I have no real feelings about Antony and The Johnsons one way or another. In fact, the first I'd heard about them was my friend Andrew telling me he didn't like them when we saw Xiu Xiu last friday night.
OK. Then I read the article in the New York Times Magazine last Sunday. And while Brooklynvegan liked it, I thought parts of it were really silly.
Antony had his laptop open, and he was watching a video of his recent appearance on ''Later,'' an influential British TV music program whose host is Jools Holland, who used to be in the band Squeeze. I watched over his shoulder. There on the screen was Antony, in the long brunette hair extensions he has been wearing lately, the straight Karen Carpenter hair framing his gentle, full-moon face.Not to mention:
Antony, a serial self-deprecator, was not swayed by O'Connor's enthusiasm. ''I look like the fat girl from Heart,'' he said with a hangdog expression. Then he sighed, as if to say, Oh, well. ''At least I'm a fat girl.''For whatever reason, John Hodgman is obsessed with Antony's size.
What was harder to see on television was that he is basically gigantic: a broad-shouldered man, more than six feet tall. ''It's like seeing a Viking!'' Laurie Anderson, one of Antony's many champions, told me, laughing, when I asked her about him.and
At the time, Antony told me, the sexuality of a performer like Boy George wasn't the sort of thing that was even discussed. ''Now a presentation like that would be inextricably linked to a dialogue about sexual orientation, or gender orientation, whereas then it could still fall under the umbrella of 'plumage,''' he said as he finished a cup of tea that looked small in his hand.Hodgman sounds like he wants to be the one who looks small in Antony's hand.
I have heard only the MP3 clips provided on Antony's website, which, at approximately one minute each, make his quiet songs about wanting to grow up to be a woman sound like commercials for putting your dog to sleep.
Now, on the heels of winning Britain's Mercury prize, Antony seems to be everywhere. After being around for more than 10 years, the recognition is certainly overdue, but could overexposure and hype turn the new Boy George into the next Ann Wilson from Heart?
Separated at girth?
Posted at 4:01 PM
Dude, my head is spinning an yo is confusing this one....you say,
I have no real feelings about Antony and The Johnsons one way or another.
then u say,
have heard only the MP3 clips provided on Antony's website, which, at approximately one minute each, make his quiet songs about wanting to grow up to be a woman sound like commercials for putting your dog to sleep.
u confusing me bro.... maybe it's the weed...
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I just mean that the clips aren't long enough to like or dislike. I never said how I felt about commercials for putting your dog to sleep, so it's meant as a jokey, though neutral, comparison.
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This is one of those albums that intrigues me more than I actualy want to listen to it. We have played a handful of tracks from it at the station and generally the airplay is followed by e-mails and message board postings from listeners asking us to never play it again.
Once you hear all of it I would imagine that indifference will fade away. I think this is an album that you can really enjoy, really hate, or respect without actually finding much pleasure in it. I love that he is making the music he wants to make and doing something different, but I am not really compelled to listen to it for pleasure.
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I acctually think this is the best record of the year so far (Sufjan and Kanye follow closely behind...). I'm just sorry that he won this award because the backlash is going to be especially brutal. It's hard enough to be an overweight cross dressing torch singer.
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He looks like the product of a kinky three way with Meat Loaf, Robert Smith, and Liz Taylor.
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Dude, think i gots it now.....but why dude did the wilson chick change her mofo name to anthony? dudes gettin confused again up herein the treehouse....
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He only won because he's gay. This is the decade when homosexuality wins. During the subsequent 10 years bigots will rule again.
P.S. David Tibet of Current 93 has been tootin' Antony's horn for years now.
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Antonio made the best point yet--the backlash is inevitable when someone quickly gains popularity (especially when given an arbitrary prize with artificially inflated importance). I didn't see the magazine piece as hype in the slightest--in my opinion, it's hard to be "overhyped" when you're represented by a tiny Bloomington-based indie label (Jagjaguwar--holla!).
Backlash almost never has anything to do with the content of the music, which the artist has control over, but the amount of press devoted to it, over which he/she (or both?) has much less control.
I dig the album the most.
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It's a good record. I like the sound of the music, but the vocals are just a little too affected for my taste.
But the amazing thing: Is he really suggesting that, back in the early '80's that no one discussed Boy George's sexuality?! It may not have been calm, intelligent discussion, but there were entire articles in major publications about androgyny, sexual choice and cross-dressing, constantly mentioning Boy George and Annie Lennox.
What a bizarre bit of revisionist history.
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Jools Holland was in Squeeze? I just thought he was the host of Name That Tune in the UK. Which was an awesome show for the sole reason that Rico Rodiguez played trombone in the band, and he looked baked as a cake in each show.
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I wasn't too thrilled by ol' Antony until I heard "fistful of Love". They make some pretty good sad lounge crooners, albeit some are a bit too melancholy.
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hmm... what happend to stereogum? too many posts about nothing, remember quality over quantity.
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Door #2 made me immediately think that was Robert Smith, rather than Ann Heart.
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wow, tough crowd....struggling to keep up touch that dial?
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10 posts on the gum so far today, is that really too much quantity? cmon, not for a site like stereogum. quality is there but just more of it...
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i'm w/ Shiv, i find him and his music very intriguing, and it's a style of music i normally would be totaly into, but the vibratto in his voice, and just the overall style of his vocals are too much for me to take. i've tried to get into him a few tims over the last year to no avail.
cool he won the Merc, but it's not for me
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dirt, your obviously not gay, cause then youd realise that gays arent now "winning" fuck all... theyre just trying to get a shred of respect and dignity from society, ye know, instead of killing themselves. "winning" - as if it were the big camp gay team against the straights - is all in yr bigot mind.
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hey the kanye west message board is still up if you all want to fight.....
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definitely over hyped. his rants on sexuality remind me of gender identity classes as a freshmen in college. ughhh
tedious to say the least
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I like/love the new record but it was his earlier work that really did it for me. There's one song in particular you have to hear. It's called Cripple and The Starfish. Not only does he deserve the Mercury Prize but I'd throw in the Macarthur Genius Grant as well.
Here's the link at least listen to one full song before you go slagging the guy:
http://www.scjag.com/mp3/sc/crippleandthestarfish.mp3
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This album is nothing extraordinary. But it is nevertheless very enjoyable. Does anyone else think he sounds like Nina Simone?
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I've only heard the one song (got no idea what it's called) but it's growing on me. He sings a song on Rufus Wainwright's new album and I really liked that.
Your right, he does sound like Nina Simone (but for some reason whenever i say that people look at me wierd)
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I always thought he was a blend of Nina Simone, Aaron Neville and Jeff Buckley. Vocally.
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Quillber, you're wrong. Homosexuality is winning. They nailed the two point conversion with this wicked play action fake. Now they're up three touchdowns with only one play left before the two minute warning.
It's really all quite amazing considering that the over-under was only 14.
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The album is unfuckinglistenable.
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dude, antony & the johnsons have been getting "buzz" or whatever for quite a while now, and i'm surprised you've never heard of them. maybe you should listen to more than "samples".
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Craig--my favorite song of Antony's, period, is Cripple and Starfish. Fucking beautiful. As for those who can't take his vibratto and affected voice--to each his own. I think he has the most unique voice--not just vocals, but his artisitic voice--of anyone out there.
Borat, congrats on being the 56,789th person to compare Antony to Nina Simone.
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the short answer is yes
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sorry i'm not more familiar with the band, genius. i've heard the name before; it's an exaggeration on my part to say that the first i'd heard of them was last weekend. but there's always been something else i wanted to hear over picking up any of Antony's albums, and no one ever shoved one into my hands saying, "you totally have to hear this! it's amazing!"
part of why i posted about him was that i thought it was interesting to see a musician like Antony profiled in the magazine with the million dollar real estate section. i guess it's aimed at young liberals who get the times, like me, and the children being shipped off to expensive weight-loss drama camps in the adironacks.
but as i read it, i thought, "will he play in peoria?" it could be... but sometimes artists like antony don't necessarily benefit from the spotlight shining so brightly.
either way, that times mag article was a complete blowjob, and parts of it made me laugh at loud.
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people like this crap?? that is some straight up barbra streisand make me tear my ears off shit
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antony, newly hyped? lou reed has been doing that for quite some time now. must say i never liked him and still don't. he uses way too much vibrato, and his tone is irritating and completely unfocused.
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Here Gummer, all playola no payola >
Antony & The Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now (2005)
http://rapidshare.de/files/4844414/someone.zip
Check it out / only 128
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i gave him a chance. not for me. i really enjoy the music the band plays, but i agree with the barbara streisand comment. this makes me realize winning the merc says nothing.
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Um,Antony's on Secretly Canadian out of Bloomington, not Jagjaguwar. They are sister labels, even with the same HQ. And they're putting out the best albums of our time.
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"I look like the fat girl from Heart," he once said scornfully of himself.
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First Pitchfork admits to never hearing of KT Tunstall. Not Stereogum admits to not hearing of Antony until last week.
Alright, folks, can we all start paying attention please?
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Whoops on the SC/Jag mixup. Thanks for the correction.
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Sir, your question:
Is Antony Getting Too Much Hype?
Sir, my answer:
Yep
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I disagree with the Nina Simone comparisons. Antony is a three hundred-poud drag queen. Nina Simone always sounded more like a 250-pound drag queen.
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to be honest now, that starfish song is growing on me, the more i listen.
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isaac brock + liz taylor= antony
but it's a damn good album
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does anyone know where on-line i can listen to his entire album?
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i heard a little bit when it first came out and thought wtf, why are all my friends so hyped up? these vocals are more grating than that dude from the hold steady.
but i've spent all week with it, and seriously, it's haunting me. there's something he does that's just kind of magical. but you do have to give yourself over to it.
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acquired taste? definately yes.
going to catch the johnsons for the third time this year next week.though i am a fan of his own songs [especially 'twilight' and 'i fell in love with a dead boy'],but both the previous shows were made memorable by his choice of covers. Lou Reed's 'candy says' and Nina Simone's 'be my husband'.
overhyped? possibly. i wonder how many of the folks buying his album because of the Mercury prize will be bringing them back?
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i'll leave you with some quotes, why try when other people have said it already and much better:
"I Am A Bird Now is my favourite album this year,I felt its honesty immediately and had not been that touched by music in a long time.
He has expressed how I feel about being a woman better than I have myself and created an unnerving, unworldly yet direct impression of our fear of death and life's solitude." Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
"When I first heard him I knew I was in the presence of an angel."
"...my favourite band in the whole world right now..."
Lou Reed
what's good for lou reed, is good for me!!!
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Is Antony Getting Too Much Hype?
Is Sufjan Stevens Getting Too Much Hype?
Is Death Cab Getting Too Much Hype?
yadda yadda yadda
blah blah blah
who really gives a shit?
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he busted his ass for ten years....then.........finally.....some folks helped him out.......got him on some gigs........got writers to pay attention..... ( hal willner , lou reed , rufus wainwright......for example....)..ANTONY is a really talented magical performer , i dont understand the nina simone comparisons but.........who cares..........he is the real deal
Let's see if his head explodes or not after winning the MERC.....I can see it now.........a duet with NELLY on the next AATJ's album or better yet.......a sticomg on the FOX network called "WORKING GIRL"
not likely
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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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