Antony and the Johnsons

2005 was the first most of us heard of the haunting, gorgeous voice of Antony Hegarty. I Am A Bird Now stunned everybody to become one of the years favorites amongst critics and fans. Listening to that album a few years later, it doesn't seem like it aged well: besides three or four of the best tracks, the album gets bogged down with wallowed meandering and too many guest appearances. I can listen to "Fistful of Love" ten times, but I don't think I've played the whole album since the year it came out.

Four years later, after Antony has made dozens of guest appearances and a surprising potent side project as a disco singer (last year's Hercules and Love Affair), he finally has a proper follow-up, The Crying Light. This album probably could have generated more buzz by not being released on the day the Animal Collective dropped their masterpiece and, more importantly, the day Barack Obama was inaugurated. However, this album is an improvement in every way over his already impressive last record.

The most improved thing about this album is the lyricism. Antony seems obsessed with religious imagery this time around: on "Epilepsy is Dancing", he describes his love as a "Christ now departing" whereas on the next track he sings of "on dove to bring me some peace". Is he looking for the love, God, redemption, or all of those? Whatever the mood and the lyric, the instrumentation does seem more in sync with him this time. The soft saxophone solo in "One Dove" turns into a darker key for the harrowing ending. In an odd sequencing contrast, the next track "Kiss My Name" has a playful rhythm - neither of those are words you usually associate with his songs.

The albums has a soft meditative middle section with the high-octave title track and "Another World", which is so beautiful it had to be released again (it appeared on the Another World EP last year). He saves the best track for the latter half: "Aeon" is soulful blues where he belts out about a baby boy who will "set him free".

This month is two good to be true: three weeks into 2009 we have two masterpieces from artists that have peaked above their potentials, and we still get a new Bruce Springsteen album next week. It's going to be a good year.