I've only just gotten Swanlights, and I've not really had a chance to listen to it much, but via that MTF thread about the Metropole Orchestra I came across videos of Antony performing live with them, and there are some gorgeous versions of the songs.


videos spoilered

Rapture


Another World


The Cripple And The Starfish


Ghost


Crazy In Love





There are more up on youtube too. The arrangements are really beautiful...

Also, awesome photo:
spoilered cause it's a little big

http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/...1tony90811.jpg

^
Thanks for posting those!
Cripple and Crazy in Love are fantastic!
Have not watched the others yet.

There's a fair few more on youtube, but those are the ones I watched and loved http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

"The Cripple & The Starfish"... wow. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/loveicon.gif

this is the first i've heard of the orchestra's work. really gorgeous stuff. of course, antony's songs lend well to orchestral versions anyway. i really hope tori doesn't botch things (as she's prone to do) by selecting shit songs. with antony's repertoire, they really couldn't go wrong.

thanks for posting the clips, ebby. i can't wait to watch the rest of them tonight. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

I was watching these too when I youtubed Metropole Orchestra the other day...beautiful!

Watching those really just got me excited about this orchestra Tori gig that's about to happen later this week!

good remider, http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gifthis will get me through the crappy journey home through the tube strike!

My standout tracks are Swanlights and Christina's Farm (I'm wondering now if he did this at the Barbican and I forgot). I'm still quietly optimistic about Tori's show as I've never been to a show and hated it]

The Bjork duet was at first a highlight but for some reason I'm skipping it, perhaps in a hurry to get to the last song. I'm thinking about merging the two Lights (Swan and Crying) and arangng them in a new way - any suggestions? Would you include anything from the EPs?

Wow. He's an amazing performer and vocalist and I love his music, but he looks like he's having a stroke on stage.

I still love his performance of Aeon on David Letterman:



http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/loveicon.gif

SWANLIGHTS is now available in its entirety on NPR's First Listen until the date of the album's release.

I completely disagree. I think some of his stuff gets really boring, and this track is awesome. Definetly keeps my interest. I am a bird Now is one of my favorite albums of all time, but I must say the new LP, Swanlights is the best yet IMO, just heard an advance.

The duet with Bjork is BEYOND beautiful. Its way better than those lackluster duets on Volta.

Ahhh! This is awesome news. Can you shed any more light on the new album?

Video for "Thank You For Your Love":


Footage that Antony shot when he first arrived in NY. Very cool to see him in the 90s.

I could only listen to the first few songs of Volta but I love Dull Flame - probably in my top 5 Bjork songs.

Flétta is nothing like it or anything I expected. The melody and especially the piano is stunning I do agree.

I am so not disappointed; the title track is absolutely amazing.

I am loving the album a lot right now , there's so many amazing moments .
Fletta and Christina's Farm are currently my favorite but everything is just beautiful

ah! i had no idea this leaked!

ETA-
Gave it two listens today. Gorgeous as I have come to expect from Antony. So far I'm loving all the tracks. And I'm really enjoying the way the piano is being used on this album. Also, it is great to hear studio versions of some of the songs he played when I saw him on his previous tour. So far the stand out for me is the title track. It gives me goosebumps.

It is so exciting to be into a musician who is in their prime. I love it when Antony releases new material, because it is always my expectation that with every new release, he is going to put out an amazing album that will fascinate me and end up high on my AOTY list. He has yet to disappoint. It is kind of how I felt about Tori & Bjork back in the day. It is so nice to be in sync with an artist's stride. /end fanboy rant.

Falling in love.Again.

wow. this album reminds me of I am a Bird Now, in a very very good way.

I'm not that familiar with it yet but I have to echo whoever said that the piano work here is his best yet. It's way more visceral than I expected.

Not exactly the departure that I was lead to believe it was, but he sounds very self-assured and confident on this album. Definitely a welcome change in my books.