REVIEW -- Antony and the Johnsons: The Crying Light

Antony and the Johnsons

The Crying Light

(Secretly Canadian)

It doesn’t really matter much what Antony Hegarty chooses to sing about. All of his songs end up as vessels for his haunting voice, a heartbreakingly fragile and vulnerable instrument that’s not quite male, not quite female. On Antony and the Johnsons’ third album, he slips into 10 dark lullabies that barely resonate over his soothing croon. Even the orchestral set-pieces that accompany each and every tune play it low, resting beneath Hegarty like a giant fluffy pillow. A saxophone whisper drifts through “One Dove,” announcing last call at the most tranquil lounge on the planet. And on “Another World,” a piano tiptoes alongside the singer until the final minute, when buzzing alien noises creep in. With Hegarty, it’s all about expecting the unexpected (his best curveball was last year’s outing with neo-disco rump-shakers Hercules and Love Affair). The Crying Light shines on “Daylight and the Sun,” “Dust and Water” and other natural wonders. Add Hegarty’s voice to that list. -- Michael Gallucci