Antony and the Johnsons?

i adored the album, and thought his cover of "mysteries of love" was perhaps the most heartbreaking thing i'd ever heard.

then i saw him live in glasgow and was bitterly disappointed: too knowing, too self-aware, too cabaret. all the emotional power of the songs seemed blunted.

I saw him live in Birmingham and was far from disappointed. Very charming, very funny, beautiful voice, beautiful songs.

"then i saw him live in glasgow and was bitterly disappointed: too knowing, too self-aware, too cabaret. all the emotional power of the songs seemed blunted."

I went to that, but thought it was wonderful. Didn't think it was knowing or cabaret, quite the opposite: he seemed to be really getting into the songs. That Leonard Cohen cover was almost unbearably gorgeous.
Perhaps the only disappointment was Hope There's Someone, but that's probably down to my inflated expectation that it would be the song to make me blub like a big baby. Then again, I had a couple of beers before the performance so I was all the more likely to get maudlin.
His reaction to the Glesga banter was good too. "Everyone's gay!"

I gotta say that, in a year that has lacked genuine surprise, this album has wowed me. I was in no way prepared for it and I just fell in love with it. Here's hoping he makes a stop in Chicago before the year is out.

brett:: Here's hoping he makes a stop in Chicago before the year is out.

Tue10/04/05 Chicago, IL Park West

How nominated for the Mercury prize? Don'tcha have to be British -- he's not, is he?

Born in Chichester, but left the UK at the age of eight, so he's presumably got in there via a technicality. Either that or the Mercury judges are desperate.

A triumphant, fuck you Conor McNichols and the lame indiehorse you rode in on bump.

never heard them

haha yeh this is cool! was sure was gonna be kaiser chefs.

Congratulations, Big Tony!

(I have not heard this record, but I would like to.)