Made up of symphonic performances of 12 tracks from their four studio albums, Antony & The Johnsons’ first live album, Cut The World contains recordings from two shows performed a little over a year ago at the DK Concert Hall in Copenhagen.
On the whole, the new arrangements are very strong and greatly enhance and complement Antony’s already deeply emotive and dramatic, yet unpretentious voice. The pairing of the opening title track and the seven-and-a-half minute monologue ‘Future Feminism’ by themselves make this an essential purchase for long-time fans.
Although there are some songs that don’t benefit all that much from the orchestral accompaniments, ‘Cripple And The Starfish’ with its huge-sounding finale, along with the lusciously extended ‘Swanlights’ and ‘Epilepsy Is Dancing’ all sound exceptional in the live setting with a spacious and luxuriant backing.
While the album is a must-buy for those who have already developed a strong bond with the androgynous torch-singer’s music, it also acts as a great introduction for those uninitiated in this fascinating figure in modern music.
Although the compositions can lose some of its intimacy in this format, it is a fascinating artefact showing how at home Antony sounds in this setting – looking outward, sounding utterly fearless and big-hearted.
