The Crying Light
studio
ArtistAntony and the Johnsons
CoverAjthecryinglight.jpg
ReleasedJanuary 19, 2009
GenreBaroque pop
Length39:24
LabelSecretly Canadian
ProducerAnohni
Prev year2005
Next year2010

The Crying Light is Antony and the Johnsons' third studio album and the follow-up to the band's widely acclaimed second record, I Am a Bird Now.[1][2] It was released on January 19, 2009, and preceded by the single "Another World", issued through Secretly Canadian on October 7, 2008. The album peaked in the Billboard European Top 100 at No. 1.

The Crying Light features orchestral arrangements by Anohni and Nico Muhly.[3] Anohni has described its theme as being "about landscape and the future".[4]

Ann Powers wrote of The Crying Light for the LA Times online, "It's the most personal environmentalist statement possible, making an unforeseen connection between queer culture's identity politics and the green movement. As music, it's simply exquisite – more controlled and considered than anything Antony and the Johnsons have done and sure to linger in the minds of listeners."[5]

Tours

In anticipation of The Crying Light, Antony and the Johnsons scheduled seven symphony concerts in 2008, including at the Barbican with the London Symphony Orchestra and at Disney Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. These concerts were conducted by Jim Holmes and Rob Moose, with scores arranged by Nico Muhly.

Antony and the Johnsons toured throughout North America and Europe in support of the album between February and June 2009.

Anohni went on to present a unique staging of The Crying Light in collaboration with the Manchester Camerata (conducted by Rob Moose) at the Manchester Opera House for the 2009 Manchester International Festival. The concert hall was transformed into a crystal cave constructed by Carl Robertshaw and filled with laser effects created by installation artist Chris Levine in collaboration with lighting designer Paul Normandale.

Artwork

The album's cover artwork features a 1977 photograph of butoh dancer Kazuo Ohno, by Naoya Ikegami. Anohni said of the image: "The Crying Light is dedicated to the great dancer Kazuo Ohno. In performance I watched him cast a circle of light upon the stage, and step into that circle, and reveal the dreams and reveries of his heart. He seemed to dance in the eye of something mysterious and creative; with every gesture he embodied the child and the feminine divine. He's kind of like my art parent."[6]

A music video for the single "Epilepsy Is Dancing" was produced by the Wachowskis and featured Johanna Constantine, choreographer Sean Dorsey, and the design of painters Tino Rodríguez and Virgo Paraiso.[citation needed]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for The Crying Light
Chart (2009)Peak
position
European Albums (Billboard)[7]1
Greek Albums (IFPI)[8]26
US Billboard 200[9]65
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[10]7
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[11]18
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[12]23

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for The Crying Light
Chart (2009)Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[13]44
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14]80
French Albums (SNEP)[15]130

In 2009, the album was awarded a gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, denoting sales in excess of 100,000 copies across Europe.[16]

References

  1. ^ Ayers, Michael D. (January 13, 2009). Antony Hegarty, Transformer. Village Voice. Retrieved on January 17, 2009.
  2. ^ Baltin, Steven (January 15, 2009). Antony Is Drawn Toward the 'Light'. Archived May 24, 2011 at the Wayback Machine Spinner. Retrieved on January 17, 2009.
  3. ^ Wood, Mikael (January 20, 2009). "Review: Antony and the Johnsons' The Crying Light". Boston Phoenix
  4. ^ Exclaim! News: New Antony and the Johnsons Album out in September Archived October 15, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Pop & Hiss". Los Angeles Times. September 20, 2010. Archived February 21, 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ Antony and the Johnsons news. Antonyandthejohnsons.com.
  7. ^ Sexton, Paul (January 29, 2009). "Antony Lights Up Euro Albums Chart". Billboard. Archived September 13, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  8. ^ "Top 50 Ελληνικών και Ξένων Αλμπουμ – Εβδομάδα 6/2009" [Top 50 Greek and Foreign Albums – Week 6/2009] (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived February 26, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  9. ^ "Antony and the Johnsons Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Archived January 19, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  10. ^ "Antony and the Johnsons Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Archived April 26, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  11. ^ "Antony and the Johnsons Chart History (Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Archived April 27, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "Antony and the Johnsons Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Archived April 27, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  13. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2009 – Albums" [2009 Year in Review – Albums] (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2009" [2009 Year in Review – Albums] (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  15. ^ "Classement Albums – année 2009" [Album Ranking – 2009] (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived September 21, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  16. ^ "color". impalamusic.org. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017.