ANOHNI and the Johnsons - My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross ALBUM REVIEW 

The rule states: if the album is black and white, fantano will think it’s better than alright

The song "Scapegoat" brought me to weeping when I first listened through this album. It's so horrifyingly beautiful and devastating. The melody and instrumentation so much like, and yet so chillingly NOT, a love song - the soft, warbling vocals echo this. This song about hatred and unthinkable violence is structured intimately and amorously, as if to highlight the "seduction" of bigotry. The passion of obsessive hate like a dark mirror to the passion of intense love. Violence like, and not necessarily excluding, a sexual act. Despite the lyrics telling us, from the perpetrator's perspective, "it's not personal," the song could not BE more personal. And the instrumentals gradually expose the depth of the betrayal - while achingly beautiful and dripping with emotion, there is a wrongness, an underlying discord, especially in the crescendo before the closing refrain - a mockery of a triumphant union, instead a clashing and shrieking dipping into an uncanny valley of romance. At the very end, after Anohni's voice gives way to silence, the song reveals its true nature, and we fade out with entirely discordant, chaotic, uneasy sound, undoing the previously built parallel to genuine tenderness. In the lyrics "Put here for me to loathe/ Like an apple hanging from a tree" I see shades of both the biblical story of forbidden apples, and the way that Eve was saddled with the burden of blame for it (scapegoat) and also of Billie's "Strange Fruit," the macabre spectre of the violence man is capable of, and content to do under the cold light of day, to leave swinging as an example, in warning. The song aches from every pore with the grief of suffering that violence. The way the intimate self is inextricable from the victimization of one's group identity, the way hatred is both broad and individual. The chorus talks of putting one's hate INTO another's body: apt, as some victims of transphobic violence experience direct attack, but others will experience it bodily in other ways, as they absorb harmful rhetoric and begin to do the job of self-isolating, self-loathing, and self-harming on their oppressor's behalf. Not to mention the effects on the body and brain of living in a state of constant threat, the PTSD of it all. I don't know what else to say, I was just blown away and felt completely shattered by this song. I hate that fellow human beings have to feel this way, have to make this music, have to endure these conditions. I am so grateful Anohni made this album, and I wish she didn't have to.

Sliver of Ice was written about a friend (reportedly Lou Reed) she'd had a conversation with prior to their passing. In their final days they found a new appreciation for simple pleasures, like cool ice on their tongue.

Anohni reaches emotional plains that no-one else can. She's simply beautiful

Clicked for the cover of Marsha P. Johnson, stayed for the music. Thanks to Melon i discovered a new artist, thank you.

Yay! She has one of the most gorgeous voices in modern music. If you like this I highly recommend going back into her catalog and listening to all of her stuff. There’s no duds.

everything from the production,the lyrics,the vocals all of it is top tier

In the song scapegoat,” the lyrics “… it doesn’t matter what you have to give or why you want to live.” had me bawling in a cathartic way. Working with LGBTQIA homeless youth for over a decade in the medical field, this song hits home. Please be kind. To much healing and 💗

It’s so nice to see anohni get the appreciation she deserves.

Sliver of ice is a tribute to Lou Reed. It was a reference to Reed enjoying the little things as he got closer to death.

Sliver of Ice is so powerful, definitely my song of the year

I played this on a long car ride just now and the emotion in her voice is powerful. I almost had to pull over because I was getting choked up.

I cant get over how good 'Rest' is. That track just reels in my soul so hard it could raise me from the dead.

any tribute to marsha is always welcome for me :^) i want to go through her back catalogue before i start this album but i love the title, love the cover

Such a wonderful record! Despite the heavy subject matter, minor keys and slower tempos it doesn’t feel like a downer at all. The warm production and guitar playing is top notch, and there’s a stellar sonic unity to the record. One of my faves this year as well, can’t stop listening

Her cover of Candy Says is one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded

I'm yet to give it a listen but ever since Björk gave it a high cosign I'm up to

I've loved nearly all of her more electronic work and wasnt fully expecting this one to click for me but it did. hit very very close to home. havent listened to any of her other albums as/with the Johnsons but i feel compelled to now.

One of the best albums of the decade. Powerful.

be real, you would have given this a 10/10 if it was called "My Album Was a 10 for You to Rate", fantano.

Would be very interested in hearing your review of Silver Moth's debut album Black Bay. Newly formed post-rock outfit featuring Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite.

Title is a reference to the classic women of color feminist book "This Bridge Called My Back"

Ahhhhh so glad you reviewed this! Loved almost every track on here but the soul songs really bring the listener back to the topicality that What’s Going On era music had. Beautiful album.

I remember first getting into her work with her setting of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Lake" back when The Johnson's were on David Tibet's label Durtro. What a journey it's been. :3

Was listening to this yesterday at work🤘🤘🤘

Listened to this today, beautiful album! Loved "can't" the most

Album of the year, 10/10 for me

Gorgeous voice

DO A CLASSIC ON I AM A BIRD NOW NOW

would love to see and highly suggest a review on i care so much that i don't care at all by glaive!!!! a real young hyperpop artist who's really branching out in a beautiful way i love to see :]

Can’t is my song of the year. I can’t even imagine anything else coming close

just checking in case it were the next 10/10

Thank you so much for reviewing this album. Anohni means quite a bit to me and the LBGTQ+ Community.

Great album review.

I was hoping for this

Fully cried listening to Scapegoat

I'm surprised he didn't give this a 9. This album hits hard.

I literally came accross ANOHNI by a suggestion of no other than chatGPT. Here was my prompt: "Share some avant-garde albums, pushing the boundaries of pop music. I need the strongest 10, not necessarily the most famous ones." It shared her "Hopeless" record, saying, "Formerly known as Antony Hegarty, ANOHNI's "Hopelessness" is a politically charged and experimental album. The electronic production, combined with ANOHNI's powerful vocals, creates a thought-provoking and boundary-pushing experience." Before I checked it, the cover of "My Back" stood out so I tried it first. And damn, what an experience. Love it.

Thank you! ❤

Love you bro

also where's the new beach fossils review?

AOTY and the Johnsons

Melon we still haven’t forgot you gave hopelessness a 6. Still baffles me to this day

I needed this record in 2023; everything from the production to the lyrics to the vocal performance encapsulates the array of pain, joy, melancholy and triumph that is the queer experience.

You reviewing that Portugal The Man album??

You can’t just say “strong 8 to a light 9” and then make it an 8, don’t tease me like that Melon.

4 DEGREES is still a banger

Nice review, that is one gorgeous, masterful album

Cant believe you gave this an 8 because you were feeling "mellow yellow" today

i need to see Glaive's album reviewed... although im terrified for the outcome of it i need to know if the Melon approves of it.

Great album

And Fantano said that 2023 is mid so far yet there’s been so many yellow flannels since then 😂

Did anyone else just watch that Wimbledon final. What a match

That Daft Punk vinyl is a legend

Always like her work but this album outright took my breath away, all the way through. Personally this is highly up there for my AOTY choice. Also, Sliver of Ice is about Lou Reed passing.

This album is an 8 because she ate

Damn that's a fire album title.

Ay Mr Fantano can you review glaives new album pretty please

home is where?

Thank god you liked this album. I was almost too scared to watch. Maybe I can stick with this.

🎉

new turnabout album would hihgly reccomend i think its a landmark for haunted mound not in a good way

That is not how you pronounce Hegarty lol

I thought it’s my fault was one of the best tracks on the album

Whaat? Another yellow flannel? Looking like a good year for music.

Judging by the thumbnail it genuinely looked like this album was gonna be a 10

Another missed opportunity of not saying "Anohni Fanhano".

Finally a good review for her

6:18

Tran. Sition. Have you given this record a listen

Anthony, cover Kim Dracula's new album plz

Can’t is one of the song of the year

The Album seems to be a confession on a much deeper, spiritual level. I hope who ever needed to hear this album got the chance to hear it. I personally wouldn’t forgive you but I would let it go, and thank you for acknowledging that you used someone else’s pain, to achieve your goals. Definitely an 8.

@theneedledrop. Sliver of Ice is Anohni saying goodbye to her male identity completely. Absorbed into herself like water and how they love and appreciate their past self more than they did at the time. It’s a beautiful metaphor probably my favourite Anohni song ever

These lana del rey album titles keep getting longer and longer

I give it a 😭/10

This shit gas bruh

Good review, can't wait to see some alt right weirdos being upset because you gave it a good score

Cover looks like something Billy Woods or Soul Glo would use.

we want glaive 🗣️🗣️🗣️

PLZ review FOUNTAIN BABY

Rate “the end of comedy” by drugdealer

Fair play Melon, fair play.

Missed your chance to say Tran-sgender at the end

where glaive

He really did put the trans in transition at the end

When is 10🤨🥹

Why's the name so long?? If the name were to bridge my back you'd give it a 10

this is one of the few albums i've ever listened to that I genuinely felt was a 10/10 - i respect the light 9 but this is absolutely AOTY for me

AOTY besides Ocean Blvd!!!!!

Damn so many yellow flannels

I am a bird now literally changed my life.

Antonio el Fantas

I applaud the fact that he included video footage in his live shows of Marsha P Johnson who states clearly that HE is a HOMOSEXUAL in that footage. Not Trans ... not LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ .... Simply Homosexual ... which dilutes your homophobia, mis-gendering and incorrect pronunciation of the singers surname xx

This is an album that'll prolly resonate as the years go on and the struggles of transgenders continues. I wish it didn't have to be this way, I just want to be who I am

listen to More Kissing! by Kid Presentable

DDG album review?

Anohni doesn't ask to be heard, she demands that you listen.

REVIEW J HUS

Please review Lil Tjay's album 😩💖