Anohni and the Johnsons
My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross


4.5
superb

Review

by doofy USER (24 Reviews)
July 11th, 2023 | 76 replies


Release Date: 07/07/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Fistful of Soul

I get the feeling that this is the sweet soul record Anohni fans have been hoping she’d get around to recording one day; the vocals are smooth, tender and warm while the musical backdrop provided by the Johnsons is well judged and mostly unobtrusive, with a chamber pop/indie rock sensibility fleshing out the atmosphere.

As ever with Anohni the subject matter is dark and profound, with the focus once again on devastation, both personal and environmental; tracks like ‘Scapegoat’, ‘Rest’ and ‘Why Am I Alive Now?’ really cut to the core lyrically and are also afforded the three best compositions here. Most of the remaining songs wouldn’t stand apart or function too well outside of the context of this album, but that’s fine as their role is to provide the flow and texture to tell this story in one perfectly curated sitting.

A huge return to form and a release that doesn’t compete with ‘I Am a Bird Now’ for top billing, rather it provides a different type of career high altogether. This is an album I could imagine playing near enough at any time and in any mood and enjoying the experience - I’m not sure I could say that of any of Anohni’s previous work.



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user ratings (83)
3.8
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
DoofDoof
July 11th 2023


15012 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Glorified soundoff, hope someone’s writing an actual review - but I’m enjoying this a lot which is a big surprise as I thought Anohni had lost it I guess

anat
Contributing Reviewer
July 11th 2023


5748 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

totally redeems the mess that was hopelessness

DoofDoof
July 11th 2023


15012 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

For me definitely yeah, I don’t think this is quite as singular as ‘I Am a Bird Now’ but I don’t think it’s trying to be - I prefer it to ‘Crying Light’ and the one after that I’ve forgotten the name of.



I really think this is delivering an album with a sound you’d have hoped she’d have found her way to eventually, sounds classic and I guess vintage.

insomniac15
Staff Reviewer
July 11th 2023


6178 Comments


Four tracks in and this is a lovely listen. That album cover

DoofDoof
July 11th 2023


15012 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

wait until you get to 'Why Am I Alive now?' - fantastic song

zakalwe
July 11th 2023


38831 Comments


Definitely a good’un

DoofDoof
July 11th 2023


15012 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

zak, saw you'd put up a soundoff for this one, one of the surprises of the year this being good

Jasdevi087
July 11th 2023


8124 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

isn't this supposed to be under the Anohni name?

DoofDoof
July 11th 2023


15012 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

'isn't this supposed to be under the Anohni name?'



it's with the Johnsons...so it should be 'Anohni with the Johnsons'...but then do we want a third page for the one artist?



It's closer to being correct being labelled as 'Antony and the Johnsons'

anat
Contributing Reviewer
July 11th 2023


5748 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I think rename this artist page to ANOHNI and the Johnsons

robertsona
Staff Reviewer
July 11th 2023


27416 Comments


Figure many know this, but that’s Marsha P Johnson on the cover to join uhhh was it kazuo ohno and candy darling in the icon zone

Interested in this album’s reception. Will try to check.

zakalwe
July 11th 2023


38831 Comments


lol

robertsona
Staff Reviewer
July 11th 2023


27416 Comments


I never peeped Hopelessness lol, so divisive. Seems like almost everyone is saying this is better, but stray people I knew called it a masterpiece

Jasdevi087
July 11th 2023


8124 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

"it's with the Johnsons...so it should be 'Anohni with the Johnsons'...but then do we want a third page for the one artist?"



what we actually need is the ability to group artist name variations for individual albums under the same page but fuck it, ANOHNI and the Johnsons

AmericanFlagAsh
July 11th 2023


13272 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Oh I didn't realize this was not a solo album

theBoneyKing
July 12th 2023


24389 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Holy balls this is good

bellovddd
July 12th 2023


5802 Comments


awesome album name

DoofDoof
July 12th 2023


15012 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Wasn’t sure you’d dig this one that much Boney, nice one

DoofDoof
July 12th 2023


15012 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I always think of Bowie’s ‘Stay’ with ‘Why am I alive now’, almost like Anohni hears it in the music and also makes the vocals a bit more Bowie



Incredible song, I do respect the guitar build ups in ‘Scapegoat’ and ‘Rest’ but they don’t quite knock my socks off like ‘why am I alive now’



Some amazing vocal performances on ‘Scapegoat’ and ‘Sliver of Ice’ in particular



Album is a gem, might have to 4.5 it

hamid95
July 12th 2023


1186 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

i had long since given up hearing really great stuff from her after HOPELESSNESS, but I'm gonna have to check this out, it seems



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