Anthony Roth Costanzo - Only An Octave Apart (2022) [Hi-Res]

Anthony Roth Costanzo and Justin Vivian Bond each sound different from what you would expect when you look at them. The juxtaposition of their voices, personalities, and repertoire subverts notions of high and low, be it in terms of pitch, cultural echelon, or degrees of camp – not to mention the difference in height. By expressing their queer identities through unique interpretations of classical music, pop music, and points of intersection between the two, the music becomes a prismatic reflection of outsiders who might otherwise be intimidated by the bulwark that the classical world can present. There is humor in the clashing of styles, pathos in the depth of expression, and a kind of galvanizing joy in the harmony of purpose. Whether invoking mythology or nature, romance or radical compassion, they carve new pathways between classical tradition and politically subversive cabaret, and allow old works to reveal surprising new stories.