the road to love iS magic

ThE CzaRs ThE Ugly PEOPlE Vs ThE BEaUTifUl PEOPlE (2001) formed in Denver in 1994, The Czars released six studio albums before gradually disbanding in 2004, but they hit their high-water mark with 2001’s The Ugly People…. grant now feels that “Killjoy” was one of the first times he projected as a singer before his solo career, while the matchlessly beautiful “lullaby 6000” increasingly feels like a modern standard. JOhN gRaNT QUEEN Of DENMaRK (2010) few could have expected that the solo debut by the ex-lead singer with The Czars, backed by Midlake, would turn out to be a bona fide modern classic. But Queen Of Denmark was recognised as such immediately, 12 tracks charting the demise of a relationship in agonising, hilarious, profound and touching detail. JOhN gRaNT PalE gREEN ghOsTs (2013) Recorded in his adopted hometown of Reykjavik with gus gus mainman Birgir Þórarinsson, with guest vocals from sinéad O’Connor, Pale Green

Ghosts demonstrated that the debut had been no fluke, with “gMf” highlighting grant’s sardonic wit and the it-gets-better anthem “glacier” his finest song to date. JOhN gRaNT gREy TiCKlEs, BlaCK PREssURE (2015) Though the title alluded to midlife crises, and the title track may be the only song to address the ticklish subject of haemorrhoid treatments, grant’s third found him once more at the top of his game, swearing off “narcissistic queers” on “No More Tangles” and on “Disappointing”, a duet with Tracey Thorn, glimpsing happiness while sounding uncannily like the late Billy Mackenzie. CREEP shOw MR DyNaMiTE (2018) Brought together for a Rough Trade anniversary show, the working relationship between wrangler (stephen Mallinder of Cabaret Voltaire, Phil winter of Tunng and engineer/producer Benge) was so successful that it resulted in a full album’s worth of darkly hilarious and disturbing synth pop, and in the closing “safe and sound”, one of grant’s greatest performances.