Matt OTM.
― Deafening silence (DL), Thursday, 9 January 2014 15:21 (ten years ago) link
I can find some of the (same) lyrics deeply irritating and some close to genius, depending on my mood.
I must admit I don't like the "... and other stuff" because it feels incomplete or tossed off. I sometimes get that same feeling with the swearing in a kind of some of it is powerful *quality swearing* and other times it is a bit of a waste - other words might have said much more.
― djh, Thursday, 9 January 2014 17:56 (ten years ago) link
He's said in interviews that he hones the lyrics for ages so it's not tossed off. It's a deliberate stylistic choice - to run against the grain of a sweeping melody with awkward or abrasive language. Doesn't mean you have to like it, obviously. I like "other stuff" and love him in general but I sometimes wish he'd gone for a more conventionally elegant rhyme. I looked up the interview I did with him where I mentioned that line and he said: "I have to say, not to pat myself on the back or anything, but I’m particularly pleased with that line, 'And other stuff'. Because of how it functions in that song, and it works."
And then later: "I guess the first time that I noticed it was maybe reading Henry Miller. It was, 'Oh, this is just like people talk', and that’s interesting. Just how people talk is interesting. And that combination, I guess that’s what I’m fascinated with, the combination of literature speak and how we actually speak, and then profanity, because profanity … you know, I would get in big trouble for using a swearword when I was a child. I’d get slapped in the face. But, let’s face it: those words can’t be replaced by anything else. I mean, I could have said, 'I hate this bloody town' but that’s not what we would say, you know."
― Deafening silence (DL), Thursday, 9 January 2014 21:35 (ten years ago) link
Nommed for a Brit. What a turn-up.
― mike t-diva, Thursday, 9 January 2014 21:42 (ten years ago) link
I agree that some of the swearing is needed and works. And - particularly as one of the few things I know about Grant is his language skills - other times I just wish he'd flicked through his thesaurus or racked his brains for a different word.
(I *do* like the album a lot.)
― djh, Thursday, 9 January 2014 21:48 (ten years ago) link
Xpost As an amateur songwriter I fucking love that approach, and stuff like that
― An embarrassing doorman and garbage man (dog latin), Thursday, 9 January 2014 21:50 (ten years ago) link
"and other stuff" is great, it undercuts the pomposity of the lyrics beforehand.
Similarly, I also love the bit in "Sigourney Weaver" where he starts singing about feeling like Winona Ryder in "Dracula": "and she couldn't get that accent right / and neither could that other guy".
― Tim F, Thursday, 9 January 2014 22:05 (ten years ago) link
Reading this thread for the first time.
can't think of many comparisons that really work.
seriously, this dude's voice is fucking incredible
Am I the only one who thought Brandan Perry when I first heard him? Their voices are incredibly similar imo. That's a compliment of course. The song "Pale Green Ghosts" even sounds like late-period Dead Can Dance.
― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 9 January 2014 23:46 (ten years ago) link
Grant's turn on a Piano Magic album was a pretty good DCD impersonation
I have a hard time with his solo records, and I had a hard time with the last Czars album (with it's god awful autotune) but sometimes it feels like it really works.
― akm, Friday, 10 January 2014 02:30 (ten years ago) link
xp First time I heard Sigourney Weaver, knowing nothing about Grant's sense of humour, I laughed out loud. It felt liberating, like I didn't know you could have a lyric like that with a voice like that. If Malkmus or Mark E Smith sang that line it would be funny but expected - Grant doesn't sing like someone funny and I find that dissonance exhilirating.
― Deafening silence (DL), Friday, 10 January 2014 08:57 (ten years ago) link
New video for Glacier is extraordinary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QLrMK9qBtYY
― Deafening silence (DL), Thursday, 16 January 2014 10:09 (ten years ago) link
http://youtu.be/QLrMK9qBtYY
― Deafening silence (DL), Thursday, 16 January 2014 10:10 (ten years ago) link
Re: Sigourney Weaver... I wondered why the absurd lyrics dont detract from the beauty of the song and I'd guess that it helps add this sense of joy (that I think is present in the music and vocals) along with the melancholy, making it all richer for it.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Thursday, 16 January 2014 17:54 (ten years ago) link
xpost fantastic video
― An embarrassing doorman and garbage man (dog latin), Friday, 17 January 2014 01:09 (ten years ago) link
v cool video, also super relieved there was no Dallas Buyers Club content at the end there.
― Simon H., Friday, 17 January 2014 02:17 (ten years ago) link
I didn't know you could have a lyric like that with a voice like that. If Malkmus or Mark E Smith sang that line it would be funny but expected - Grant doesn't sing like someone funny and I find that dissonance exhilirating.
Don't get it -- how is what this guy is doing different from what e.g. Neil Hannon does?
(Don't get me wrong, I love Neil Hannon and think there should be more Neil Hannons. Neil Hannae?)
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Sunday, 9 March 2014 20:50 (ten years ago) link
It took me way too long to love this guy.
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 9 March 2014 20:50 (ten years ago) link
He sings on the new Hercules and Love Affair album.
― djh, Sunday, 9 March 2014 20:56 (ten years ago) link
Neil Hannon is often jokey, never funny
― continually topping myself (flamboyant goon tie included), Sunday, 9 March 2014 21:41 (ten years ago) link
I am at his London gig right now (husband duty) and am wondering why nearly every song kicks off with dreary 'Imagine' piano chords. Dude, change it up!
― MaresNest, Sunday, 9 March 2014 22:23 (ten years ago) link
wondering why this is getting the big push now - saw an advert on the tube earlier. good album but thought it was a bit more underground - dude's presumably gonna be everywhere now
― You cannot interrupt his tea stirring because it is his holy trick (imago), Sunday, 9 March 2014 22:36 (ten years ago) link
I hope he ascends to being the most famous and celebrated
― continually topping myself (flamboyant goon tie included), Sunday, 9 March 2014 23:58 (ten years ago) link
given how GMF keeps popping into my consciousness at the oddest times, he may already be part of the way there
― You cannot interrupt his tea stirring because it is his holy trick (imago), Monday, 10 March 2014 00:01 (ten years ago) link
GAH no I'm not jealous oh no
http://bellaunion.com/2014/04/john-grant-announces-november-uk-orchestral-tour/
Just over a year since the release of his critically-lauded second album Pale Green Ghosts, and with numerous Best Album of 2013 accolades and a Brit Award nomination to his name, JOHN GRANT has announced news of one of his most exciting ventures yet.This November will see the former Czars frontman embark upon a seven-date tour accompanied by the Royal Northern Sinfonia in which John’s celebrated catalogue will be reworked and reimagined with a sumptuous orchestral setting, alongside the world premiere of some especially written new songs. John Grant’s creativity, unique songwriting and wonderful vocals combined with thirty four musicians promises a one-off musical experience. The tour will be orchestrated by Fiona Brice who has provided arrangements for the the likes of Roy Harper, Vashti Bunyan, Anna Calvi, Midlake, Placebo, as well as John himself.
This November will see the former Czars frontman embark upon a seven-date tour accompanied by the Royal Northern Sinfonia in which John’s celebrated catalogue will be reworked and reimagined with a sumptuous orchestral setting, alongside the world premiere of some especially written new songs. John Grant’s creativity, unique songwriting and wonderful vocals combined with thirty four musicians promises a one-off musical experience. The tour will be orchestrated by Fiona Brice who has provided arrangements for the the likes of Roy Harper, Vashti Bunyan, Anna Calvi, Midlake, Placebo, as well as John himself.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 7 April 2014 16:54 (ten years ago) link
'Outer Space' plays over a good scene in The Skeleton Twins
― GhostTunes on my Pono (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 10 October 2014 18:22 (nine years ago) link
He played at the Royal Festival Hall last night with an orchestra backing him and it was fucking incredible, virtually flawless, like some early Scott Walker shit with added gigantic synths and self-loathing. I've seen him live before but this was something else, never quite appreciated how brilliantly he can pull off a sudden register jump before.
― Matt DC, Monday, 1 December 2014 13:07 (nine years ago) link
the 2013 album I most regret not discovering in time. His tunes on the Hercules & Love Affair record are good too.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 1 December 2014 14:26 (nine years ago) link
Live album released today, backed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. I recorded it when originally broadcast on 6Music a few weeks ago; it's excellent.
― mike t-diva, Monday, 1 December 2014 14:34 (nine years ago) link
Saw him on Saturday night in Edinburgh and I can only echo what Matt DC said. In-fucking-credible. Hairs raised on my arms for half the gig. The Sinfonia using Rachmaninov's Prelude in C sharp minor to kick off Pale Green Ghosts was just something else. Glaciers, Queen of Denmark, JC Hates Faggots and GMF were all performed to perfection. That's The Good News was absolutely hilarious and the new material sounded like we have another real treat in store. Go see him if you can, you won't regret it.
― finn_the_scot, Monday, 1 December 2014 21:25 (nine years ago) link
Genuinely one of the greatest shows I've ever seen. The new songs - No More Tangles, Geraldine and Global Warming - were all great.
― Re-Make/Re-Model, Monday, 1 December 2014 22:35 (nine years ago) link
Envious beyond belief.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 2 December 2014 02:30 (nine years ago) link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04vk1gd
John Grant on Icelandic music.
― djh, Sunday, 21 December 2014 15:35 (nine years ago) link
... with a slight over emphasis on Blur's Beetlebum.
― djh, Sunday, 21 December 2014 15:38 (nine years ago) link
Press release for his new album is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster - can't wait to hear the pairing of his voice w/Tracey Thorn's, but Amanda Palmer? Whyyyyyyyyy.
― etc, Saturday, 8 August 2015 04:03 (eight years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUgWE71CzWQ&feature=youtu.be
― djh, Wednesday, 12 August 2015 21:34 (eight years ago) link
That''s really quite a poor vocal performance from him, IMO and I generally like his vocals a lot. Her's ain't good either but I've nothing to compare it to, maybe she always sounds like that. I enjoyed the riff on yahoo's situation in the opening synth line and I liked the chorus but I don't really get the song overall.
― Acting Crazy (Instrumental) (jed_), Friday, 14 August 2015 21:09 (eight years ago) link
Haven't quite parsed that song yet but the chorus and the last couple of minutes are so good
― the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Friday, 14 August 2015 21:20 (eight years ago) link
I can't tell if the melodies are surprising or just not enjoyable. giving it time.
― oh, i am a lonlely poster. i live in a box of posts. (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 14 August 2015 21:42 (eight years ago) link
Kinda baffled by the new album tbh? Feels overworked in every direction.
― the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Thursday, 24 September 2015 17:51 (eight years ago) link
New song is terrible, that register shift he does in the chorus is... not good at all.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 24 September 2015 17:56 (eight years ago) link
really love his Taylor Swift covers album
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 24 September 2015 18:02 (eight years ago) link
Streaming:
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct/01/john-grant-grey-tickles-black-pressure-exclusive-album-stream
― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Friday, 2 October 2015 08:53 (eight years ago) link
Not in the US or Canada though -- but it turns out:
http://www.npr.org/2015/09/30/444196884/first-listen-john-grant-grey-tickles-black-pressure
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 2 October 2015 14:16 (eight years ago) link
Hoping this is a grower as my first couple of listens have left me cold (and I much prefer Pale Green Ghosts over Queen of Denmark.)
― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Friday, 2 October 2015 16:11 (eight years ago) link
I really hate this guy's records for reasons I find hard to articulate. Spotify Discover playlist thinks I will like "Outer Space," apparently, but no. I guess it's the way he adopts this syrupy AM radio sound but doesn't DO anything with it, just kind of perfectly imitates it and then gapes at himself doing so.
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Tuesday, 27 October 2015 18:35 (eight years ago) link
this new album is way too cute
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 27 October 2015 19:15 (eight years ago) link
Great show in Minneapolis last week. "Pale Green Ghosts" and "Queen of Denmark" (the songs) sounded best, but I was impressed by the new stuff too. "I am quite angry, which I barely can conceal" defined the approach, though he's also very gracious as a performer. His band played a big part in bringing the material across, tho the drums were a bit over-heavy at times.
― Ys Man a.k.a. Have One on G (geoffreyess), Wednesday, 28 October 2015 01:58 (eight years ago) link
"Snug Slacks" is a great song title.
I couldn't get more than half way through this one - a couple of the widescreen ballads were good, but wacky synthpop is his single worst mode and it was all over this.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 28 October 2015 09:01 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, I'm struggling with a lot of this; much of the first half is jarring, and much of the second half re-treads familiar ground. My keepers: the title track, "No More Tangles", "Magma Arrives", "Disappointing". "Snug Slacks" is fun for a while, too.
― mike t-diva, Wednesday, 28 October 2015 10:48 (eight years ago) link