Album Review: John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts

When John Grant's long-term band The Czars broke up in 2004, he could barely have envisaged the incredible solo career awaiting him. His 2010 debut Queen Of Denmark – recorded with US folk-rockers Midlake – was ravenously received by fans and pundits alike and topped many 'best of year' album lists, including that of prestigious UK publication Mojo.

Which makes the massive stylistic shift undertaken for sophomore effort Pale Green Ghosts incredibly brave (not that Grant's bravery should surprise, he announced his HIV-positive status from the stage of London's Meltdown festival). Gone is the pastoral instrumentation of the last record, replaced with the retro-tinged electronica that Grant loved growing up. Icelandic producer Birgir Thorarinsson (of GusGus) was instrumental in this regard, and while the musical diversity leads to some occasionally jarring sequencing, for the most part it holds together well. But once you get past the massive seismic shift in style, the content isn't miles removed from Queens Of Denmark: Grant's austere worldview remains, as does his innate sense of the absurd, and his lyrics are what make these songs so unremittingly strong. There even seems to be an overlap of content, Vietnam and Black Belt (and perhaps others) penned about the same protagonist from the last record's TC And Honeybear, while GMF's refrain, “I am the greatest motherfucker/That you're ever going to meet” would sound inane in lesser hands, but works perfectly in this context.

If nothing else, Pale Green Ghost confirms John Grant's status as a restless and prodigiously talented songwriter and musician, and while he's sure to confuse many with this new direction, it's going to be fascinating to follow where his shapeshifting muse takes him next.