JOHN GRANT, whose Big Top concert was the undoubted highlight of last summer's Galway International Arts Festival, returns to Galway in the New Year, playing the Seapoint Ballroom on Saturday January 30 at 8pm.
The American born, Reykjavik based, singer-songwriter, also releases his new album, Grey Tickles, Black Pressure, through the Bella Union label on October 2. His third album, it follows his extraordinary 2010 debut, Queen Of Denmark, and 2013's more electro focussed Pale Green Ghosts. Sonically it balances his sumptuous, seventies styled singer-songwriter ballads, with up tempo electro/funk, retaining a consistency and cohesion throughout.
Grey Tickles, Black Pressure was recorded in Dallas with producer John Congleton (St Vincent, Franz Ferdinand, Swans ) and features Everything But The Girl's Tracey Thorn on new single 'Dissapointing', singer Amanda Palmer, and former Banshees drummer Budgie. “I wanted to get moodier and angrier on this record, but I probably had a lot more fun making it," Grant has said. “‘Grey tickles’ is the literal translation from Icelandic for ‘mid-life crisis’, while ‘black pressure’ is the direct translation from Turkish for ‘nightmare’.”
“I got everything written in time,” Grant says.“It was all recorded and mixed in a month - which for me is insane, because I always want more time and I’m such an over-thinker. But I had to be finished before the Pixies tour. I intentionally put myself into that situation because I wanted to challenge myself, as I’ve done with every album.”
The concert is a 'Róisín Dubh presents...' event. Tickets are €30/€28 through www.roisindubh.net and go on sale on Friday October 2.
