John Grant's second album followed on the footsteps of debut "Queen Of Denmark", an artistic (and relative commercial) triumph. That album found the former Czars singer without a group and down on his luck, battling addictions, romantic failure, depression, loneliness and feelings of inadequacy and guilt stemming from the contradictions between his Christian upbringing and homosexuality. Folk-rockers Midlake helped him arrange and record a bunch of emotional and highly personal songs dealing with these issues, which met with wide recognition. For his second album he bravely (or foolishly) left Texas and benefactors Midlake behind and sought inspiration in Iceland. His musical foil now is Icelander Biggi Veira (of techno group Gus Gus), other local musicians and new friend Sinéad O'Connor on backing vocals. Lyrics are, once again, highly personal - only, this time he sounds self-centered and petty, constantly jabbing at his former lover. He can be funny, as when boasting in "GMF" ("I am the greatest motherfucker that you're ever going to meet") or ridiculous, as in "Vietnam" when comparing his lover's silence to getting attacked with chemical bombs. Musically the album alternates between the balladry of "Queen Of Denmark" and the electronic sounds of 80's Depeche Mode and Gorgio Moroder. Electronic "Pale Green Ghosts" provides a first shock for old fans. Here his rich voice blends well with the electronic backing, something that doesn't apply to "Black Belt" or "Sensitive New Age Guy". "Why Don't You Love Me Anymore" and "Ernest Borgnine" are two only semi-successful electronic tracks, the latter featuring vocoder vocals and tasty sax and openly expressing his feelings about his recent diagnosis with HIV. "GMF" on the other hand, sounds like a track out of "Queen Of Denmark" and constitutes the highlight of the album with its witty lyrics and soft croon. "Vietnam" and "You Don't Have To" are dramatic ballads with electronic elements. "It Doesn't Matter To Him" is a gorgeous ballad with Sinéad on backing vocals, just like the sprawling closer "Glacier". Overall the album is a worthy affair but I can't help but wonder if Midlake would have done a better job with this material. Veira's synth pop is well executed but doesn't blend so well with either Grant's voice or confessional songwriting. My version of the album has a second cd with two remixes each from "Black Belt", "Pale Green Ghosts" and "Why Don't You Love Me Anymore". None of them improves on the originals.
**** for Pale Green Ghosts, GMF, It Doesn't Matter To Him, Glacier
*** for Black Belt, Vietnam, You Don't Have To, Ernest Borgnine, I Hate This Town, Pale Green Ghosts (Rmx)
** for Why Don't You Love Me Anymore, Sensitive New Age Guy, Black Belt (Rmx), Why Don't You Love Me Anymore (Rmx)
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