Queen Of Denmark

Surprisingly good.

An absolutely beautiful album that I am very familiar with. As a fan of the Czars and also Midlake this was a coming together where the whole was greater than the parts. 5 Stars. Fave track- so many, but I’ll choose ‘where dreams go to die’.

An amazing album with incredible songs

I just knew he was queer just based on how profound and deep his lyricism is. 10/10

Masterpiece. Absolute masterpiece. God bless that band that brought John Grant to the music scene. What other album is going to make you cry on track 1 and laughing by track 4? None. No other album can. Impeccably played and produced as well. Grant's writing hits me deep to my core, even if I no longer strongly relate to the sheer depression of this album like I did in the past

This album was fantastic! I had never heard of this guy, or his band the Czars. I was expecting some kind of baroque pop shite given the album cover, but instead got some kind of singer-songwriter solo work with some beautiful songs and some really amazing lyrics. I could probably listen to Marz everyday for months and months. There's such a weird fucking dichotomy between the just profound longing in the piano and harmonies and the not-quite-nonsense lyrics. And the apparently biographical Jesus Hates Faggots makes me want to find some MAGA chud and break their fucking face. So, another dichotomy between the not-violent song and the emotion it triggered in me. Damn. What a great album.

I really liked this. I’ve listened to Where Dreams Go to Die. I’ve listened to it a bunch. All the lyrics are great. Sometime deep and depressing and sometimes funny like sigourney weaver.

Wow, what a wonderful surprise! I knew the song sung by Sinead O'Connor... finding out that this guy was the author left me speechless. Overall, a fantastic album and, from now on, undoubtedly one of my favorite discoveries in this project. And I feel like singing in the face of some colleagues, loud and clear, “Why don't you bore the shit out of somebody else?”

i actually loved this

reminds me of father john misty but more deep. he is very raw in this but keeps a unique personality lyrically. its like modern americana.

Honestly I'm surprised I've never heard of this before. I really enjoyed this and these kinds of records are what this list is for in my opinion.

Surprisingly great. I kind of thought this was going to be meh. (as is most of the 2000s indie on this list), but this was fun. Cool singer / songwriter album. He places with cool sounds and has pithy style of singing and songwriting that is just fun to vibe with. The lyrics in this are freaking great. The keyboards are fantastic. I was kind of blown away by this by the time it was over.

9/10

19th album with group. I saw this album in the hall of fame and was immediately interested. Amazing album start to finish. Chicken Bones and Queen of Denmark stand out as especially good. Good Songs - TC and Honeybear, Marz, Where Dreams go to Die, Sigourney Weaver, Chicken Bones, Silver Platter Club, It's Easier, Outer Space, Jesus Hates Faggots, Caramel, Leopard and Lamb, and Queen of Denmark. Bad Songs - Nothing.

This was folk, and then classic rock and then folk again, then some synth. But more importantly, the lyrics were completely crazy! Wild! And random! Very cool! I liken this album to a movie like Interstellar. Long, interesting and engaging, but I'm not sure I'd ever sit down to watch it again. Not like a different C Nolan film like Inception or The Dark Knight. Wait! Wasn't the ending to that movie awful?! Still... 5 Stars.

I had never heard of this gent or his parent band and this is exactly why the generator is a rewarding experience, to introduce me to an incredible singer songwriter whose music is both earthy and ethereal. The female backing vocals really bring this album to a higher ground. Will buy this.

Never heard of this guy but this album was really quite beautiful. I enjoyed it immensely and have been enriched by it.

John Grant Des les premières notes de gut acou, puis de drums, on reconnait Midlake le Backing band. C'est EVIDENT que Father John Misty s'en est inspiré, j'entends du I Love You Honeybear surtout dans les arrangements à corde plus riche. J'ai le goût de le réécouter plusieurs fois, c'est un album qui découle de colère et crottes sul coeur qui sont restées dans le non dit trop longtemps, c'est un album guérison, guérison par la création. Même si c'est super intime, c'est jamais plate, il se passe tout le temps quelque chose d'intéressant musicalement. À la première écoute j'ai vraiment aimé la toune Sigourney Weaver, dès les premières notes, ça nous emmene completement ailleurs, avec les textures de synth. Aussi Silver Platter Club, on devine qu'il parle peut-être à son père? Finalement il s'adresse plutôt aux anciens élèves à son école de gosses de riches conservatrice. Il parle des attentes de ce qu'est un homme. La toune Jesus hates Faggot vient cimenter le thème de l'homosexualité et de toutes les épreuves qui sont venues avec, toute la rancoeur accumulée envers ceux qui lui ont rendu la vie dure à cause de ça. Tout ça est lourd, mais en même temps il traite xes sujets avec beaucoup de lucidité et même d'humour, donc cest jamais lourd à écouter. Je viens de lire qu'il a demandé à etre admis en psychiatrie pour des pensées suicidaires, peu après avoir fini d'enregistrer l'album. Ce n'est donc pas tant une guérison? " It didn't matter that I'd made a great record because being the person I am I was never going to be able to enjoy it," he says, considering his delicate frame of mind at the time. "I was never going to be able to understand or accept myself". En tout cas ça a dû être au moins un premier pas d'un long trajet dans cette direction. Je pense que je vais mettre 5 étoiles, même si ce n'est pas la note que j'ai mis à certains grands albums mythiques, mais c'est clairement une découverte coup de cœur pour moi. Je vais clairement et revenir souvent dans les prochaines années, et le réécouter. Une pépite, merci 1001AG

As a massive fan of Midlake I have no idea why I haven’t heard this before. Fabulous!

This is one of the biggest surprises for me of the whole list. I was not expecting much, and after the first couple tracks, I thought it would be a 3 or maybe 4, but nothing remarkable. Yet as it progressed, as I became more invested in the lyrics, as the harmonies and melodies started feeling meaningful rather than mundane, I ultimately found this album quite wonderful. This one will stick with me for a while, and one of my favorite discoveries from this list so far.

I'm not sure if I'd give this a 5 on most days, but this album hit me at a good time. Working from home and snow on the ground....it was a good vibe of light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek lyrics with some softer, good music. Enjoyed it a lot, and will be listening again.

Superb

I love this album. Yes, it's a bit self indulgent, yes, the lyrics are sometimes a bit twee, but John Grant seems to genuinely thrilled top finally give voice to his ups and downs in his life.

(90/100)

First things first. I wish I wasn’t traveling today and had more time to write about this album. I think I’d write a novel otherwise. My main reaction to this album is just WOW! And now my questions. How have I never heard of John Grant? How am I not already a huge fan? When can I see him live? How soon will I listen to the rest of his discography? This album is amazing. His lyrics are biting, funny, heartfelt, sometimes all in one song. I’ve saved so many as favorites that I might as well have saved the entire album. This is the best “new to me” find in this project. By far.

Album No. 0060 on my list. I have to admit that this album caught me completely off guard. I’ve never heard of John Grant before even. But this is the first album that I didn’t know before that really blew me away. I love the music, I love the blend of styles and genres, I love Grant’s singing. Makes me feel oddly comfortable and relaxed. And I love the lyrics. They may sound a bit clumsy occasionally, but that even adda to the album’s character. And most of them are really great. Love the topics, love the style. It’s hard to pick personal favorites from this, but “TC & Honeybear”, “Marz”, “Where The Dreams Go To Die”, “Sigourney Weaver”, “JC Hates Faggots”, “Queen of Denmark”, and “What Time?” are the best songs on this (that’s already 7 songs). “That’s The Good News” is a strange, out of place song sung with a German accent, but at least I find it funny as a German. “Queen Of Denmark” is already one of my favorite albums of the 2010s, and has the potential to become one of my all-time favorites! 5/5 stars!

Brilliant lyrics!

Holy shit. Incredible. Immediately one of my faves of the project so far. It's SO Father John Misty with a good measure of Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson thrown in. I feel like Bo Burnham listens to this guy

Never heard of him. Great surprise. I listened twice and will listen again. Some heartfelt and some ironic. The words add an interesting punch. Please read the lyrics!

I aspire to be as biting with my colorful language as John Grant is. Amazing lyrics and excellent harmonies.

Really love this.

Giving Harry Nilsson feels in the new milennium

like that

It’s great when an album comes up and you go nope never heard of you. The album cover looks naff, Jesus the album is over an hour long. And then you press play. Loved it.

Very nice chill rock , definitely worth checking out

Gear: Letshuoer S12 PRO Artwork: 🫅👥📷 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 📝💭🪪 Rating: 👑👑👑👑(👑)/5

Modern indie folk rock. First time hearing of the artist and the album. Pleasantly surprised by the quality and the work. Favorite track: where dreams go to die other picks: marz, outer space, queen of denmark

Wow. There's quite a lot to unpack here. An effort I could see being difficult (or impossible) for some. No judging. That's why music comes in all forms. This is not pop. This is personal. At times, uncomfortably so. Psychologically speaking, I'd say it's self-deprecating humor used as a defense mechanism to mask the raw hurt, bitterness, and anger that become more palpable the longer you sit with this. But I get it. I've been there, too. Sometimes, I'm still there. Maybe once you've been there, you never really get to permanently leave. As an emotion-radiating catharsis, this gets top scores. As a broadly accessible musical album, not so much. Unless you've "been there" (or are still there), this is probably going to come off as weird or possibly even annoyingly self-indulgent. Lyrically, it's a mixed bag. Sometimes it's on point; sometimes it's basically unrhymed prose; sometimes it's outright nonsense. I can't decide how I feel about this point, but I will say it's a very distinct characteristic of the album. Some hooks and vibes are liberally borrowed from others (I heard 'Across the Universe', 'Free Bird', 'New Age Girl', some Pink Floyd, The Magnetic Fields, maybe Scissor Sisters, possibly Bill Withers, etc.), but if there's one thing I've learned throughout this challenge, it's that everything has pretty much been stolen from somewhere else - so this is more just an observation than a criticism. Anyway, I'm glad this was included on the list since I'd have never known about it otherwise. It's not perfect, and being of a personal nature, it's not for everyone - but I'm comfortable giving it a personal score of 5 since it does resonate with me, and I enjoyed it enough to want to listen to John's other albums to see if/how he evolves from here.

Wow this was a good surprise. I like Midlake and BNQT but somehow hadn't gotten around to listening to John Grant yet.

Weird little alternative rock album I guess. I really liked it though.

OVO JE FIRE KOJ VRAGHHHHHGG. SVAKA PJESMA JE BANGER TEŠKO JE STAVITI SAMO JEDNU NA 1001 NACHTS

I did not have high hopes when I saw this - an artist I’d never heard of, released in 2010. But then I listened to it and loved it. Really engaging folk-pop/rock, angry and acerbic and tender and just really, really enjoyable.

Giving depressed midwestern church choir singer

Absolutely loved the variation and the song writing is excellent. Feels like a very love it or hate it record, 5 from me

417 albums in, and this is the biggest surprise of the list so far. I thought I was going to hate it based on the description and reviews, but was pleasantly surprised instead. The best part of the album is the vocal melodies. They are constantly surprising/strange/untypical. The instrumentation is also very cool - he does not hesitate to change things up or make unanticipated choices. Finally, the pacing is good. Other than the last song, every track fits the album well. 4.5/5.0: Excellent

Well that was pretty damn Epic. I listen to it three times while cleaning the house. I'm now downloading the rest of his discography.

Didn’t expect this to sweep me off my feet like it did. It’s all heartbreak and humor wrapped in these lush, melancholic arrangements. That balance of sadness and sarcasm is hard to nail. Every song feels personal, but in a way that invites you in. And then it gets weird. Weird in the best possible way. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - TC & Honeybear - Marz - Where The Dreams Go To Die - Outer Space - Queen Of Denmark

Super excited to see John Grant's debut pop up! The man is one of the best lyricists working today, and Queen of Denmark is a perfect showcase of it. Such a charismatic artist. Favourite tracks: 'Marz', 'Sigourney Weaver' and 'Queen of Denmark'.

I was not looking forward to this, but this album is great.

I ended up really enjoying this album. Quite fun. I mean some of the subject matter was really serious. But I really liked it.

This for me falls in the same category as Mercury Rev and Screaming Trees, both bands that I discovered here and make me feel a very specific way that I didn't know before. Maybe I'm lucky I don't get every lyric, I'm just mesmerised by the voice and music, dreamy and slightly dark

Marvelous

The Sigourney Weaver song makes this 4 stars.

A real treat!

Le banger de fou. Sauf la fin de l'album trop expérimental à mon goût

Cool guy! Funny guy! Good music! really nice find for me.

I liked it. Would listen again.

If this musical exercise does nothing except having introduced me to John Grant - it is a win.

i did not superrr follow the lyrics apart from the tracks that unavoidably grab ur attention like silver platter club and god hates faggots, but even just those feel like enough to give me a vivid picture of the type of queer experience being depicted here...intensely aware of its own vulnerability and protecting itself partly under the guise of a clown, which also just makes the world easier to swallow in general. even without that tho, this is one of the most effortlessly wonderful singer songwriter records ive heard of any description...every melody feels inevitable, every decision is so specific and confident that it makes me feel like im listening to an unassailable classic. ig its not in the eyes of the music nerd consensus for whatever reason (the rym rating is good but seems low for how easy this is to like tbh) but certainly something im glad is included on this silly list!!!

Dark humor and serious melancholy, somehow it works. With synths layered over indie folk, John Grant is unexpectedly brilliant. Top tracks: Queen of Denmark, Where Dreams Go To Die

Love this. Came to it late as a sort of secret 3rd decent Midlake album (can't remember if Van Occupanther was in the list but it should be) but fell in love with it and John Grant fully in it's own right. Yeah I hear the Randy Newman and Elton John references for sure. The unconventional phrasing, the elongated vowels. The lyrics are beautiful, cutting, funny and touched with righteous anger, and heartfelt love, in equal measure. It's a visceral album. Really enjoyed myself belting out every word this afternoon. TC, Where Dreams Go To Die, It's Easier, so many bangers. Love the next two records too, Pale Green Ghosts is probably even better than this, fabulous work.

Fantastic album!

Cuesta llegar a música de esta buena calidad, tanto como una excelente producción técnico acústica. Me gustó bastante

I was so surprised to see this album pop up yesterday. I remember I was recommended this album back in 2016 by Spotify, back when the algorithm was good and would actually recommend you obscure music. I listened to this album nonstop in 2016 when I was going through some rough shit in my life. But while it meant a lot to me, it’s not like John Grant has ever really broken through. His listens are pretty low, and he seems to have a small, if dedicated, fan base. So, an interesting pick. But a pick I love all the same. I love love love this album. Every song is like honey to me. Grant’s beautiful deep voice. The Nilsson-esque instrumentations. I love how smart and sad the lyrics can be one minute, and then wildly stupid and funny the next. This is an album with the lyrics “Baby, you’re where dreams go to die/I regret the day your lovely carcass caught my eye” and then the next song goes “I feel just like Sigourney Weaver/when she had to fight those aliens.” It’s just so silly and dumb and fun. I’m biased. This album got me through some rough personal times so I’m gonna rate it highly. I feel like lots of people ain’t gonna like this one, but I’m one of those few who’s really on the level with Grant.

This one surprised the hell out of me. Never heard of John Grant, so had no idea what to expect. He is an indie folk artist or maybe synth pop... And his super weird lyrics mixed with his baritone voice and atmospheric music style made for some really interesting listening. I quite enjoyed it! Favourite songs: Sigourney Weaver, Outer Space, It's Easier, TC & Honeybear, Marz, Silver Platter Club, Where the Dreams Go to Die, Queen of Denmark, Leopard and Lamb Least favourite songs: JC Hates Faggots 5/5

This is a pleasant surprise to have a John Grant album on this list. I knew a few John Grant songs (especially G.M.F.) and always wanted to know what an entire album sounds like. Now I know and I loved it. John Grant is like Father John Misty, just with less playful pop-culture references and more pop-culture references that make you wonder if he is okay. The songwriting is very original and "Where Dreams Go to Die" deserves the most plays on this album. Really enjoyed this one and added it to my collection for the theatrical feel of it all.

I was looking forward to getting this one. I'd heard, and enjoyed, Pale Green Ghosts, and was deliberately holding back on this as I knew it was on here. I'd only heard Marz and Sigourney Weaver before which I liked. So.... it's really good! I really like the mood across the album. I love all the minor keys, matched with his voice. He has a kind of melancholic air to him, and when that's matched with further backing vocals and swells in the music it can be absolutely sumptuous. Notably on tracks like 'Where The Dreams Go To Die'. Apart from a slight lull in the middle of the album (where it feels a bit samey for a number of tracks), it has tons of great songs, with plenty of surprises thrown in. There's plenty of variance too, not least with the instruments. Piano, violins, brass, woodwind, spacey synths.. I'm on-board, and I'll definitely be re-visiting. 4.5 rounded up.

This album is excellent. I had never heard of John Grant before, but this album was thoroughly enjoyed. Musically complex and varied.

5/5. Another classic in a row of albums here. It's an album of ballads but each one is so beautiful in its own right. The vocals are simple and the melodies have hints of progressive rock albums and Brian Eno for sure, so down my alley. I also see the influence on newer artists as well very clearly. The lyrics are silly and very un-serious sometimes and other times profound and personal. I've never heard of Grant or even the band he's fun but this was a great listen. Best Song: Marz, Queen of Denmark, JC Hates F******

I had no idea who John Grant was before this, but this album was really great. I don't normally focus on lyrics when I listen to music, but there were songs here that really caught my ear in terms of the lyrical moods not matching the musical mood and I found that very interesting and enjoyable. Additionally, the music was really well performed and produced and the end result was very nice. I listened to it twice and am now a fan of John Grant. Five stars.

найс, понравилось. очень напомнило father john misty и элтона джона.

John Grant is like Father John Misty’s angry gay cousin. I’d probably listened to this album one time a long time ago and wanted to revisit it. His album Pale Green Ghosts was one of my favorites from 2013 (one of the best years this century for albums), and Queen of Denmark was one of the highest rated from 2010. For good reason. It’s a spectacular album: lyrically angry, funny, and evocative and musically varied, dense, and beautiful. It is one of the more psychedelic indie rock albums of the early 2010’s. John’s vocals are fantastic throughout, perhaps not for everyone but I think he sounds great. I mentioned Father John Misty because this album reminds me so much of FJM’s 2015 album I Love You, Honeybear, which I listed as my 3rd favorite album of the decade (after Jason Isbell’s Southeastern and Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, M.A.A.D city). I think FJM must have been inspired by this album, by the same muse if not directly.

I liked it 💗

Inventive, funny and utterly heartbreaking. This is one of the best albums I've heard in a long time and I had no idea who this guy was before today. I expected the worst when I saw the strange cover and started the first track, and let it wash away in the background while I worked. But it soon caught my ear and I had to start over on headphones and engage fully once I realised I might have a real gem on my hands. There's a special rung in hell reserved for people who waste good loose-leaf tea. But I brewed up, poured a pot and then got entirely distracted by the lyrics of song after song, meanwhile enrobed in a beautiful combination of catchy melodies, creative instrumental fills and moments of inspired genius. My tea was stewed and luke-warm by the time I remembered to drink it. But it was totally worth it to discover John Grant. Fantastic stuff.

Perfect album.

I loved this. It feels like 60s and 70s folk pop made modern — even got some musical theater vibes in some parts. Whatever it is, John Grant’s voice is gorgeously listenable. This is one of the rare times in this project where the entire album of an artist I’ve never heard before gets added to my circulation.

Geggjað

Algjört meistaraverk. Ekki eitt leiðinlegt lag og textarnir frábært. Innflytjendur eru nefnilega ekki svo slæmir.

Father john misty vibes

5-

This is excellent. There's a lot of influences on here and the product is truly indie, it's psychadelic, electronic, folky, synthy, and the songwriting is distinct and surprising. The product feels personal and absurd. There's a beatles quality in that its psychadelic without the melt your face guitar. It reminded me a bit of the Todd Rundren album. There's an obvious 2010ness to this album bringing up the hypocrisy of the church but I think it's done creatively and doesn't bring down the sound. I'll probably be listening to this all weekend.

Ein wunderschönes Album mit wunderschönen Melodien mit wunderschönen Arrangements. Wunderschön.

p929. 2010. 5 stars. Fabulous collection of songs covering desire, self loathing and broken relationships. Great voice, sharp lyrics and stripped down production. And the title track is possibly the greatest breakup song ever written.

10 out of 10 for sad bastard music.

I remember first hearing "Marz" via the Midlake connection and instantly LOVING this. Sure, there was a lot of acoustic folk around at the time, but this, along with Midlake themselves and Fleet Foxes was elite. Probably a four, but it gets a bonus star for use of "Jc hates faggots" as a track title

Really liked this.

mi è piaciuto molto, non me l'aspettavo. sicuramente da approfondire altri suoi progetti

My favorite thing I’ve heard from this project so far (about 250 albums). The lyrics are quirky and darkly humorous and poetic and touching. The instrumentations range from folksy guitars to Beatlesque piano to synths, and they’re all incredible. Just brilliant in every way.

Great!

Favorite Tracks: Sigourney Weaver Marz Queen of Denmark

Albums like this is why I continue with the list: Never heard of this guy, and looking at the album art, I had already concluded that I wouldn’t like it. But I love it Mix Bowie with America, Rufus Wainwright, and Great Lakes Swimmers and you have this compelling pop/singer-songwriter album.

Amazing

Jueves de últimos fríos en Argentina y toca hoy artista desconocido. Tranquilo, marida muy bien con éste clima y con las mañanas. La voz de John Grant es relajada y dulce y, sumada a los arreglos musicales, se vuelve poderosísima. Se cuelan sonidos Beatles ("Silver Platter Club") y hacen que todo se vuelva más hermoso. Gran hallazgo.

Debut de John Grant. Un tipo que tanto en solitario como con los injustamente olvidados Czars merecen un lugar privilegiado en cualquier discoqueta. Tuvo desde su publicación una recepción extraordinaria de crítica, que no de repercusión en ventas ni reproducciones. Uno de los mejores álbumes de 2010, y los hubo muy buenos: The Black keys- Brothers, Best Coast- Crazy for you, Joanna Newson- Have one on me, Twin Shadow- Forget, Tracey Thorn- Love and its opposite, Caribou- Swim, Vampire weekend- Contra, Crystal Castles- Crystal Castles, Sufjan Stevens- The age of Adz, Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, The National - High Violet, Delorean - Subiza, LCD Soundsystem -This Is Happening, The Drums - The Drums, Arcade Fire -The Suburbs, Janelle Monáe - The Archandroid, Deerhunter -Halcyon Digest, Beach House - Teen Dream, Radio Dept. -Clinging to a Scheme, Belle and Sebastian- Write about love, Lana del rey- Lana del rey, Sade- Soldier of love, MGMT - Congratulations, Band of horses- Infinite arms, Superchunk- Majesty Shredding, Elton John and Leon Russell- The union...

I really really liked this! I've never heard of this guy before but his music was v interesting (and he has a lot of songs about being gay)

Loved it

Interesting album. Great distillation of the feelings of alienation and stress that come with addiction and coming out. This is what Father John Misty wants to sound like. Rye, cheeky lyrics that cut and orchestration that makes you stop what you are doing to listen.

Me sonaba Marz. Me ha gustado mucho. Indie folksoft rock.

Brilliant. I hadn't listened to this, though had listened to some other John Grant. There are some exquisite lyrics in this album...

I just enjoyed this album a lot. It was cool how the title track at the end had parts that were way more intense than the rest of the album, and it the ninth song was an interesting juxtaposition of music and lyrics. But I’m just giving it five stars because of the enjoyment factor.

Love it

How have I never heard of John Grant? I found this album to be incredible! From the first song you can tell John Grant is gay and he has something tortured inside him trying to come out. There is a lot of humor in this album but also a lot of self-deprecation, two of my favorite things but not always combined well to make good music. But thankfully John Grant teamed up with Midlake for this album and the music is as beautiful and interesting as the lyrics. Come to find out I have many more John Grant albums to discover and I plan to one day, but I am thankful this was thrown at me because it was a beautiful little surprise.

5/30/24. Very surprising gem that came across today! Very personal and emotional songs, catchy but not cliche. Instrumentation and lyrics are fantastic. Might have a new favorite for the next couple weeks.

Day 9 of listening to 1001 albums, one day at a time. John Grant is one of the most creative writers I’ve have ever listened to. This album is a lot of things but every single song has a way to captivate you and so many ways. A lot of this album is talking about his homosexuality and his relationships which feel very touching and personal. But also understanding the context of this album and its John trying to understand himself after leaving his band and thoughts of suicide. This album bounces around a lot but I think that is why it’s so great it not exactly a project that needs to be all one idea and that’s what makes it perfect.

really good - interesting songs, interesting premise, strong ambient finish minus for the weird german song

Really unique sound.

This is yet another reason why I am doing this 1001 albums challenge. On paper, I should avoid like the plague, with echos of Supertramp and all that 70"s softy shit. But this is extraordinary in it's mellow vibe and beautiful tunes. All songs are of a very hogh quality, but if i jad to pick a couple of standouts, then 'Marz' and 'Leopard and Lamb'. I love his voice. A 5 star surprise.

4.8 - I always liked a few John Grant songs, but listening to the whole album, what a journey! I thought it was stunning and have been thinking about it loads since I listened to it last week. Will be listening to more, love his voice as well.

Really had a great time with this, listened through twice. Fave Tracks: TC & Honeybear, Marz, Where The Dreams Go to Die, Sigourney Weaver, JC Hates Faggots, Queen of Denmark, That's the Good News 4.7/5

This album has an ineffable feel of not giving a shit. Freed from expectations of being "great", Grant has created an album that's distinctly good. It's personal. It's funny. It's serious. There's a German techno parody dropped in the middle of it...

Well this album was quite a lovely surprise. Not knowing of him, I had no idea what to expect, and really got into it. Quite a journey of heartache and love and quirk and even Sigourney. So beautiful in its emotion and its weirdness, I loved it!

Sounds old school af. Catchy hooks and choruses that sneak up behind you with a small rock and hit you in the head!

Lovely

Loved this - had only heard a couple of tracks before so it was a real treat. The vocals are gorgeous and melodic, and the lyrics mix some deeply personal and vulnerable topics with... space? It's weird but it works. The instrumentation is also a nice blend of folky sounds with electronica and more a psychedelic style, evoking influences from The Beatles to Bon Iver. Highlights: JC Hates Faggots, Outer Space, Sigourney Weaver, Silver Platter Club.

The description of John Grants music on Spotify immediately made me feel apprehensive about listening to this album. It did not sound appealing at all. About halfway through the second song I was absolutely hooked and in love. This album is a true masterpiece

I had never heard of John Grant before and I love this. I'm a fan of Harry Nilsson and Father John Misty and this fits squarely into that niche of grand pop/psychedelic folk rock with real lyrics that go from achingly raw to bitingly funny in a blink.

A really good Album, really like the style of all of the songs, they all have a good tune/beat to them. I liked Tc & Honeybear and Where Dreams Go To Die, Sigourney Weaver a lot. Chicken Bones was also really catchy. But my favorite was Queen Of Denmark it's really good and has a nice melancholy feel to it.

This was recommended right after I'd gotten zooted. Ideal.

This is what I'm here for. Discovering artists with unique sounds that transcendent genre and defy musical conventions

This album took me completely by surprise. I didn't listen super attentive, so the first song sounded like it was going to be some sort of pretentious love album. But it was a really wild ride, lots of swearing, and maybe even some low-key slander-like - or at least quite offensive - comments regarding certain topics. Love it! It's not often that I comment about lyrics, but that definitely is the most interesting part of this album. So many weird (in a good way) songs with various themes and wordplays going on. The cool part is that it's not only the lyrics that are interesting; the songs also contain memorable and catchy melodies, ranging from slower more mellow acoustic songs to more up-tempo ones with some electronic elements. Overall this was a very fun record to listen to and I'm glad I heard it. I'm going to go out on a limb and give it a weak 5 because we've had very few 5s in general, and I think this record really stands out among the crowd and deserves some recognition.

Album art had me prepared for some weirdness. And that it was. Also apparently something that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is the kind of stuff I was hoping to get out of the 1001 Albums experience. Strange eclectic music from an artist that I never would have stumbled upon without some guidance. Good shit.

I’d never heard of John Grant (or the Czars), but I really enjoyed this album. It’s like a cross between Harry Nilsson and Father John Misty. Will definitely listen again.

This was a new one for me. Didn’t know what to expect but I really liked it

A window into the soul of a troubled individual outlines a wonderful folk debut.

Very interesting album from a guy I wasn't familiar with. It's taken a couple of listens to really land, but it really is worth a listen.

Anyone know that game "life is strange?" I love that game. Part of what makes that game so great is the outstanding soundtrack. Anyway, this sounds like it could have been in that game. The music is great, and the lyrics are outstanding. THIS is what I came to this list for. 5/5

really lovely - not what I expected at all...

I've never heard of this guy before and this album blew my mind. I feel like I'm gonna be listening to Mr. Grant for a while from now on. But I have to say that this album ends with 'Queen of Denmark'. The last four songs on the Spotify version are from a limited edition and they are actually good, but they ABSOLUTELY don't belong here, whereas the aforementioned 'Queen of Denmark' is the perfect ending for the record.

I was instantly enchanted by track 1's delicate guitar riffs and soprano vocalizations in the bridge. I love the instrumentation throughout the album: it's restrained and not overwhelming, delivering just what it needs. Tracks 5 and 6 provide a touch of levity, but where this album shines for me is in the ballads -- profound and vulnerable. Tracks that stood out to me upon 1st listen: 1 - TC and Honeybear; 3 - Where Dreams Go to Die (I cried); 7 - It's Easier; 10 - Caramel; 11 - Leopard and Lamb; 12 - Queen of Denmark Would I revisit this album? I want to say yes because it's genuinely beautiful but I don't think I can handle the second-hand heartbreak again anytime soon. It'll be in the back of my mind though.

Wow. Never heard this artist. Fun, spooky, simple, nice

I found this quirky and fun, but my goodness his voice stole the show. What a voice. This was a great album.

yee. pretty funny too.

Blev golvad av det här. Otrolig röst ju. Titelspåret är nåt i hästväg

I’ve never heard of him before. On the first listen-thru, I immediately liked 2/3 of the songs on the album. On the subsequent re-listen, I liked the other 1/3. Poignant, witty, subversive, catchy, wounded. I needed this album many times in my life. Funny to find that it was recorded the year in my life that I needed it the most, but now I’ve found it, 13yrs later.

Heard before: some I'm so hesitant to give records I haven't heard before a "5". But this has been on my radar since I heard Sinead's fantastic cover of the title track. And these are some of the best songs I've heard in quite some time. He has such a specific and beautiful voice, both as a writer and a singer. At various times, he is direct, evasive, dismissive, warm, hilarious, hopeful, pissed - but it always feels lived and honest, with a healthy dose of fuck off and let me live me life. Even in a song called "Jc Hates Faggots", he's able to go deeper than just an obvious angry/hurt song about religion and bigotry; it explores why the two go hand in hand so well, the resulting pain but also the relief that it gives the bigot. And the lyrics also made me laugh out loud more than once. Remarkable, and not even one of my top three. Really excited to explore more by him. Top tracks: Queen of Denmark, Where Dreams Go To Die, Sigourney Weaver

It was wonderful

That was fucking great.

What an incredibly unique album. Musically, I'm not even sure how to classify this. It is definitely in the indie vein, but has strong influences of synthpop, and college rock as well. Lyrically, John Grant is sardonic, occasionally earnest, and tackles difficult issues with humor and exasperation. This is one of those album that has really stuck with me. I've listened to it three times today already and I imagine it will be in heavy rotation in the future.

My friend Jim said he thought I’d love this so it gives me no pleasure at all to report that I thought it was absolutely fantastic

Me sonaba Marz. Me ha gustado mucho. Indie folksoft rock.

A phenomenal album. I just love this one because of its bitchy lyrics, its range of musical style, its electronic bits and its harmonic bits.

This is probably one of the most varied, strange and mysterious albums I've had on the list so far. I'd never heard of John Grant before this, and on the first few songs I wasn't sure if I was much going to like the album. However, as the album progressed, I started to listen more, pay more attention to the lyrics. Some of it was haunting, some of it was oddly humorous, some of it was just so painfully real, but the lyricism was undeniably amazing throughout. It goes from folk to rock to synth-pop to straight up bizarre and back again. Full of experimentation and expression while channelling artists like Bowie and Pink Floyd, this album really surprised me by the end of it. It went from something I initially expected to dislike, into something I found really beautiful. A great record. Favourite: Sigourney Weaver

Wonderful, quirky, and intelligent.

I was so excited to see "soft rock" given as a genre of this album on Wikipedia, since I don't think I've seen it applied to anything after 1983. It certainly fits this in a 21st century way with its flutes and guitars and pianos and John Grant's smooth, lovely voice. Oh, and it's so much more! Such deep emotions mixed with the most delicious and humorous references. It's the most wonderful thing to laugh while a tear falls, 'cause you can relate, and that happened more than once listening to this one. "I wanted to change the world, but I could not even change my underwear," for example, is a line that is just too horribly and wonderfully relatable. I love this album so much.

This is a new one for me, and I liked it. There is a beauty and brightness to the melodies and harmonies that was very appealing to my ears. The lyrics were interesting and kind of quirky, which I also dug. I am pleased to have met John Grant today!

Goodness Gracious. I cried and laughed out loud. Outstanding. Truly outstanding.

I very much enjoyed Midlake’s “Trials of Van Occupanther” album when it was released in 2006, so I was interested when I read they were the band for this John Grant album. Hadn’t hear of The Czars or John Grant, but his story seems pretty interesting. This did not disappoint. They music is lovely. The songs hard-hitting. It’s quite a combination. I’m listening to a gorgeously arranged musical selection and realize the chorus is singing “Baby, you’re where dreams go to die. I regret the day your lovely carcass caught my eye.” This album is filled with incredible lyrics: “I need a mongoose baby and some Calgon to take me up outta here.” “I feel just like Winona Ryder in that movie about vampires and she couldn’t get the accent right; and neither could that other guy.” “I wish I had the brain of a tyrannosaurus rex so I wouldn’t have to deal with all this crap.” This is a unique and beautiful album that gave me laughs, jolts and tears and I’m here for it.

Love this

I've already listened 4 times 5/5

amazing, spectacular, beautiful. 5/5

Inventive, interesting. Disarmingly simple in execution. Novel without being overly quaint or precious. “Sogourney Weaver” is my new favorite song.

beautiful, hilarious, heart wrenching, honest. the first i’ve heard of John Grant and this is now on my deserted island list. loved every second.

Me sonaba Marz. Me ha gustado mucho. Indie folksoft rock.

HL: "Marz", "Where Dreams Go To Die", "Silver Platter Club", "Sigourney Weaver", "Jesus Hates F******", & the title track Yeah some of the lyrics are distracting & a little corny, but when dressed in such stellar & intricate pop rock, I can overlook it. Because there are *many* 70's albums, and few albums from the 2010s in the book, having "Queen of Denmark" represent the later decade when it has so much more in common with the earlier one (shades of John Cale/Harry Nilsson/some "Wish You Were Here" synths) is a choice. But good luck finding an album from the 70s that deals with sexuality & anxiety so frankly. February 14, 2023

LOVED it.

Excellent mix of meaningful lyrics and irony. Great ballad like songs

Wow! He just puts it out there. All this catharsis sung with a beautiful voice and great backing. JC Hates Faggots is the most unsubtle song I've ever heard. Then he follows it up with a straightforward love song which is then succeeded by a late night, whiskey-soaked break-up song.

Wow! I had never even heard of this album until it popped up in the generator and I was blown away. John Grant is a man of enormous vocal talent and his voice carries this album through songs that are serious, silly, personal, and preposterous. I wish I had found this album sooner. It would have been on steady rotation for a decade.

Jag har helt missat The Czars men anar att jag verkligen missat något. Mot alla odds känns det varken pretentiöst eller segdraget, utan ystert, naturligt och begåvat. Heja!

Why have I not heard this album before? I thought it was going to be another bedwetter with an acoustic guitar and a piano, but boy, was I fucking wrong. An absolutely beautiful album. The lyrics are incredible.

What a great surprise at the end of the year... I really liked the songs! I didn't know the artist, and it stayed with me all weekend.

Love the piano. Really dynamic and a lot of interesting bits

14th December 2022 Listened throughout the day on a busy work day. Haircut and baking in the evening. Loved this. Raw emotion, personal, Bowie-esque at times. Beautiful album.

A really beautiful, lovely album. For me, an undiscovered gem!

Me sonaba Marz. Me ha gustado mucho. Indie folksoft rock

This is the case of an album, that gets better after every listening. It's a very charming record, that has many surprises hidden in very irreverent and full of humour tracks. The album is defined by the last, self-titled song, Queen of Denmark. An epic melody, in the essence of folk, with its quirky lyrics, perfectly symbolises how good and different the record is. John Grant has a great voice, but his true ability is to write and transform the lyrics into amazing pieces, but keeping it down to earth at the same time. I will need many more listening sessions with this album to truly rate it, but until then I'm happy to give it a highest possible note.

One of my favourite artists and albums. An artist who keeps me on my toes with each new release.

This was a big surprise. Cross between Father John Misty and Harry Nillson

Damn this one took me on a ride. This guy has such an impressive knack for melody, harmony, telling narrative through instrument choice, supporting a theme, tasteful and focused embellishment, and a palpably Frank sincerity to his writing.... I could gush about this on and on. The haunting, dramatic vocal sweeps on TC & Honeybear by both John and the operatic backing vocalist. The brilliantly tongue-in-cheek Silver Platter and its fanciful, almost cartoonish use of brass and wind to underscore a very particular mood. The beautifully heartfelt Caramel that could just as easily be interpreted to sing the praise of a lover of John's or of his own eventual self acceptance. The infectious contempt in the dark synth textures on Jesus Hates Faggots, mirroring the vitriol of John's parental figure on the chorus and surely that of his own response to such hate.... I could go on, everything seems so well considered. I vibe with all of it and relate to much of it. I love this. I will listen again, I will listen to his other records, I will see him live. Incredible. Highlights: Caramel, TC & Honeybear, Silver Platter Lowlights: nothing.

This was much better than I was expecting, knowing nothing about it. I am reluctant to give it a 5 but i'm not sure i like giving it a 4 either

Glad to be turned on to this artist. Hadn’t heard of him, and his lyrics are clever and music is unique and good.

I don't always know what he's talking about, but I'm feeling the feels. Not my favorite John Grant album, but still great!

This album is so interesting and I love it. I learned this phrase: give/hand sth to sb on a (silver) platter

I had never heard of John Grant or this album, but I love it. Warm, melodic and fun music, ranging from folk to more poppy stuff, and fantastic lyrics.

Already one of my favourites. Everyone should listen to this album. It's funny, tragic, and thought provoking.

Oh! Quelle surprise!The vocals are gorgeous! Lush, and enthralling. The instrumentation is magical. What an incredible combo. It slaps you in the face immediately with its point of view and personality on TC and Honeybear. I'm a huge fan of quirky, oddball, weirdo lyrics presented with straight up earnestness and unapologetic frankness. This is the niche divergent music I am so grateful for. A true hidden gem. I absolutely hate this album cover though. It's so awful and creepy, it does the beautiful music on this album no justice whatsoever and probably alienates a lot of potential listeners. I wasn't excited about it when I saw it. I dreaded it actually. What a pleasant surprise though, I'm glad I gave it a chance.

Fucking brilliant album

Never heard of him. I’m on my 10th listen in 2 days. Really really enjoyable.

Holy cow...When MOJO says “instant Classic” you can believe them! A masterpiece of songcraft and sonic invention. I’d give this more stars if I could...

Wow, what an album to finish on, or start on if you were lucky enough to start from here. I've long been a fan of this album and John Grant in general just the way he has with words and weaving in pop culture references. I was trying to pick a fave for this review but they're all great.

Very fun album!

FIVE STARS This is exactly the sort of stuff I signed for. Discovering great stuff I had never hear or even heard of before. Because even if you haven't heard anything about John Grant before, chances are that his first solo album is that type of record that is bound to stay with you when you've finished listening to it--granted that the artist ticks all those proverbial idiosyncratic boxes of yours. And John Grant does for this writer here. Already a great piano player blessed with a tenor voice that does wonders throughout this first album, Grant is also an arresting songwriter who has quite a precise story to tell here, transcending his assets as a musician and delivering a gem that didn't receive enough praise at the time of its release. The former leader of the Czars (who took a four-year break from music after the demise of his band) is indeed *not* your usual seventies-type folk-rock balladeer, even though he mostly draws on this codified tradition. And this very creative paradox is only one among many. A gay man raised in a conservative home in Michigan and Colorado, Grant had certainly gone through hard times when *Queen Of Demmark* was released in 2010: alcoholism, childhood trauma, troubles to deal with his sexual orientation, and most of all, a difficult separation with an anonymous lover. So the bulk of *Queen Of Denmark* is a break-up album, sure, but one that comes with *huge* twists when compared with other examples in this genre. And the biggest twist is that the self-deprecating Grant often comes off as a very personal lyricist here, either penning hilarious one-liners or dropping mordant observations about himself or his characters. Rarely have break-up albums been this lively. Part-Stephen Merritt, part-Gene Clark, part-Elton John, part-Nick Cave and part-Nick Drake, John's vocabulary can only be his nonetheless, rendering those tentative comparisons moot once you delve further into his art. On the lighter side of things, this knack for off-kilter, yet *killer* words allowed him to record instant hits such as the novelty parody "On A Silver Platter" or "Sigourney Weaver"--a track fooling around with the song narrator's identification to female Hollywood figures such as Weaver's Ellen Ripley or Winona Ryder, helping him deal with his feelings of being an outcast for eternity. Grant's talent is even more impressive on devastating tracks such as "JC Hates Faggots", where a gay man roasts his father's toxic and traumatic influence on him. And the harshness of the title-track, concluding this record, is just plain unforgettable. Grant sure passes off as a piece of work on this one. But those flaws are also what allow him to write great songs. And they absolve him of unfair accusations of cynicism (some reviewers at the time certainly *didn't* get the themes of the album at all). This particular talent as a lyricist wouldn't be as effective as it is if Grant had not also taken painstaking care in creating a musical canvas that is equally luminous and heartbreaking thoughout the record. The piano riff and chorus of "Marz", as deceptively simple as they sound, are instantly catchy. Grant often modulates harmonies from minor to major modes and back, weaving heratwrenching, bittersweet atmospheres. Apart from piano and guitars, some weird yet often very melodic synth lines and arrangements also bring a color at key moments of many songs, bringing a welcome respite from the overall intensity displayed in some of those tracks. Kudos for the Midlake band for serving as a backing band for Grant and helping him shape those awesome songs--legend has it that without Midlake, Grant wouldn't have returned to music, and we can all be thankful to them for being so supportive. After John Grant released *The Queen Of Denmark*, the artist moved back to Europe (where he had lived before), was diagnosed HIV-positive, ended up in Iceland, settled with a new guy there, and, more importantly for us as listeners, dabbled into some even *weirdest* music languages, some sort of synth pop with a bend for high concepts and elaborate layerings (some enlightening, others a little too obscure for this writer maybe--interestingly, this subsequent high-brow-yet-campy direction is foretold in the bonus tracks in some editions of *The Queen of Denmark*, less remarkable, but still a good fun). It seems that as bizarre and eccentric those albums are, John looks like a happy middle-aged man now. We can all be happy for him. And no matter what happens now or next, he's still left us an incredible first album. This album stemmed from clear pain, no doubt about that. But the pleasure it can still give you today makes such pain 100% worthwhile now.  Number of albums left to review or just listen to:  more than 900, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens:  approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter

such an amazing album, I need to check out this dudes other stuff big fan of the self-reflective 2010s alternative music (like Nakey Jakeys stuff or twenty one pilots music while they were good, from self titled through vessel; blurry face and everything after kinda sucked, oh and regional at best is my favorite) overall yeah, this albums based as fuck, consider me a huge fan of this guy, 10/10

omg love, love, love

Just…. Brilliant. I was engrossed in every second of this project. I need more of this.

Beautiful strings and pianos fill in the rainy soundscape of this album, while John floats modern classic lyrics and vocal delivery on the foam layer of this artisinal coffee.

Superb album. He's an amazing lyricist and musician, and just when you think you know what you're getting, you get so much more in the last third of the album.

Ever since I saw John Grant on telly perform Marz live at Glastonbury, I've loved his music. Taking Marz as an example- on the surface it's a long list of sweet treats overlaying a pretty basic chord progression. Scratch the surface though and it has things to say about abrahamic images of heaven being entirely based around male adult fantasy. 80,000 servants and 72 virgins or a trip to your favourite sweet shop?

I had no idea what to expect from this, but I love it. The confessional, surreal, often darkly humourous lyrics are beautifully complimented by the gentle folk rock with just the right amount of experimental elements and Grant's easy, evocative vocal. 5/5

Very weird album, but in the best way. Super

Ótimo

Ein fallegasta plata sem ég veit um. Allar stjörnurnar.

Simply gorgeous

Surprisingly great!

love it

I have some great memories of this album, i love it!

First time ever listen. Stunning album. The titular song is such a powerful song.

Fav songs: - Outer Space - Where Dreams Go To Die - Chicken Bones - Jc Hates Faggots

Never heard of this album, or artist, before but it was really great. Very, very cool.

Really good!! Very complex and deep/thoughtful!

Antes de escucharlo, estuve pensando en David Bowie (?). No sé si eso influyó, pero mucho de este disco me dio las mismas vibras que “Space Oddity”. Tiene letras muy bonitas también.

Muito bom!

Nice

Really liked this

Primero lo pensé como una mezcla entre Perfume Genius y Weyes Blood (por lo que he escuchado, pues). Me gustó ese tonito melancólico, pero de repente un poco subido de ánimo y tempo, jaja, también la voz del John Grant. Luego le puse atención a las letras y me pareció un letrista estupendo. Después volví a escuchar y me di cuenta de que es de estos discos que me gustan mucho. Hay letras llegadoras, sí, pero también las hay medio bobas como "I wish I had the brain of a Tyrannosaurus Rex so that I wouldn't have to deal with all this crap". También, sorprendente la mención a Eduardo Verástegui (!) como referente de masculinidad. En fin, favs: "Marz", "It's Easier" y "Jesus Hates Faggots". "Silver Platter Club" también está buena, sobre todo para el wokismo. 10/10

Surprising. I'd never heard of JG before and it is exactly up my alley.

I’m a fan. GMF ( not on this album ) is one of my favorites.

Good record

This was unexpectedly good. I really like Sigourney Weaver. All in all a good to great album. Especially great because I had no expectations going in.

Ooh. Never heard of this, but I *really* liked it.

Good

Never heard of John Grant but really liked the album. A bit offensive at times but enjoyable all the same.

Oddly interesting

Sittin between a 3 and 4. Really fun but the bo burnham meets dark side of the moon was a tough review to read right before listening, it is all I could focus on. There’s a lot of high school theater kid energy on this but most of it is doing the right thing.

okay i saw this cover and was like whattt but i really enjoyed this

Weird, off-beat, kinda fun. Like emo glam rock.

the album like 90% revolves around its turn-of-the-century vocal stylings, which are sort of trapped somewhere between Fountains of Wayne and Cake, flat and predictable but still sort of campy? feels entirely behind its own time. the harmonies and vocal effects used here get close to droning pretty often, a sound i generally attach to more capable youtube parody music. the lyrics have this element of high school poetry fundamentals, and the pop culture references feel a little funny (weird). that being said, maybe it was well-timed because there was something completely charming about it, to the point that even an average score feels dishonest. favorite song is Chicken Bones or Queen of Denmark, or the one with the slurs

This album reminds of one of my favourite pieces of graffiti from the 1980s. A car park on Parramatta Rd in Sydney had spray-painted in large red letters "God hates homos", to which someone had added a rejoinder "But does he like tabouli?". Homophobia is often most effectively undercut with humour. I had never heard of this artist or album. I read the wikipedia article and I was pretty sure I knew what was coming; mid-level alternative quasi-crooner of the type so beloved in the UK (see also: the Divine Comedy, the Beautiful South, Richard Hawley, et hoc genus omnes), albeit with the 'twist' of being a gay man, backed by a mid-level indie band (Midlake! It's right there in the name!) for an aggressively mid album. Musically, it is reminiscent of 70s singer-songwriter albums like Harry Nilsson or even Elton John, although not as well played/recorded as those major 70s albums. Pastiche of 70s soft rock is not generally my jam. And the first three tracks totally confirmed my initial assessment. "Figured", I thought, "Two stars, but I'll bear with it through to the end just so I can say that I did." And then 'Sigourney Weaver' played, and suddenly my ears pricked up. The musical presentation was much the same -- handsome crooning like so many songs we have heard a million times before -- but the lyrics were a take I'd never heard before. Funny and sarcastic and conversational and heavily inspired by pop culture, this sounds much more like the way my friends and I talk to each other. And it wasn't an aberration. I really enjoyed the rest of the album. As a number of reviewers have commented, he lifts musical ideas from the past, but I see that more as placing himself in a musical tradition and building on the shoulders of giants rather than plagiarism. But the lyrics were a fresh take on classic themes -- adolescent trauma, bad relationships, self-destructive behaviour -- and I often found the songs funny, unfiltered and/or surprising while delivered with a straight face. Reading others' reviews, I can see that this facet of this album that I liked best is what really pissed off a lot of people. Me, I like the lyrics, especially 'Silver Platter' which talks about his feelings towards (straight male) privilege (slightly jealous) and the title track which feels like a weird re-write of 'Can't Live Without You', rising to an angry climax where Grant turns his hurt and trauma back on his tormentors, ending in a final devastating punchline. 'JC Hates Faggots' seems to be particularly triggering for a lot of reviewers. Attitudes towards the use of slurs are evolving at present, so some people find slurs unacceptable -- especially slurs that do not align with the singer's own identity -- even in the context of a song that is clearly highly critical of prejudice. And that is a valid viewpoint. I do suspect, however, that some people are more upset by the criticism of so-called Christians using Jesus Christ's name to justify their ridiculous hatreds. I think Grant does a good job of calling out this terrible behaviour as somewhere between hypocrisy, bigotry and idiotic wrong-headedness. So, you know, if you find this song triggers you, I'd recommend having a good think about why that is. Two minor quibbles: 1- Grant's singing is double-tracked on nearly every song, which I find emotionally distancing. Double tracking can add power when used judiciously, but here it makes the singing seem less personal, more artificial. I find this production choice inexplicable as he has a great voice. His singing on 'Caramel' is both powerful and moving without double tracking. Maybe the content was a bit raw, so an arch affectation like double tracking allowed him to remove himself a bit from the realness of what he was singing. 2- Fucking bonus tracks. I feel like this is really well sequenced and timed album, and it reaches a cathartic crescendo in the final, title track. The emotional impact is immediately undone by the addition of four bonus tracks which are mostly joke tracks. I strongly recommend turning this off a soon as the title track is over. This is clearly a minor album and doesn't really warrant a place on this list. But I enjoyed being introduced to this, and frankly, a surprising listen was welcome at this point in the journey, less than 100 albums from the end. I was initially going to give this two stars but I really started to dig everything from 'Sigourney Weaver' to 'Queen of Denmark'., so I want to give it 3.5 stars because I really enjoyed it. Which I am rounding up to four stars to piss off anyone who rated this down because of homophobia.

One of the most up to date albums so far, pleasing that it is so good. Already knew about GMF but hadn't heard this before. Well worth a listen.

Thought this was pretty decent - it sounds very **Elton John**, **Carpenters**, **Pink Floyd** and mid-to-latter day **Anathema**-esque in its piano-driven melancholy across large spells, and I've few complaints with that. Analogue synthesisers, swelling string arrangements and delicate flute playing gives the album a 70s feel, although updated with a modern production sheen. It's a constant, compelling fusion of pitch-black cynicism and raw trauma delivered in a witty, deadpan fashion under a warm, opulent veil, and although it does suffer from some slight pacing issues, fortunately it does have a knack of eventually switching things up when listening fatigue begins to set in.

I listened to this on a hot, sunny day when I was in a really good mood, and I liked it a lot. I have a sneaking suspicion though that if both the weather and I had been a bit more miserable, I might have gone to five stars for this.

Funny album. Some songs remind me of Weird Al Yankovic. Sigourney Weaver stood out the most.

This was not what I was expecting at all and I was all for it

Not 100% sure what to make of this! I mostly liked it, could lose a couple of songs. Kind of reminded me of the Divine Comedy album (which I loved), but done in 2010.

This reminds me of a pilot I had about 20 years ago while flying between Houston and Dallas. He stood at the door of the cockpit and, with a poised and hypnotic pilot's voice, told us to be seated and what to expect. When I finally tuned into what he was saying, which was easy to ignore, it was along the lines of, "We'll be flying at 30 feet. Much lower than you are used to, but you'll love the more intimate view. I canceled all adverse weather, so nothing to speak of there. Now, sit tight, buckle up, this is going to be one helluva ride." No one except me laughed or even heard what he said.

Like Harry Nilsson and Rufus Wainwright frenching (just for me)

Solid album would definitely listen to again, and buy on cd, had never heard of this guy before

aldrigt hört talas om ingen, fanns många bra låtar!

Interesting album, but pretty good. The singing and production were good and it was funny. Nothing outstanding but a solid 4

Grant's voice is burnished and subdued, layered together like the album cover would suggest. The orchestration on this album is expansive, at times both resembling a small rock band and a sprawling symphony, with Grant sat somewhere in the centre, both isolated and fully part of the fabric of his music. His lyrics are sardonic and snarky, drawing from what feels like real life experiences and thought patterns, although his use of the N-word sours the sentiment of the song; by contrast, the moments of ambience are haunting and cerebral. I suppose that's the beauty of this album - there is so much palpable contrast; the music and the singer, the words and the silence, the them and the other.

Was not before familiar. Good stuff.

Wow, I'm really loving the guitar on this first track. I like the softness of his voice too. Holy shit the piano on the second track, damn! I've actually heard this one before. Yep, I had that one favorited. Don't know how I came across that one. The melodies on these songs are pretty. Where Dreams Go To Die was really good. I liked JC Hates Faggots lol. I'll give this one 4 stars.

Marz

Never heard before but really nice to sing along to, and also liked the lyrics, would definitely like to do a deeper dive into this album

Never heard of this artist, so this was a pleasant surprise. Really liked it; good arrangements with biting and darkly funny lyrics.

Astonished by the reviews on here. This is brilliant! Witty, dark, deliberately janky.

Don't judge a book by it's cover, this is the definition of this album

Mixed feelings. Some obvious highlights - like the amazing title track, and JC hates... - but not quite enough of them to sustain the whole album. Couple of the bonus tracks too, while fun, don't really belong here. 3.7

For the lyrics stopping me in ny tracks (which had not happened in a while on this list)

It won my attention. A bit Tim Mincheny

Quite good. Will revisit

I used to love the song ‘Marz’ when this album came out, but never listened to anything else by Grant. This album was great!

Hey mais c'était pas mal en fait.

I thought this was completely new to me, but I'd heard one track before, on a mixtape from a friend who's much more of an indie hipster than me. I really liked it. I thought at first that it was just quirky indie folk and I liked the funny lyrics, but the second half is wildly varied, with gay disco electronica and Kraftwerk pastiches and a moving epic rock track at the end. I'll definitely be listening again.

muy variado pero guapo, un 4

Helt nytt för mig det här och tyckte väldigt mycket om det! Roligt, välskrivet och opretentiöst. Jc hates faggots och sigourney weaver var toppen och som lök på laxen får man en tysk karaktär på slutet. Skivan är egentligen för lång, men är underhållen hela vägen. Djärvt att så flagrant plagiera Beatles across the universe i Where the dreams go to die. Mycket stark 4a.

Sjukt bra, sjukt ball, förutom låtarna i deluxe versionen som jag skulle kunna vara utan.

Keistai patiko. Įdomus tekstas.

3.5 A tale of two halves. It was in the high 3's until the title track hit. That's the good news was downright woeful and what followed wasn't much better. Ignoring the last half hour then, that was a pretty enjoyable album. It sounded quite novel, really enjoyed his style of singing, the self-harmonies, the humour in the lyrics crossed with the sadness/frustration/lamenting at the state of the world. Might explore more (but filter out the shite)

Amazing

TC & Honeybear - 3.5/5 Marz - 5/5 Where The Dreams Go To Die - 4/5 Sigourney Weaver - 4.5/5 Chicken Bones - 3.5/5 Silver Platter Club - 4.5/5 It's Easier - 3/5 Outer Space - 3.5/5 JC Hates Faggots - 3/5 Caramel - 4/5 Leopard And Lamb - 4/5 Queen Of Denmark - 4/5

Never heard of it but enjoyed it. Nothing that really stood out but it was nice.

4/5

Really good. Very Midlake, but great lyrics and a good pace.

Compelling and clever from an artist I’d not previously heard of. Upon two listens reminds me of a less amusing, but not necessarily less intriguing Father John Misty.

I really liked this - reminded me of a mix of John Prine’s sillier song lyric and Father John Misty’s musicality.

Pretty interesting. I've never heard of him before

I've never heard of this album. It appears to be an indie rock record from 2010- exactly the kind of music I tend to hate. I don't hate this. In fact, I find it to be a good album. These are some of the best lyrics I've ever heard(barring the slurs in Jesus Hates Fa***ts), being witty, funny, and personal in a way few albums are. Some of the songs are sonically beautiful, while others are more like standard rock songs. The vocals fit the music very well and add to the lovably dorky atmosphere. This album is great because it's deeply personal and relatable in a way few albums are. It gives off a very "lovable loser" vibe to me, and I enjoy it. A surprisingly excellent outing for the era and genre.

I had no expectations or background going into this record. First listen- I was very pleased. Incredibly personal and wonderful lyrics. I did not put this next to a Czars record (of which it has been a while), but great to hear and great to learn about John Grant more after I finished listening. This one is worth a spin!

Quite liked it to he fair maybe four stars. Sounded a bit like sounded a bit like they might be giants. Strong overall.

Sound-wise, this is a little too much like Ryan Adams to be fully enjoyable for me, but the lyrics include a lot more humor and, for my money, a smarter take on complexity of those who hover around the edges of society just trying to do their own thing. I'm probably rounding up in my rating just because it's nice to know that a list with exactly zero Warren Zevon albums has still made room for an album with songs that can make us laugh at the same time they're making us think.

Beautiful loved kinda country indie pop vibe

Never heard of him, so had no clue what to expect. Really random stuff, but enjoyable, and great music. Thoroughly enjoyed this one, definitely one I'll listen to again.

I didn’t have high hopes for this after reading some of the reviews, but pleased to report the haters are wrong, this is really good. The voice, the music, the arrangements all good. And the lyrics are actually underrated humorous, people need to see the funny side!! Recommended

Heel lang getwijfeld of ik dit album 4 of 5 sterren wilde geven. Denk toch 4. Ik ga het album zeker nog een keer luisteren. Misschien krijgt het dan 5 sterren. Ik vond het een prachtig album. Er zaten gevoelige nummers tussen maar ook grappige. Ik vind het bijzonder dat het een homoseksuele man is. Dat maakt de muziek voor mij nog gevoeliger. Op het einde zaten een paar nummers die me niet zo aantrokken. Vandaar 4 sterren. Maar zeker een album om nog eens te luisteren. Heb 2 nummer alvast opgeslagen

🎧This is the kind of interesting weirdness I come to the 1001 for. Never heard of John Grant, probably would not have come across this if it weren’t for the list. Favorite tracks: Sigourney Weaver, It’s Easier, Queen of Denmark

I’m pretty sure all of the reviews saying he started “saying slurs for no reason” are being willfully ignorant. There’s a legitimate critique to make about the inclusion of specific slurs given the artist’s own positionality as a white American and that might cross someone’s personal line for enjoyment of the project. Unfortunately, that’s not what I’m reading in most of these responses, and the knee jerk homophobia in some of these reviews is telling.

This might be a 5, I need to listen more, but my first impression is that I fucking love this album. This is the reason I'm listening to the 1001, to find things I had no idea existed, and wouldn't have come across otherwise. This album really isn't my usual thing but it's a great listen. The only downside is that his voice is so soothing I've tried to listen five times and keep falling asleep. I'm going to find his other albums. Really enjoyable album, interesting lyrics, interesting sounds, interesting themes, all put together wonderfully, and I've lost count of how many times it's made me laugh out loud.

I got hooked into the lyrics

2/25/26 - Listened during "work". This was so strange and catchy and not at all what I thought it was going to be. The first half was stronger than the second half but I could absolutely see myself listening to this again. By definition, that is a four star album. Top Song - Sigourney Weaver

Álbum muito bom e coeso

Good old fashioned music to listen to. I am sure the lyrics are deep, but I didn't listen for them.

Quirky singer songwriter, some funny lyrics (I caught tyrannosaurus rex)

Really pleasantly surprised by this. The instrumentation, the singing, the lyrics, all top notch. Digging into it and seeing how he struggles with his sexuality and putting that into the songs makes it kind of click. Vocally very reminiscent (I think) of Todd Rundgren, though there might be another artist that's similar, additionally I think that he does that double vocal thing that Kurt Cobain did where you record yourself singing it twice and then layer those tracks. All in all great, would give it a 5 but I listened to Rubber Soul yesterday and by comparison super hard to say "this is as good as that"

Wow, I rather enjoyed this, and I'm really glad I did. Would I revisit this: yes, definitely.

Had never heard of this guy, but it's quite good. I get notes of ELO and Gordon Lightfoot. Will reward repeat listening.

3.5/5 - This is a man who says what he means and means what he says. No beating around the bush with metaphor or poetic devices. The backing music doesn't do much for me, but the lyrics are worth the price of admission. Sigourney Weaver, Jesus Hates Faggots, Queen of Denmark, and Marz were all repeat listens. This was much better than I expected. Rounding up for "GMF" from one of his later albums, which I really like.

Day764 - i’m a big fan on father john misty and this album travels in the same lane

De johnny grant d queen vo dänemark hed mich da sehr überrascht und au gfalle. Obwohli na nie vu dem ghört han. E klassische 3.5er isch das. Aber für was entscheidi. Vlt grosszügigi 4,

I absolutely didn't know what to expect and this turned out to be one of the most interesting albums I've listened to in a long while.

I didn't hear this on its release but I have been drip-fed tracks on the radio (BBC Radio 6 Music). It's excellent stuff.

I only really became aware of John Grant last year when GMF came up on a playlist. I really enjoyed this - a very distinctive voice. Thank you 1001, I will definitely come back to this album

Significantly better than I was expecting. Felt like it opened and closed with its two best songs (TC and Honeybear / Queen of Denmark), but basically everything throughout was solid. The emotional stuff felt real and raw, there was some irreverent funny stuff, all just set to well composed and interesting songs. I will say, though, that Jesus hates Faggots was a hell of a gut punch. Wasn't expecting to hear that one. Anyway, really good album. 8/10, 4 stars.

4/5

Darkly ironic songs. I can see needing to be in a certain frame of mind for this one - good for the cold January day I got it. Also, anything that name drops Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder I’d be into.

Really enjoyed this album. Started listening to the first track and was thinking about Midlake before then reading that they were in the studio on this which made a lot of sense. John Grant added to my rotation!

Wow - this is beautiful, layered, and interesting. Excited to find this

Alternate universe in which Father John Misty is gay. It's great!

I liked all the ideas with this album some songs I really liked and others felt like they left something to be desired but overall really solid lots of interesting ideas and instrumentals faves: queen of denmark where dreams go to die 4.2 stars 8.3/10

This album is just good vibes, the first song of the album was actually giving road trip energy and I can’t even explain why. Other than one song with a questionable name and word choice, the album is just a vibe to listen to. I didn’t hate any of the songs when listening to it and I enjoyed more songs than I thought I would. I’m very happy to finally listen to something relatively modern.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I've never heard of this artist prior to this but I am glad this record was so fun. The lyrics are fun though at points they can be corny. I really enjoyed just how different the record was. I expected a very safe pop record but instead it was so much more. There is a fair bit of experimentation going on and it feels like something that might have inspired newer pop sounds. The instrumentals are beautiful and as said prior the lyrics were fun, a lot of lyrics made me go back to read them again. It does feel like the record has two halves with the second half being a lot more melancholy. Overall, I really enjoyed this , definitely would listen to again 4/5

The lyrics kept catching my attention

Nice piano & violin parts, American voice let down a tiny bit

I was not at all familiar with this guy, or the album. But I'm really digging it. The music is easy to listen to, but then I looked up from my work and did a double-take at the lyrics. So awesome! The best comparison I can make is to Barenaked Ladies. And now I see that he's got quite a few albums out, so I've got some things to add to the queue once I get caught up on my 1001 Albums project!

He's got such a lovely voice. Brilliant, imaginative storytelling. Only giving it a 4 because I've known about it for many years and not put it on that much. Great to revisit though!

Decent artist I've never heard of.

Hmmm, I’m having a tough time rating this one. I find it fairly simple and listening to the whole album becomes a bit repetitive, but there’s something about it I find extremely catchy. High 3 low 4.

"Queen of Denmark" is the solo debut album by American musician former Czars' frontman John Grant. Indie folk and soft rock are the Wiki-listed genres. About right. The album was a collaboration between Grant and members of American folk rock band Midlake. Grant is on lead vocals and plays the piano, keyboards and synthesizer. Midlake consists of Eric Pulido (guitars), Eric Nichelson (guitars), Paul Alexander (bass, bassoon), McKenzie Smith (drums) and Tim Smith (flute). Eight additional musicians were also used. The album had critical acclaim with comparisons to Dennis Wilson's "Pacific Ocean Blue." The album opens with "TC and Honeybear." Acoustic guitar and a ticking sound. Grant with a strong, clear baritone as he tells about a forbidden relationship by societal standards. A melancholic piano and dreamy flute complete the musical picture. Strings and an echoing electric guitar are added to the piano, acoustic guitar and a flute in "Marz." Grant wants to go to Marz to get exotic and forbidden foods. "Where Dreams Go to Die" is a song that builds both vocally and musically. Beautiful sounding with the same instruments as previously mentioned. His love affair appears a dream about to die. The synth, drum and electric guitar become more the focus in the rockin' "Sigourney Weaver." Harmony vocalization as Grant needs to fight aliens like Sigourney Weaver. Grant amps the emotions in "It's Easier." A swirling synth in a song that reminded me of Duran Duran's "Ordinary World." He needs to leave his partner. The dramatic "Queen of Denmark" closes the album. A song that eventually explodes both musically with the electric guitar and vocally. Maybe when his partner leaves him his partner can become the Queen of Denmark. The music on this album is airy, dreamy, tender, almost ethereal and beautiful. It combines the baroque, folk, bouncy and soft rock. Grant's vocals recall Scott Walker and Father John Misty. The lyrics are compelling dealing with forbidden relationships, fading relationships, attractions to people, being gay and even strange foods. I haven't heard anything from the Czars or John Grant but this album makes me want to check them out. This is a strong album.

Never heard of this, but liked it. Comparable to Fleet Foxes and Father John Misty.

Elbow meets Steven Wilson. I liked it.