Borne out of troubled times, this album looks to have saved former Czars ringleader John Grant from disillusionment with the music industry and a self-destructive spiral of self loathing, drink and drugs.
Given this background, you'd expect Queen of Denmark to be a difficult listen. However, with significant nods to 70s soft rock such as The Carpenters, Elton John, Bread and Jackson Browne, Grant - backed by Midlake - has managed to produce a record of real warmth, sumptuous orchestration and dripping with harmonies. Okay, so the lyrics are extremely dark at times (witness the title track's self-loathing) but Grant has made it through to the other side, and judging by recent interviews he's looking to the future in a more positive frame of mind.
20. Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon.
Well, what unexpected fun this was. David Andrew Sitek has overseen three wonderful albums as a member/producer of TV On The Radio, but this was his first venture into solo record territory.
Anyone expecting to hear more Sitek vocals after his lovely cover of The Troggs' 'With a Girl Like You' on the Dark Was The Night Compilation would be left disappointed, as he takes a backseat to guest vocalists Theophilus London, Kat Ford (of the criminally underrated Celebration), TVOTR band members Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe, Karen O and David Byrne.
Funky from start to finish, Sitek's guitar work calls to mind Chic/Nile Rogers, Prince, and of course Talking Heads. There's also shimmering synths, horn stabs and disco fun. Great stuff.
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