Former Czars frontman and current solo artist John Grant is returning this summer with a new album called The Art of the Lie — and yes, that album title is a reference to Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal.
"Trump's book, The Art of the Deal, is now seen by MAGA disciples as just another book of the Bible and Trump himself as a messiah sent from heaven. Because, God wants you to be rich," Grant explained in a press statement.
"This album is in part about the lies people espouse and the brokenness it breeds and how we are warped and deformed by these lies," he added. "For example, the Christian Nationalist movement has formed an alliance with White Supremacist groups and together they have taken over the Republican party and see LGBTQ+ people and non-whites as genetically and even mentally inferior and believe all undesirables must be forced either to convert to Christianity and adhere to the teachings of the Bible as interpreted by them or they must be removed in order that purity be restored to 'their' nation."
"They now believe Democracy is not the way to achieve these goals. Any sort of pretense of tolerance that may have seemed to develop over the past several decades has all but vanished. It feels like the US in is free-fall mode."
The album title was inspired by Trump's 'The Art of the Deal.'
After admiring Ivor Guest's work on Grace Jones' Hurricane and Brigitte Fontaine's Prohibition, Grant invited the producer and composer to collaborate on The Art of the Lie alongside the Invisible guitarist Dave Okumu, bassist Robin Mullarkey, drummer Seb Rochford, and singer Rachel Sermanni.
"We could often only work for two weeks at a time, it was so intense," Grant said. "Ivor assembled a team of incredible musicians ... There were a lot of moments of magic from everyone."
He also name-checked Vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack, "the Carpenters if John Carpenter were also a member," Talk Talk, Kate Bush, Jane Siberry, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and Devo as musical touchstones for the record.
Today, Grant has also shared the unabashedly funky lead single "It's a B--ch" alongside a trailer for the new album.
"It was a blast making this track which is just about having fun with words, synths, and dope rhythms and bass lines and also making fun of post-COVID malaise," Grant said.
"Plus, people get to ponder what a 'hesher' is. I loved going to the arcade in the '80s and watching smokin'-hot heshers hold court while playing Tempest, Stargate, Robotron, and Asteroids, and while also blasting Iron Maiden and Rush on their Walkmans."
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The Art of the Lie Tracklist:
1. All That School for Nothing
2. Marbles
3. Father
4. Mother and Son
5. Twistin Scriptures
6. Meek AF
7. It's a B----
8. Daddy 9.
The Child Catcher
10. Laura Lou
11. Zeitgeist
UK and EU tour dates:
John Grant UK & EU tour dates:
10/17 – London – Hackney Church
10/19 – Sunderland – The Fire Station
10/21 – Glasgow – Barrowland Ballroom
10/22 – Dublin – Vicar Street
10/24 – Cardiff – Tramshed
10/25 – Bristol – Bristol Beacon
10/26 – Bexhill – De La Warr Pavilion
10/28 – Birmingham – Birmingham Town Hal
10/29 – Norwich – Epic Studios
10/31 – Manchester – New Century Hall
11/01 – Leeds – Project House
11/02 – Liverpool – Liverpool Philharmonic
11/05 – Amsterdam – Melkweg MAX
11/06 – Cologne – Kulturkirche
11/07 – Berlin – Columbia Theatre
11/09 – Aarhus – Train
11/10 – Copenhagen – Vega
11/11 – Stockholm – Nalen
11/13 – Oslo – Rockefeller Music Hall
The Art of the Lie is out June 14 via Bella Union. You can preorder it here.
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