Grey Tickles, Black Pressure

The album's title stems from the literal translation of two foreign phrases: "grey tickles" is an Icelandic phrase for approaching middle age, while "black pressure" is the Turkish term for a nightmare.{{cite web|title=John Grant announces third solo album|url=http://bellaunion.com/2015/06/john-grant-announces-third-solo-album-grey-tickles-black-pressure-released-2nd-october-on-bella-union/|website=Bella Union|accessdate=June 23, 2015}} Grant stated that he wanted to get "angrier and moodier" on the album, although he enjoyed the process of making it more than his previous two.{{cite web|title=Why Is John Grant So Bloody Upset|url=http://www.out.com/popnography/2015/7/01/why-john-grant-so-bloody-upset|website=Out|accessdate=August 10, 2015}}

The album's trailer features Grant in the midst of a psychotic break, covered in blood and wielding a croquet mallet as a weapon. He described it as a fantasy of "what [he] would like to do every time somebody calls [him] a faggot". The album features three guests: English singer Tracey Thorn features on the track "Disappointing", American singer Amanda Palmer provides backing vocals on "You & Him", and English drummer Budgie plays the drums on every track. The latter would also go on tour as Grant's drummer.

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 8.1/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/7555/John-Grant-Grey-Tickles-Black-Pressure.aspx|title=Grey Tickles, Black Pressure by John Grant reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|accessdate=December 6, 2019}}

| MC = 82/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/grey-tickles-black-pressure/john-grant|title=Reviews for Grey Tickles, Black Pressure by John Grant|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=October 7, 2015}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/grey-tickles-black-pressure-mw0002856064|title=Grey Tickles, Black Pressure – John Grant|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=April 20, 2019|last=Phares|first=Heather}}

| rev2 = The Guardian

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct/01/john-grant-grey-tickles-black-pressure-review|title=John Grant: Grey Tickles, Black Pressure review – trauma, jokes and joy|work=The Guardian|date=October 1, 2015|accessdate=October 7, 2015|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis}}

| rev3 = The Independent

| rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/john-grant-grey-tickles-black-pressure-album-review-melancholy-masterpieces-with-an-electro-funk-a6686821.html|title=John Grant, Grey Tickles, Black Pressure – album review: Melancholy masterpieces with an electro-funk groove raise a smile|work=The Independent|date=October 9, 2015|accessdate=December 6, 2019|last=Gill|first=Andy|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011211046/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/john-grant-grey-tickles-black-pressure-album-review-melancholy-masterpieces-with-an-electro-funk-a6686821.html|archivedate=October 11, 2015}}

| rev4 = The Irish Times

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/john-grant-grey-tickles-black-pressure-album-of-the-week-1.2381002|title=John Grant: Grey Tickles, Black Pressure {{!}} Album of the Week|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=October 9, 2015|accessdate=April 20, 2019|last=Murphy|first=Lauren}}

| rev5 = Mojo

| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal|url=http://www.mojo4music.com/21897/john-grant-grey-tickles-black-pressure/|title=John Grant – Grey Tickles, Black Pressure|journal=Mojo|date=October 2, 2015|accessdate=October 7, 2015|last=Trynka|first=Paul}}

| rev6 = The Observer

| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct/04/john-grant-grey-tickles-black-pressure-review-chipper|title=John Grant: Grey Tickles, Black Pressure review – the most chipper of Grant's solo works|work=The Observer|date=October 4, 2015|accessdate=April 20, 2019|last=Empire|first=Kitty|author-link=Kitty Empire}}

| rev7 = Q

| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal|title=John Grant: Grey Tickles, Black Pressure|journal=Q|issue=352|date=November 2015|page=110}}

| rev8 = Record Collector

| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite journal|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/grey-tickles-black-pressure|title=John Grant – Grey Tickles, Black Pressure|journal=Record Collector|issue=446|date=November 2015|accessdate=April 20, 2019|last=Kennedy|first=Jake}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/grey-tickles-black-pressure-104520/|title=Grey Tickles, Black Pressure|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=October 6, 2015|accessdate=April 20, 2019|last=Walters|first=Barry}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10score = 8/10{{cite journal|title=John Grant: Grey Tickles, Black Pressure|journal=Uncut|issue=222|date=November 2015|page=70}}

}}

The album received acclaim. NME named it "one of the albums of the year" and praised both its personal lyrics and pop melodies.[https://www.nme.com/reviews/john-grant/16276 Grey Tickles, Black Pressure - review]. NME. Retrieved October 7, 2015. On their own lists of the best albums of the year, The Guardian and Rough Trade respectively placed it at No. 38{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/ng-interactive/2015/dec/02/best-albums-of-2015|title=The Best Albums of 2015 |work=The Guardian| publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=December 2, 2015 |accessdate=December 14, 2015}} and No. 11.{{cite web|url=http://www.roughtrade.com/aoty15 |title=Albums of the Year 2015 |publisher=roughtrade.com |date=2015-11-25 |accessdate=2015-12-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151205191530/http://www.roughtrade.com/aoty15 |archivedate=2015-12-05 }} Time named the 11th track on the album, "Disappointing", as the fifth best song of 2015.{{cite web|url=http://time.com/4132832/top-10-best-songs-2/|title=Best Songs of 2015|date=3 December 2015|publisher=Time|accessdate=January 14, 2016|archive-date=14 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114124818/http://time.com/4132832/top-10-best-songs-2/|url-status=dead}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Grey Tickles, Black Pressure track listing

| all_writing = John Grant

| title1 = Intro

| length1 = 1:36

| title2 = Grey Tickles, Black Pressure

| length2 = 5:30

| title3 = Snug Slacks

| length3 = 4:11

| title4 = Guess How I Know

| length4 = 3:34

| title5 = You & Him

| length5 = 3:26

| title6 = Down Here

| length6 = 4:09

| title7 = Voodoo Doll

| length7 = 3:07

| title8 = Global Warming

| length8 = 4:04

| title9 = Magma Arrives

| length9 = 5:02

| title10 = Black Blizzard

| length10 = 4:48

| title11 = Disappointing

| length11 = 4:56

| title12 = No More Tangles

| length12 = 6:09

| title13 = Geraldine

| length13 = 6:22

| title14 = Outro

| length14 = 0:30

| total_length =

}}

Primary musicians

• John Grant – lead vocals, keyboards, synth programming and sequencing
• Pétur Hallgrímsson – guitar
• Jakob Smári Magnússon – bass
• Budgie – drums

Additional musicians

• Amanda Palmer – additional vocals (track 5)
• Tracey Thorn – additional vocals (track 11)
• Fiona Brice – additional vocals, string, brass and vocal arrangements (written and conducted by), violin
• Tierannye Sparks – additional vocals
• Alisa Alexander – additional vocals
• Bobby Sparks – keyboards
• John Congleton – synth programming and sequencing, drum programming and sequencing
• David Monsch – bass clarinet
• Matt Milewski – violin
• Natalie Floyd – violin
• Sarah Carmichael – violin
• Buffi Jacobs – cello
• Debbie Brooks – cello
• Keith Jourdan – trumpet
• Peter Clagett – trumpet
• David Pierce – trombone
• Carl Murr – trombone
• Simon Willats – tuba
• Heather Test – French horn
• Wes Baggaley – spoken word (track 1)
• Olafur Darri Olafsson – spoken word (track 1)
• Petra Hallberg – spoken word (track 1)
• Jeppe Kjellberg – spoken word (track 1)
• Billy Novik – spoken word (track 1)
• Karl Neukauf – spoken word (track 1)
• Carys Connolly – spoken word (track 14)

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Category:2015 albums

Category:John Grant (musician) albums

Category:Bella Union albums