Have you heard of John Grant? He released minimalist beat tinged album Pale Green Ghosts in 2013  and Queen of Denmark in 2010. Prior to his solo incarnation he was the frontman for Colorado alt-rock group The Czars. If you want to get a hint of his offbeat style, listen to Black Belt from Pale Green Ghosts. I love this track.

John Grant is an American indie rocker now living in Iceland who had a difficult time growing up gay in a Southern Baptist family.  He also struggled with addictions, and was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 2011. These experiences have informed his music.

Disappointing is a single from his upcoming album Grey Tickles, Black Pressure due to hit the shelves in October. Here he teams up with Tracey Thorn who I’ve loved since my teens via Everything But The Girl. Thorne’s vocals are deliciously velvety and smooth. She also lent her pipes to Massive Attack‘s second album that was hugely popular in my hometown of Christchurch, New Zealand way back in the 90’s. Hearing Protection now, takes me right back to those days.

Here’s what John Grant has to say about his new track.

“Disappointing is pretty straightforward. I list a bunch of my favorite things in the world, like Earl Grey Malts from Paris on the Platte café in Denver, which, unfortunately, just shut its doors after 28 years. We used to go there in the 80s to get those malts which I’ve never had anywhere else. Guess I’ll have to make my own now. Anyway, the song is about how everything in the world is disappointing compared to seeing a smile spread across the face of the one you love.”