| Grey Tickles, Black Pressure | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 9, 2015 | |||
| Recorded | 2014–2015 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 57:23 | |||
| Label | Bella Union | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| John Grant chronology | ||||
| ||||
Grey Tickles, Black Pressure is the third solo album by American musician John Grant. It was released via Bella Union on October 9, 2015.
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. [1] 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. [2]
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". [2] 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.
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 8.1/10 [3] |
| Metacritic | 82/100 [4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| The Guardian | [6] |
| The Independent | [7] |
| The Irish Times | [8] |
| Mojo | [9] |
| The Observer | [10] |
| Q | [11] |
| Record Collector | [12] |
| Rolling Stone |  [13] |
| Uncut | 8/10 [14] |
The album received acclaim. [4] NME named it "one of the albums of the year" and praised both its personal lyrics and pop melodies. [15] On their own lists of the best albums of the year, The Guardian and Rough Trade respectively placed it at No. 38 [16] and No. 11. [17] Time named the 11th track on the album, "Disappointing", as the fifth best song of 2015. [18]
| Publication | Accolade | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| The Guardian | The Best Albums of 2015 | 38 |
| Rough Trade | Albums of the Year 2015 | 11 |
All tracks are written by John Grant
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 1:36 |
| 2. | "Grey Tickles, Black Pressure" | 5:30 |
| 3. | "Snug Slacks" | 4:11 |
| 4. | "Guess How I Know" | 3:34 |
| 5. | "You & Him" | 3:26 |
| 6. | "Down Here" | 4:09 |
| 7. | "Voodoo Doll" | 3:07 |
| 8. | "Global Warming" | 4:04 |
| 9. | "Magma Arrives" | 5:02 |
| 10. | "Black Blizzard" | 4:48 |
| 11. | "Disappointing" | 4:56 |
| 12. | "No More Tangles" | 6:09 |
| 13. | "Geraldine" | 6:22 |
| 14. | "Outro" | 0:30 |
Primary musicians
Additional musicians
| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [19] | 46 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [20] | 87 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [21] | 34 |
| French Albums (SNEP) [22] | 122 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA) [23] | 3 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI) [24] | 99 |
| New Zealand Albums (Recorded Music NZ) [25] | 27 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [26] | 21 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [27] | 5 |
| US Top Heatseekers Albums ( Billboard ) [28] | 20 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [29] | 2 |
The Black Album is the eighth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on November 14, 2003, through Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. It was advertised as his final album before retiring, which is also a recurring theme throughout the songs, although Jay-Z resumed his recording career in 2005. For the album, Jay-Z wanted to enlist a different producer for each song, working with Just Blaze, Kanye West, the Neptunes, Eminem, DJ Quik, Timbaland, 9th Wonder and Rick Rubin, among others. The album also features a guest appearance by Pharrell Williams.
Eyes Open is the fourth album by Northern Irish–Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. Produced by Jacknife Lee, it was released in the UK on 1 May 2006, and 9 May 2006 in the US. It is their first album without bassist Mark McClelland and their first to feature bassist Paul Wilson and keyboardist Tom Simpson. Recording for the album took place between October and December 2005 at Grouse Lodge Studios in Ireland, The Garage in Kent, and The Garden and Angel Recording Studios, both in London.
Still Not Black Enough is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band W.A.S.P., first released in June 1995 in Japan and the UK. It was not released in the U.S. until August 1996 through Castle Records.
Desire Walks On is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Heart, released on November 16, 1993, by Capitol Records. The majority of the album was co-written by lead members Ann and Nancy Wilson. It is Heart's final studio album to feature longtime members Howard Leese, who joined in 1975 and, aside from the Wilson sisters, is the band's longest-serving member, and Denny Carmassi, who had been its drummer since 1982. Layne Staley, lead vocalist of the Seattle grunge band Alice in Chains, sings with the Wilson sisters on the cover of Bob Dylan's "Ring Them Bells".
Once Again is the second studio album by American singer John Legend, released by GOOD Music, Sony Urban Music and Columbia Records on October 24, 2006. Legend co-wrote and co-produced the bulk of the album, working with collaborators such as Kanye West, will.i.am, Raphael Saadiq, Craig Street, Sa-Ra, Eric Hudson, Devo Springsteen, Dave Tozer and Avenue.
Every Beat of My Heart is the fourteenth studio album by Rod Stewart released in 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. The tracks were recorded at One on One Studios, Can Am Recorders, Cherokee Studios, The Village Recorder, The Record Plant, and Artisan Sound Recorders. The album produced four singles: "Love Touch", "Another Heartache", "In My Life", and "Every Beat of My Heart". In the United States, the album was released under the eponymous title of Rod Stewart.
22 Dreams is the ninth solo studio album by Paul Weller. It was released on 2 June 2008.
John William Grant is an American singer, musician, and songwriter. He first became known as the co-founder, lead singer, pianist, and primary songwriter for the alternative rock band the Czars. After releasing six albums from 1994 to 2006, the band split up and Grant retired for four years before starting a solo career.
Tinsel and Lights is a Christmas album by British singer Tracey Thorn. It was released on 30 October 2012 on Buzzin' Fly Records and Merge Records. It is her fourth solo studio album.
Brand New Machine is the third studio album by English drum and bass production duo Chase & Status. It was released on 7 October 2013 by MTA Records under exclusive license to Mercury Records. The album features vocal contributions from a new wave of British talent, including Louis M^ttrs, Moko, Jacob Banks and Elli Ingram, as well as contributions from Major Lazer, Nile Rodgers and rapper Pusha T. The duo toured the album with an arena tour beginning on 31 October 2013. They also headlined 1Xtra Live at the Bournemouth International Centre on the same day as the release of the album.
Never Been Better is the fourth studio album by English recording artist Olly Murs. It was released through Epic Records on 21 November 2014 in Ireland and 24 November in the United Kingdom.
Dodge and Burn is the third studio album by the American rock band the Dead Weather. It was released worldwide on September 25, 2015, through Third Man Records.
The Light in You is the eighth studio album by American rock band Mercury Rev, released on September 18, 2015, by Bella Union. The Light in You is the band's first entirely self-produced and recorded album, as well as the first not to be produced by longtime collaborator Dave Fridmann.
Delirium is the third studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding, released on 6 November 2015 by Polydor Records. Music critics were generally impressed by the overall production of the record, although they were ambivalent in regards to its originality. It debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200, earning Goulding her highest-charting record in the latter country and her highest first-week sales figures in both territories. The album spawned three singles: "On My Mind", "Army" and "Something in the Way You Move".
Gang Signs & Prayer is the debut studio album by British rapper Stormzy. It was released on 24 February 2017 independently through #Merky Records while being distributed by ADA of Warner Music Group. It is Stormzy's first major commercial release, following the Dreamers Disease EP (2014). The album features guest appearances from fellow MCs Wretch 32, Ghetts and J Hus, along with singers Kehlani, Raleigh Ritchie and MNEK. It features production from Fraser T. Smith and Sir Spyro, among others.
The Ooz is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Archy Marshall, and his second album under the stage name King Krule. It was released on 13 October 2017 via True Panther Sounds and XL Recordings. The album incorporates elements of trip hop, R&B, punk rock, and jazz.
Electric Light is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter James Bay. The album was released on 18 May 2018 through Republic Records.
Late Night Feelings is the fifth studio album by English and American producer Mark Ronson. It was released on 21 June 2019. It is his first album in four years, following Uptown Special (2015). Its lead single, "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" featuring Miley Cyrus, was released on 29 November 2018. The title track "Late Night Feelings", featuring Lykke Li, was released alongside the album pre-order on 12 April. "Don't Leave Me Lonely" was released on 17 May 2019 as the album's third single. "Find U Again" featuring Camila Cabello was released on 30 May 2019 as the fourth single. "Pieces of Us" featuring King Princess was released on 17 June 2019 as the album's fifth single.
Heartbreak Weather is the second studio album by Irish singer Niall Horan, released through Capitol Records on 13 March 2020. It was promoted with five singles: "Nice to Meet Ya", "Put a Little Love on Me", "No Judgement", the title track and "Black and White".
Give Me the Future is the fourth studio album by British indie pop band Bastille, released on 4 February 2022 through EMI Records. It was executive produced by Ryan Tedder. The album was preceded by the singles "Distorted Light Beam", "Give Me the Future", and "Thelma + Louise", and subsequently announced alongside the release of the fourth single "No Bad Days". A fifth single titled "Shut Off the Lights" launched nearly three weeks prior to the album release.
