The Art Of The Lie Black Cassette

John Grant began thinking about The Art of The Lie in the Autumn of 2022. Earlier that year, John had been introduced to Ivor Guest, producer and composer at Grace Jones Southbank show, the finale of her Meltdown Festival. They began talking about two records Guest had worked on, Hurricane for Jones, Prohibition for Brigitte Fontaine. Grace and Brigitte are two very big artists for me, says Grant. I love the albums he did for them. Hurricane is an indispensable piece of Graces catalogue. An idea was sparked. I said, I really think you should do this next record with me. He said, I think youre right.A year and a half later, the result is John Grants most opulent, cinematic, luxurious album yet The Art of The Lie. As the title suggests, the lyrical ingenuity counterweighted under all this considered musical largesse is as dark as its production is epic and bold. Ivor Guest and his castlist of storied musicians have brought the drama, flecks of intrigue as beguiling as Laurie Anderson or The Art of Noise. John Grant has earthed it in deeply felt humanity and pitchblack realism. The clothing that its dressed up in makes it more palatable, he says. It helps the bitter pill go down. Music and humour are how Ive always dealt with the dark side of life. Come to think of it, its how I deal with the good side too.