American singer-songwriter and former Czars frontman John Grant has today announced a new album The Art Of The Lie, which is set to drop on 14th June via Bella Union. The LP announcement comes alongside the release of its first single 'It's A Bitch,' which you can listen to below. Grant has also unveiled a show in Dublin's Vicar St to celebrate the release on 22nd October 2024.

The Art of The Lie had its first inklings of realisation in Autumn 2022. Earlier that year, Grant 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, Brigitte Fontaine's Prohibition. “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 Grace’s catalogue.” An idea was sparked. “I said, I really think you should do this next record with me. He said, I think you’re right.”

Thus came The Art of The Lie - Grant's most cinematic and sonically resplendent album yet - almost a year and a half later. 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 roster of legendary musicians have brought the gravity, airs of mystique as beguiling as Laurie Anderson or The Art of Noise.

“The clothing that it’s dressed up in makes it more palatable,” Grant remarks. “It helps the bitter pill go down. Music and humour are how I’ve always dealt with the dark side of life. Come to think of it, it’s how I deal with the good side too.”

The stark contrast between beauty and cruelty weigh heavily on The Art of The Lie, a record that consolidates childhood trauma with the after-effects which suffuse adulthood, entwining both to the political malaise of the United States in recent years, a country drawn to the precipice of its own destruction.

The Art of the Lie is a considered title, taken from his song 'Meek AF,' itself a lyrical inversion of the biblical edict that 'the meek shall inherit the earth.' Against a lubricated groove, some funk-laden talk box and an angular keyboard figure, Grant sets out his understanding of the new ethics of America.

“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.”

This is a musical ambition and nerve to The Art of the Lie which offsets its most political and personal moments. Even still, its lyrical content and narrative underscore the album's whole. It makes for a quintessential 'John Grant record,' fusing humour with tragedy, bleeding anger into compassion.

Following his latest solo album, Boy From Michigan, in 2021, Grant has also spent the last three years collaborating with different musicians, namely on CMAT's 'Where Are Your Kids Tonight?' from her sophomore LP Crazymad, for Me. Earlier this month, Grant joined CMAT onstage in Manchester for the first live performance of the track.

Grant's sixth studio album The Art of The Lie will release on 14th June via Bella Union and is available to pre-save and pre-order here.

Tickets to see John Grant at Vicar St on 22 October go on sale this Friday 22nd March, which you can order here.