Boy From Michigan

Released in 2021 and produced by Cate Le Bon, Boy From Michigan represents a more autobiographical and atmospheric turn for John Grant. Moving away from the dance-floor inclinations of Love is Magic, this record leans into a 'Midwestern Gothic' aesthetic, blending Grant's signature vintage synth obsession with Le Bon's idiosyncratic, dry production style. The album serves as a loose chronological narrative, beginning with Grant's childhood in Michigan and moving through his adolescence in Colorado before tackling the complexities of his adult life in Iceland. Critics from Metacritic and Uncut praised the album's ambitious scope and the successful collaboration with Le Bon, noting how her influence tightened Grant's sprawling compositions. The record is notable for its length and its willingness to sit in uncomfortable emotional spaces, particularly on tracks like 'The Only Baby' and 'Just So You Know'. It stands as a pivotal entry in his catalog, synthesizing his folk-singer roots with his avant-pop future.