Grey Tickles, Black Pressure

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.

Professional ratings

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]

Primary musicians

• John Grant – lead vocals, keyboards, synth programming and sequencing
• Pétur Hallgrímsson – guitar
• Jakob Smári Magnússon – bass
• Budgie – drums

Additional musicians

• Amanda Palmer – additional vocals (track 5)
• Tracey Thorn – additional vocals (track 11)
• Fiona Brice – additional vocals, string, brass and vocal arrangements (written and conducted by), violin
• Tierannye Sparks – additional vocals
• Alisa Alexander – additional vocals
• Bobby Sparks – keyboards
• John Congleton – synth programming and sequencing, drum programming and sequencing
• David Monsch – bass clarinet
• Matt Milewski – violin
• Natalie Floyd – violin
• Sarah Carmichael – violin
• Buffi Jacobs – cello
• Debbie Brooks – cello
• Keith Jourdan – trumpet
• Peter Clagett – trumpet
• David Pierce – trombone
• Carl Murr – trombone
• Simon Willats – tuba
• Heather Test – French horn
• Wes Baggaley – spoken word (track 1)
• Olafur Darri Olafsson – spoken word (track 1)
• Petra Hallberg – spoken word (track 1)
• Jeppe Kjellberg – spoken word (track 1)
• Billy Novik – spoken word (track 1)
• Karl Neukauf – spoken word (track 1)
• Carys Connolly – spoken word (track 14)