John Grant reunites with Midlake on a new EP, Roadrunner Blues, 13 years after they collaborated on his debut album. They’ve lost none of the magic they made together.

Back in 2010 John Grant came into my life with an album called Queen Of Denmark. He was backed and produced by a Texas band called Midlake, who had had a moment a few years earlier.

They made a big impression with their debut album The Trials Of Van Occupanther in 2016 and, in particular, a tune called Roscoe – still one of the great songs of the era.

Together they made even more of an impression on a collection of self-lacerating ballads created by Grant after the collapse of his previous group, The Czars led to drink, drugs and depression.

Neither of them quite recaptured those heights in my view, although Grant’s popularity grew – the song GMF, featuring Sinead O’Connor, is a career highlight to place alongside Marz – especially after he adopted an electronic direction, while Midlake’s slightly diminished after the departure of front man Tim Smith a decade ago.

Anyway, I’m pleased to say that Grant and Midlake are now reunited on an EP called Roadrunner Blues and the title track is a stunner. I’m not so sure about the other one: You Don’t Get To (not to be confused with his earlier track You Don’t Have To) is a strange proggy affair almost eight minutes long.

Oddly, it is that one that seems to be the one released to radio (despite not being the title song). It’s growing on me, but I shall mostly be listening to the this.