John Grant makes our Best Of 2010 round-up with his beguiling, beautiful melodies - and a helping hand from Midlake.

FORMER frontman of cult US alt-folk outfit The Czars, toffee-voiced Grant strikes out on his own backed by the critics’ darlings of 2010, Midlake.

As such it’s chock full of beautiful musicianship that drapes itself over candid lyrics exploring prejudice, love and escapism.

TC And Honeybear, Grant’s favourite here, luxuriates in a melody lined with flute and occasional operatic backing, lifting a heart-rending tale of love versus mismatched circumstances to a higher plane, all the better for Grant’s entrancing baritone.

Musically, I Wanna Go To Marz runs along similar lines, more beautiful and dainty than any reminiscing love letter to a sweet shop deserves to be. A rich confection throughout.