The Czars were a Denver-based combo led by John Grant, a vocalist that evoked the haunting register of Mark Lanegan. They debuted with Moodswing (1996), containing The Dark Sky, and The La Brea Tar Pits of Routine (1997), with the seven-minute Cold and the eight-minute Half the Time. Their third album, Before... But Longer (Bella Union, 2000), is a collection of low-key bittersweet laments (notably Val) that paint a private soundscape rooted in the collective American soundscape in a manner reminiscent of the Cowboy Junkies and Calexico.

The Ugly People Vs The Beautiful People (Manifesto, 2001) evoked an even more atmospheric Calexico, enhanced with the stately voice of John Grant. Drug, Lullaby 2000 and Autumn increased the doses of psychological analysis, while most of the songs simply "bathed" in a languor bordering on domestic trance.

Sorry I Made You Cry (Bella Union, 2006) is a collection of covers.

John Grant debuted solo with Queen Of Denmark (Bella Union, 2010), a collection of erudite meditations in the vein of the songwriters of the 1970s. Impeccable, but a bit derivative and monotonous. His later albums include: Pale Green Ghosts (2013), Grey Tickles Black Pressure (2015), Love Is Magic (2018), Boy From Michigan (2021), The Art Of The Lie (2024). He also played in Creep Show that released Mr Dynamite (2018) and Yawning Abyss (2023).