U.K. MIDWEEKS: INDIE ACT JOHN GRANT DELIVERS SNEAK ATTACK

American singer/songwriter John Grant has delivered an unexpected chart attack on veteran dance act Faithless for this week’s Official Albums Chart #1 in Blighty. What was supposed to be Faithless’ closest competitor, the third album from Columbia duo Hurts titled Surrender, is currently sitting just outside the Top 5 at #6 in the midweeks. So where’s Selena?

Interscope’s Gomez is at #7 in Blighty with Revival—her highest charting U.K. album to date. The singer’s U.S. competition eOne’s The Game is a few places ahead at #3 with The Documentary 2, released via Cash Machine.

At #2 is Grant’s Grey Tickles, Black Pressure. Released via Simon Raymonde’s indie label Bella Union, it’s the third solo album by the former frontman of The Czars.

Sitting at the charts throne just 1,200 sales ahead of Grant is Faithless’ Faithless 2.0 (Sony)—a retrospective of the duo’s biggest hits remixed by dance contemporaries including Avicii, Armin Van Buuren and Eric Prydz.

If its sales momentum continues, Faithless 2.0 will mark the group’s third U.K. #1 album, following 2004’s No Roots and 2005’s Forever Faithless – The Greatest Hits.

Warner’s former chart-toppers Jess Glynne’s I Cry When I Laugh (Atlantic) and Ed Sheeran’s x (Asylum) close the list at #4 and #5 respectively.

Official Singles Chart-wise, it’s a battle between Justin Bieber, R City and Naughty Boy this week.

Just 4,000 combined sales separate the Top 3 on today’s Official Chart Update, led by Bieber, who could earn his fifth week at #1 with “What Do You Mean?” (Def Jam) this Friday.

Close behind at #2 is R City ft. Adam Levine’s “Locked Away” (Kemosabe/RCA), and Naughty Boy leaps #6 to #3 with “Runnin’ (Lose It All)” ft. Beyoncé and Arrow Benjamin (Virgin).

Sam Smith’s former chart-topping Bond theme “Writing’s on the Wall” (Capitol) is at #4, and the first signee to Ed Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man label, Jamie Lawson, vaults from #40 to #5 with re-release “Wasn’t Expecting That”.

Neither were we, Lawson.