The Bevis Frond - It Just Is - LP

Double vinyl LP pressing in single sleeve with printed inners and digital download. Digitally remastered edition. Released in 1993 the Album is dedicated to Ollie Halsall, one of Nick's favorite guitarists, who passed away during the recording of the album. Check his work on the Patto albums... It Just Is was recorded at Goldust, but without any outside help and released back on Nick's own label, Woronzow. After the plethora of guests on the last couple of albums, this was more a return to the recording style of the early days with Nick playing everything - possibly as a reaction to the Reckless Debacle. A bit more introspective and dour maybe, but with some great tracks - the psych-pop of Dreamboat Sinking, the observation of, er, desperation that is the excellent Desperate and the great grunge rocker Can't Stop Lying are the ones that really stand-out here, although the rest of the album is brilliant too, and really bears repeated listening, as the songs are perhaps not as immediately approachable as on the previous couple of albums. As usual, the songwriting is beautifully crafted, the lyrics poignant and intelligent. Thankfully the refrain that closes the album, "And Then We Die!", didn't come to pass, and Nick lives on to record many more albums!