Just Joans, The – Romantic Visions of Scotland [IMPORT] - New LP

“In the summer of 2019, an exhibition opened at the National Museum of Scotland titled ‘Wild and Majestic: Romantic Visions of Scotland.’ I never saw the exhibition, but I noticed it advertised on the side of several buses and decided that it would make a suitably pompous title for an album. Fast forward a mere six years and here it is; a collection of semiautobiographical snapshots from the Central Belt of Scotland. Some of the details in the songs have been exaggerated for comic - or tragic - effect, but most are based on some kind of humiliating personal experience. I hope that you enjoy listening to it more than I enjoyed living it. Thanks as always to our puritanical parents, our perverted partners, and our petulant progeny for providing some sunshine in the rain.”


A collection of semi-autobiographical snapshots from the Central Belt of Scotland. Whilst some of the details have been exaggerated for comic (or tragic) effect, the songs are based on personal experience of mundane failings, bitter regrets and missed opportunities that make up an unremarkable life. Recurring themes of nostalgia for a bygone era and the fear of being left behind by lovers, friends and peers run throughout the album. Musically and lyrically, the band channels Village Green-era Kinks, with nods to The Television Personalities, The Smiths and Dolly Mixture. In the past they have always recorded by themselves in a variety of bedrooms, living rooms – and the occasional toilet. For the first time they have abandoned their DIY recording practices to create what songwriter David Pope calls, “a corporate behemoth in an actual studio.” The album was recorded at Chem19 in Blantyre with Paul Savage, who is best known as a founding member of local legends The Delgados. He has also produced and recorded the likes of Teenage Fanclub, Arab Strap and Camera Obscura, and has captured a slightly more muscular version of the band while retaining their ramshackle charm. The album artwork by vocalist and painter Katie Pope depicts Motherwell Train Station – an ordinary, boring place that speaks to the subject matter of the songs, but with a hint of potential escape. As David Pope explains, “For me, the painting reminds me of the ending of Billy Liar in which Billy tries and fails to leave his hometown for the bright lights of London. Half the band also live in Motherwell, so it seemed appropriate.” Funded by Creative Scotland, the recording allowed the band to bring in bass and cello arrangements, adding depth and a sheen of musical proficiency to their signature sound.