A concept album originating from deepest darkest Lanarkshire? I wouldn’t even have though it was possible but, then again, we are talking about The Just Joans who, you may recall, wrote the only song there ever has been, or ever will be, about Bellshill train station. Bow down therefore as “Buckfast Bottles In The Rain” is something of an antidote to mediocrity.
On the first side of this beautifully packaged vinyl LP, you get sound samples from old movies, deadpan tales, which you might well have heard before, about adolescent alcohol consumption and even a song about East Kilbride (and that alone should qualify The Just Joans for some sort of humanitarian award) all delivered in a post Gregory’s Girl deadpan style. Where else, after all, would you get lyrics like “…yer maws got baws and yer da likes it” than from The Just Joans?
Flip the thing over and the theme goes to escape from the ‘Shire to the bright lights of university for a bit of the old intellectual development. Life, it seems, remains the same with injudicious alcohol consumption, older women and being the square peg in the round hole culminating in the hymn like glory of “Five Bottles of Beer”.
You’ve got to love The Just Joans even if you would have to rob them of their pocket money on a point of principle for they are the accountants of the future, the soon to be building control inspector you will backhand to get your extension approved and that strange guy in corduroy trousers that talks to himself. None of the above, of course, should stop you buying this album as it is one the few opportunities you will get to stop the onslaught of indie rock.
The packaging of this LP, as you would expect of Wee POP, is rather nice indeed with a gatefold sleeve, a CD copy of the album (that sounds better than the vinyl, by the way) and quality artwork by Katie Pope.