Bill Fay’s career is well-documented if brief. Respected by his peers and those that discovered him later, like Jeff Tweedy and
His debut was ‘Bill Fay’ in 1970 which included big band jazz arrangements. Hot on its heels he releaed ‘Time of the Last Persecution’ in 1971. More than forty years later Bill’s new record, and his first of original songs in all that time, is ‘Life As People’.
Bill has said “Life As People should not be classed as a comeback” as he “never arrived in the first place”. He has, however, always remained a musician and with this album of twelve new songs he has a true gem on his hands. If Bill was a new artist you would be making comparisons with the aforementioned Mr. Tweedy or Peter Gabriel (on the track ‘Big Painter’) but Bill is the original.
It is reported that Bill was motivated to record again by producer Joshua Henry who had the task of searching through his home demos. Guitarist Matt Deighton assembled a cast of backup musicians to bring out the songs’ full potential, including Tim Weller and keyboardist Mikey Rowe. In addition, Bill was reunited on several songs with Ray Russell and drummer Alan Rushton, who played on ‘Time of the Last Persecution’, as well as Jeff Tweedy on ‘This World’.
The album does have a religious undertow but that is just one part of this majestic recording. The arrangements, instrumentation and musicianship are all first class. I think that Wilco’s cover of Fay’s ‘Be Not So Fearful’ which has been keeping the flame alive in recent times can now be replaced by ‘Life As People’.
Pete
10/11
1. There Is A Valley
2. Big Painter
3. Never Ending Happening
4. This World
5. The Healing Day
6. City of
7. Be At Peace With Yourself
8. Jesus, Etc.
9. Empires
10. Thank You Lord
11. Cosmic Concerto (Life Is People)
12. The Coast No Man Can Tell