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The Just Joans – Romantic Visions Of Scotland

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What does it sound like?:

At the risk of sounding like an ABSOLUTE RACIALIST, The Just Joans are one of those Scottish bands. You know the ones – you’ve seen them down the (chip) shops. Whatever it is they put in the Irn Bru, the country has produced a procession of acts – Camera Obscura, Secret Goldfish, Pastels, Ballboy etc – who know their way around a sweet melody while writing songs that are a wee bit romantic but with prominent, frequently self deprecating humour which can occasionally wander into self loathing.

Those who recall the days of picking up unfamiliar LPs and being drawn in by striking song names will note among the JJs catalogue witty, eager to impress titles such as ”Hey Ho, Let’s Not Go”, “Johnny, Have You Come Lately?” and “You’re The One I Loathe The Least”.
So often in such cases the jokey title was the best bit or else the songs were entirely daft. While not slow to raise the occasional chuckle, the JJs humour is usually enveloped in real emotional warmth. One of their very best songs, “Who Does Susan Think She Is?” manages to be a razor sharp snarky takedown of a friend’s newfound affectations and, simultaneously, a heartfelt yearning that said friend is not drifting out of reach.
Occasionally they will go in with both feet, as on this album’s “Here Come The Rugby Boys” (they don’t much like toxic masculinity) and “Strictly Presbyterian” (which is nonetheless a hoot).

The Just Joans name goes back as far as 2005, when it was the chosen nom de plume of songwriter David Pope. Over the years he’s become a band, picking up new members (including his sister Katie, who also designs their record covers) and releasing music sporadically until the first full length JJ LP arrived in 2017.
Romantic Visions Of Scotland is their third and, I think, their most satisfying so far.

While the band’s membership has expanded to six full-time members, their arrangements betray their origins as one geezer recording in a bedroom. Howard Goodall will not be making programmes about the sophistication of their compositions. This might mean, for some listeners, initially appealing songs will not retain their charm. But my old English teacher used to say “Simplicity equals sincerity”, and I think the band’s proper tearjerkers and wistful meditations on the limits of ambitions, romantic and otherwise, benefit from the direct straightforwardness of their tunes.
What they do really well, to keep your interest, is trade vocals between the Pope siblings, who complement each other very well.
And, might I add, as a non-Scottish person I find their accents just lovely.

Alas, as happens so often nowadays – it beats me why – the album begins with one of the weakest numbers (perhaps it’s in this slot just because it’s a fast one?).
The aforementioned single “Here Come The Rugby Boys” is next, a proper stomper – and we’re away.
“Limpet”, another single, is peppy and brassy, and about as upful as this band can be.
There follows a big porridge bowlful of smalltime kitchen sink melancholy (Maybe it’s not the Irn Bru, it’s the godawful weather?). Title track “Romantic Visions” is lively enough, but it does feature the refrain “Prepare for disappointment and you won’t be disappointed”
“The Day We Missed The Train” is an account of developmental paralysis which, at one point, threatens to turn into Champagne Supernova.
“Strictly Presbyterian” is a respite and “Everybody’s Moving To Australia”, (“was it something we said?) revisits that emotion of losing friends, but closer “Say You’ll Never Leave Me (Like He Did) is just desperate.

So that’s a tidy 42 minutes of intelligent, tuneful pop that, quite frankly, you owe it to yourself to investigate.

What does it all *mean*?

There will be write ups here for all the year’s big releases. Lana, Rachel Keen, whatever “new” Beatles or Bowie might be unearthed, won’t go unmentioned. But this album was out a month before I knew about it and this is one of the acts whose new material I was looking out for. So
I think it’s nothing less than a public service to bump the wee guys when they do something worthy of your attention.

Goes well with…

Release Date:

January 2026

Might suit people who like…

Those Scottish bands. You know the ones.

1

Comments

  3. I’m surprised to see it isn’t on the Last Night From Glasgow label.

    I’m a LNFG subscriber and Ian’s weekly emails are as nearly entertaining as the releases. You’d be amazed at how many variations on “have you shipped my order?” he has to deal with – it must take a thick skin and a sense of humour to run a record shop/label.

  4. Good to see a review of this album. Sadly, The Just Joans are a pretty well kept secret, but this is their 4th album (I think) and it definitely matches up to the previous releases.

    • Yeah, I think you’re right @salty. Most people would count 6.9 Love Songs (SWTDT) as their first. I could have said this was their third full length album (length being important to me – although I have no complaints about any of the band’s releases in terms of girth). Or perhaps I should have said it’s their third for Fika Records..

      • The discography goes like this

        In 2006 there was the debut demo album ‘Last Tango In Motherwell’ on Ivan Lendil records. Tape and CD only, now out of print.

        Then from 2007 – 2013 they released 6 CD mini albums (6-8 tracks each) on WEEPop! records:

        2007: Virgin Lips
        2008: Hey Boy You’re Oh So Sensitive
        2009: Love and other Hideous Accidents
        2010: Your Pain Is A Joke Next To Mine
        2010: Seasonal Greet (Xmas release: this was a 4 song EP not a mini album like the others)
        2013: 6.9 Love Songs

        ^ in the midst of that in 2012 WeePOP also released Buckfast Bottles In The Rain (full length album on Vinyl/CD) which was a partial re-recording/reimagining of the 2006 debut demo album with some songs omitted and some new songs added.

        Then they sign to Fika who put out the following vinyl/CD fuil length albums:

        2017: You Might Be Smiling Now
        2020: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans
        and now the new one Romantic Visions in 2026

        so how many albums they have is very arguable, and depends whether you count the 2006 demo album as a bona fide album, or it’s 2012 do over as a real or seperate album, or indeed the WEEpop mini albums as albums.

    • You utter bastard. You can’t land this on me just before I go on a road trip. Right in my sweet spot right now.

      One of those bands that will eventually go under, with a small but fanatical following. I have a list of them; it’s almost like “if I like them after I was 45, you’re at risk”

      See also We Were Promised Jetpacks, who should have been far, far bigger. But also shouldn’t. A quintessentially Scottish band, I took my wife – she of the unimpeachable tolerance – and my American son to see them underground at the U Street Music Hall.

      Sadly no longer in business, but a literally underground venue. Two bars, three pillars holding the roof up, and a very…relaxed security presence. Th ewalls qwere sweating, and they took the floor/ceiling off on their 2019 These Four Walls tour. They suited small, intimate, loud venues. But they should have been huge.

      • Yeah, I like that one very much. I also like the direction they were going when they seemed to stop. Thanks @sitheref2409 for pointing me toward them.
        Your comment about cursing bands you like reminds me of another Scottish act, The Spook School, who were high in my end of 2018 favourite albums list and within a year had broken up

        I have to confess I don’t think I’ve ever deliberately listened to We Were Promised Jetpacks – I may have been turned off by the name – but your enthusiasm has persuaded me to give them a go when I have a minute..

  6. And if you like Kid Canaveral, then you will also like Broken Chanter. Essentially both are vehicles for the songs of David MacGregor. New Broken Chanter album on the way as well.

    Going back to The Just Joans – I have
    “Buckfast Bottles in the Rain”
    “You Might Be Smiling Now”
    “The Private Memoirs and Confessions….”
    plus the latest opus.

    Not being pedantic Sewer Robot – just don’t want you to have missed out on one!

    • Yes, when checking out KC, the algo pointed me to the Broken Chanter single as well. Great that there’s an album imminent.
      I wouldn’t worry about accusations of pedantry, @salty – I think it’s considered a virtue on this here blorum..

    • I saw Broken Chanter, supported by my chums Mammoth Penguins, in 2019.

      About six months later, I performed on the same stage with The Pony Collaboration, who feature two Mammoth Penguins, at my 50th.

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