Bill Fay - Life Is People

Life Is People is the fourth studio album by English folk singer, pianist and songwriter Bill Fay, released in August 2012 via Dead Oceans Records.

After signing to the Deram label in 1967, English singer-songwriter and pianist Bill Fay released two albums, his sefl-titled debut in 1970 and Time of the Last Persecution in 1971, however sales were poor and Fay was dropped from Deram soon after its release. Struggling to secure a release for his third album, Tomorrow, Tomorrow & Tomorrow, Bill Fay took various jobs outside of the music industry, while continuing to record music at home. In 1998 the British record label See for Miles Records reissued his first two albums, prompting a revival of interest in his work, and Fay's third album Tomorrow, Tomorrow & Tomorrow was finally released in 2005 by Durtro Records.

Working with American producer Joshua Henry, guitarist Ray Russell and drummer Alan Rushton, who had both played on Time of the Last Persecution, Life is People was recorded at Snap Studios in London, and was engineered by Guy Massey. Jeff Tweedy from Wilco contributed vocals on the track "This World", which many critics singeld out as a highlight from the album. The piano ballad "Jesus, Etc." is a cover version of a Wilco song originally written by Jay Bennett and Jeff Tweedy, which first appeared on their 2002 album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Life Is People's lyrics were described by Thom Jurek as "bittersweet reflections on wasted life, loss, death, grief, environmental apocalypse, and human frailty ... balanced by themes that affirm tolerance, healing, love, and spiritual redemption". The album's title is derived from the song "Cosmic Concerto (Life Is People)", which refers to a comment made to Fay by his father while they were observing passers-by during a childhood visit to the seaside. "Be at Peace With Yourself", which begins with "liturgical" organ and piano, features a gospel choir and was described as the album's "centerpiece".

Described by critics as a continuation of Fay's earlier work, rather than a comeback album, and as a "beautiful album" by Nick Cave, Life Is People was featured in several publications' end of year lists, ranking at number three on Mojo's list of the best albums of 2012, number six on Uncut's list and number 19 on BBC Music's. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Life Is People received an average score of 86, based on 21 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

"The Captain" thinks this is a beautiful album and well worth a listen, very moving and evocative, a great addition to any record collection.

Life is People reached number 56 on the UK Albums Chart. Fay donated the proceeds from the album to the humanitarian aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontières.

Check out the tracks "There Is a Valley", "Be at Peace with Yourself", "The Never Ending Happening" , "Cosmic Concerto" "This World" and Bill Fay's cover of the Wilco song "Jesus, Etc."

This double album 2LP record set is on 140 gram black vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeves and a digital download code, pressed in Europe.