Those of us who knew, knew, and there are many of us, scattered the length and breadth of the island and way beyond, for whom The Jazz Butcher has been a bright, sweet, brilliantly acerbic presence many a long year. The Highest In The Land is a fine encomium and - it hurts to write this, a little - epitaph for Northampton's foremost gentleman and indie bard. If you're new to Pat and his work or had a velleity and have never quite scratched the surface, The Highest In The Land is a rather good place to start; no artist in waning tailspin, here, just the man himself on fine form. Cheers Pat. Let's hope you've swapped the bus lane for something deservedly grander, with your chosen deity supplying you with a vintage Gretsch or three and your own personal cloud. You? You were bloody lovely.

8.4

The Highest in the Land

It's not often that an artist gets to do a Bowie by consciously carving their personal epitaph into the grooves of their final LP. The Highest in the Land is that rarity of an album, and it could not have been made by a more brilliantly poetic and fearlessly sarcastic writer than Pat Fish, also known as The Jazz Butcher.

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Tapete Records CD/LP/digital