Jack Nitzsche captured Bob Lind’s songwriting mojo in one righteous line from his liner notes for “Don’t Be Concerned”, Lind’s debut album: “There isn’t one lie in the contents of his poetry”. Nearly 60 years later, Lind’s new “It Oughta Be Easy” album shows that honesty continues to stir his lyric-writing muse. Indeed, the unflinching candour and articulate narrators of his story-songs have grown even sharper with time.
Lind’s discography is split between two periods: four albums between 1966 and 1971, and a further four from 2012 to 2026. During the 41 years between new releases, he largely turned his attention to the written word: journalism, novels and plays (one of which, Broken Strings, won Best Original Script at the 2025 Festival of European Anglophone Societies). Despite the gap, Lind’s compulsively truthful and erudite approach to lyric-writing remained intact. But his recent work shows him also drawing upon age and experience. He brings hard-won wisdom, compassion and flashes of humour to “It Oughta Be Easy” with mature and clear-eyed songs that mark another milestone in a storied career.
Lind worked closely with producer Jamie Hoover, a gifted guitarist and multi-instrumentalist with a knack for song-serving arrangements. “It Oughta Be Easy” was a year in the making and their fourth collaboration. They challenged each other to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of optimal settings and performances. The piano playing of George Wurzbach – a professor, composer, sideman and session musician – is in simpatico with Lind’s comely melodies and passionate lyrics. Hoover observes, “Everything is built around the lyrics, just keeping them uncovered. Bob’s lyrics are so amazing.” Indeed they are.
