Basher: The Best of Nick Lowe

by

Nick Lowe

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Nick Lowe not only has produced some of the best groundbreaking albums by the likes of Graham Parker and Elvis Costello, he's also made a few great records himself. His first 2 albums were especially strong. "PURE POP FOR NOW PEOPLE", also named "JESUS OF COOL", and his second "LABOUR OF LUST" were his best works and are amply represented here by the first 14 songs. The rest of this material are from his later weaker albums. But even those albums had a few hidden gems, such as HALF A BOY AND HALF A MAN", THE ROSE OF ENGLAND, AND I KNEW THE BRIDE, which Dave Edmunds made a hit out of a few years earlier. It's hard for me to pick a favorite from these 2 early albums, I've got so many. I can tell you the 2 songs that really stick you in the ribs from the first album are SO IT GOES, in which Lowe blatantly rips off the hook to Steely Dan's REELING IN THE YEARS, and the Chuck Berry driven HEART OF THE CITY, both of which were singles for Lowe. A couple good songs off his second album is AMERICAN SQUIRM, which was another single, and the crazy Mickey Jupp rockabilly song SWITHCHBOARD SUSAN. His biggest hit was CRUEL TO BE KIND, a mid-tempo song that I remember getting alot of airplay when it first came out, but didn't stick around long. Ever since his days with the British pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz, Lowe has honed his musicial skills. He throws every kind of musical influence into his music. If you like rockabilly, soul, Motown, country, or blues, well Nick Lowe does it all. I know first hand this guy is an old accomplished workhorse musician. I once saw him when he came to Oklahoma City in the mid 80's with his band 'THE COWBOY OUTFIT". In the middle of their show the electricity that powered the bands musical instuments went out. Instead of stopping the show, Nick Lowe pulled out his acoustic guitar, and with nothing but a spotlight shining down on him, did 30 minutes of some of the best unrehearsed pop music I've ever heard come out of one person. I was sitting in the back of that big auditorium and could hear every word that he sang without a microphone. When the juice came back on, the band started playing again without missing a beat. I never forgot that night, and became an even bigger Nick Lowe fan that I already was. Nick Lowe has never been a big moneymaking artist, but at least he got a little recognition in 1992 when Curtis Stigers did a cover of his song 'WHAT'S SO FUNNY BOUT' PEACE, LOVE, AND UNDERSTANDING", which was included in the popular soundtrack THE BODYGUARD. The royalities from that song earned Lowe a nice little 7 figure check. Sometimes there is a little justice in this world. If you like pure pop music, but without the bubblegum that usually comes with it, I highly recommend you get this 77 minute 25 track essential Nick Lowe, and discover a true pop talent.

Some very poor selections on here. It also almost ignores his two best CDs-The Rose of England and Cowboy Outfit. (And what is "Maureen" doing on here? uggg--where are Wishing Well, I Got the Love, Luck Dog, LAFS, etc.) 14 of these songs are from his first two albums--too much in my opinion.

But the real gripe is that the bulk of this man's CDs are unavailable. No one should have to settle for this collection when you think of what he did from about 1978 to 1990. Some truly great stuff is lost. I think he is the most underrated musician in all of rock. Bar none.