LP Cover / CD Cover
(Columbia/CBS, LP & CD, 1985)
Nick Lowe is an influential figure in the world of rock/pop music, especially in his native England but also in the US and around the world. As well as enjoying a long and prolific solo career, he has played with a number of bands, produced many records, and written many well-known songs covered by other artists. Many artists/songwriters cite him as an inspiration. However his albums, while critically well received, have seldom garnered major sales or the acclaim which would seem to be his due.
I could write about one of Lowe’s several other solo albums with – ahem – my usual sparkling prose and impressive insight (cough). There are currently some 18 of them, plus a number of compilations. I choose this one – his sixth – simply because it is my favorite of his catalog, an extraordinarily well-done album that did not achieve the recognition it deserved. That said, I’m not going to trot out a bunch of over-the-top superlatives about how fantastic it is. No. In fact it’s probably not on anyone’s list of top 10 all-time great records.
BUT it is an absolutely well-written, well-performed collection of songs with very good (if not audiophile quality) production. Basically pop music with its heart and foundation rooted in rock, at least for the most part, this is a
fun album. And – not incidentally – a real pleasure to listen to. Other reviewers have called it “thoroughly” and even “relentlessly” entertaining.
When he released this album Lowe was 36 and an accomplished, seasoned professional, a former integral member of two significant British bands. His band at the time of this album, his Cowboy Outfit, were also excellent in their musicianship and support. (It included the well-known Paul Carrack, for those of you who keep track of such things.)
I will avoid the temptation to get long-winded about all the songs on the album, and confine my commentary to just a few. The opening cut, “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock and Roll)” is an out-and-out rocker, one he wrote for and was a hit for his then band-mate Dave Edmunds on an Edmunds album 8 years before when Lowe did it here. It was now released as a single and hit #27 on the US rock chart, gaining the album some recognition. (Thank you, Wikipedia.) It has been covered by other artists as well, and it has its own Wikipedia page, as do a number of other Lowe songs.
“7 Nights to Rock” is a decidedly up-tempo number, this one a 1956 rockabilly classic. (Seven of the 12 songs on the album were not penned by Lowe.) “Long Walk Back” is the only instrumental on the album, a sort of bluesy number with writing credited to the whole band. “(Hope to God) I’m Right” is a rather fatalistic song about the singer’s future, though with its energetic, almost off-the-cuff presentation it doesn’t get philosophically heavy. “Lucky Dog” picks up the pace, another up-tempo number that lyrically is definitely not Lowe’s finest but is fun nonetheless.
But let me get on with mentioning a couple songs that, if the rest of the album was forgettable – which it is not – would pretty much make it worthwhile. He does a cover of “Indoor Fireworks,” an Elvis Costello song that Elvis released the year after Nick did this one. It’s a truly sentimental and touching reminiscence of love on the rocks. Both artists’ versions are a bit stark as befits the song, but Lowe’s interpretation is more layered and complex than Costello’s, a haunting treatment that makes the song his own and is a highlight of the album. (An aside: Lowe produced Costello’s first 4 albums and co-produced 2 more.)
And my own favorite song of the record is its title cut. The first time I heard it my ears opened wide as I thought, “Wow, this song is really
crafted!”, an impression that revisits me every time I hear it. It’s title connects it to earlier British history, but here it’s a gently rocking, slightly enigmatic song about WWI and the pathos of British families and soldiers during that great conflict. The lyrics, melody, and outstanding musicianship all come together to present a
most engaging listen.
There have been a few reissues and even remasters of this album. I have two versions – the original LP and the first CD of it (aside from a 1986 Japanese CD, that is), a 1988 release on the Demon label. The latter has a different cover and a different track order than the LP for some reason, probably no good one. The sound of the CD really ain’t bad, open and clean with good dynamics. The LP beats it in terms of body and depth. Both are good, and both convey sonic detail and the artist’s feel for the songs. I like both, but will usually go with the LP.
In 2017 the Yep Roc label issued remastered versions of both the CD and LP. I do wish I had those on hand to compare and comment on, but I do not. The original versions of the LP and CD are available on Discogs for cheap. The 2017 reissues aren’t as cheap but are very reasonable in cost. They are and this album is, as could but won’t go without saying, highly recommended.