Nick Lowe & His Cowboy Outfit [Import]

Is anyone else flabbergasted that the sections for albums of this quality say, see all six reviews while garbage music has lines such as see all 625 reviews?

A CLASSIC OF CRAFTED GEMS!.......2001-04-02

This album is incredibly articulate and inventive, offering 13 melodic gems without a single filler track.

Hooks abound, but this is not just simple pop or country, as every song is infused with great emotional and musical substance to lure the listener back again and again.

My favorites include Lowe's own compositions The Beast In Me, Where's My Everything?, Lover Don't Go, Withered On The Vine and 14 Days, but the covers of True Love Travels On A Gravel Road, Trail Of Tears and I'll Be There are superb too.

If you like poetic lyrics set to beautiful melodies, you'll love this album. I do not even miss the absence of punk-influenced rockers at all, although I still love his first album "Pure Pop For Now People."

Tracks:

Homewrecker
Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart
Lately I've Let Things Slide
She's Got Soul
Cupid Must Be Angry
Indian Queens
Poor Side of Town
I'm A Mess
Between Dark And Dawn
Bygones (Won't Go)
Has She Got A Friend?
Let's Stay In And Make Love

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Nick Lowe has reached a midlife plateau in his career where he can actually gaze down upon some mighty impressive past accomplishments. Lowe left his mark on pub rock, punk, and new wave as a performer and producer before losing momentum in the late '80s and early '90s. However, with 1994's The Impossible Bird he engineered a stunning artistic comeback. Dig My Mood, which arrived four years later, proved Bird was no fluke. And The Convincer keeps the streak going. Like its predecessor, this 12-song set is anchored around reflective tunes that are presented with a minimum of fuss. The mature Lowe takes his vocal cues from Nat "King" Cole; like the great romantic crooner, there's an elegant catch in his delivery that's both downcast and dignified. The once irrepressible wag with a propensity for punning record titles (The Abominable Showman, 16 All-Time Lowes) is now a soulful balladeer of the first order. Somehow those irreverent hijinks aren't missed in the least. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

Nick's Country Soul album.......2005-10-14

Man, I love this album. Only Nick could make an album, full of melancholy and regret, that you'd want to play over and over. The choice of covers seamlessly melds with his witty, self-deprecating originals. The sequence of the tracks is great, because just when you think he's gone suicidal, he throws in "Between Dark & Dawn", which is pretty hopeful. "Has She Got A Friend?" would be a huge hit from Nashville if the right pre-packaged pretty boy covers it. And the cover of "Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart" makes you wonder how this oldie was never a huge hit.

Also, his band is solid and the recording is crystal clear, which isn't always the case with Nick's stuff.

Another brilliant post-power-pop/punk recording.......2004-07-30

I came of age loving Labour of Lust and Nick Lowe's other early records as the essence of pop-punk. But I can't think of another artist who has so seamlessly made the transition to a new genre, in his case, that of lounge singer/country troubador/crooner par excellence. I love this record and I love his album Dig My Mood even more. Great writing, great arrangements, and great singing. If you don't agree the first time you listen, give it a few more spins, and you'll be, uh, convinced.

No "Pure Pop" here, just Pure soul!.......2003-09-17

If you only know Nick Lowe for his eighties "pure pop" you are missing an amazingly well-crafted masterpiece closer to the singer-songwriter styles of Jackson Browne than 80s hitmakers. This album is a delight from start to finish. Some may find "Faithless Lover" a bit to close to Johnny Cash's style, but will love the rest of the disc. If you love well-written, soulful songs that MEAN something and actually make you feel something, GET THIS DISC!

low-key charming stuff.......2003-04-30

This is Nick the well-dressed, elegant charmer -- Nick the knife is long gone. No remakes of "So It Goes" or "Marie Provost" here; he sticks close to the torchy, country- and soul-derived crooning of *Impossible Bird* and *Dig My Mood.* This is an album of mellow pleasures, for better or worse. Its fairly soundalike, and a few of the songs seem slight, but the band and Lowe are in great spirits.

Strangely, this record picks up considerably on the second side -- special highlights for me include Johnny Rivers' "Poor Side of Town," "Bygones Won't Go," "Lately I've Let Things Slide" and of course, the damn-near-perfect love song "Let's Stay in and Make Love."

Why does this "complete the trilogy"?.......2002-11-26

This is, first of all, just a great album. If you had a choice, I might recommend "Dig My Mood" first, because that album reaches incredible heights that aren't quite hit with this one, but I have no complaints--this is wonderful songwriting, and the performances by Lowe and his band are of such sublime subtlety. Getting old sounds great here, if it means you can be relaxed and precise, spontaneous and controlled, all at once.

I keep wondering, though, what the hell everybody means by saying this album "completes the trilogy"? Did Lowe ever announce he was doing a trilogy? Did he map out these three albums (with "Impossible Bird" being first, then "...Mood" then this) in advance? Is he finished now, and is planning to move to a new genre? Is he retiring? From what I can tell of his compositional method, he writes and records his albums a song at a time. If his muse gives him another song in this style, is he going to say, "Oh well, I'm done with all that with the completion of my trilogy, so I guess I'll just send this song along to Solomon Burke or someone else."

Tracks:

Faithless Lover
Lonesome Reverie
You Inspire Me
What Lack Of Love Has Done
Time I Took A Holiday
Failed Christian
Man That I've Become
Freezing
High On A Hilltop
Lead Me Not
I Must Be Getting Over You
Cold Grey Light Of Dawn

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Who'd have dreamed that Nick Lowe, one-time New Wave smart aleck at large, would reemerge in the '90s as a soulful balladeer? And yet 1998's Dig My Mood is a splendid study in moody, bar-time reverie, as is the lost treasure that is its predecessor, The Impossible Bird. The onetime hit man (remember "Cruel to Be Kind"?) may not have rediscovered the commercial base he'd once accumulated, but, against the odds, he's making the finest albums of his lengthy career. --Steven Stolder

Amazon.com

Three decades on, Nick Lowe has evolved from British pub-rock pioneer (with Brinsley Schwarz) to new wave godfather (producing Elvis Costello, among others) to postrock crooner. It's a surprising but convincing transformation, begun with the country-inflected minimalism of 1994's superb The Impossible Bird and pared to an even leaner chamber pop on this subdued charmer. Bird found Lowe damping his jokester's instincts to dig deeply and soberly into romantic despair and a gnawing, midlife confrontation of self. While the tracks on Dig My Mood suggest that some of the wounds have healed, there's still an elegiac air to songs like "Faithless Lover," "What Lack of Love Has Done," and "Failed Christian" that qualifies these as songs of experience. Lowe's baritone has deepened and acquired a deft finesse with redeeming glimmers of wit and no loss of intelligence. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

A Superb Composer.......2007-02-07

this recording is a long Meddle of San Tropez by Pink Floyd , just wonderful songs ... Can't wait to hear the Impossible Bird ...

More Torch, Less Twang.......2005-03-17

Three and a half stars compared to Impossible Bird. Expecting the twang of that masterpiece, I was initially disappointed in Dig My Mood. But a few spins persuaded me, in particular the songs Faithless Lover, Lonesome Reverie, Man That I've Become and Cold Grey Light Of Dawn.

The sound at first appears to be of the Jim Reeves style of country, but there is definitely a lounge element. You Inspire Me, for example, is a jazzy number, balanced out by the uptempo country-pop of What Lack Of Love Has Done with its gently lilting melody.

The brooding Failed Christian is a sad, moving song with sympathetic backing, whilst the rhythmic uptempo Man That I've Become with its lovely tune is coloured blue by the exquisite organ. This being the closest to the sound of Impossible Bird, it is my favorite on the album.

Freezing is another jazzy excursion, and is followed by the uplifting High On A Hilltop, another tuneful song with exquisite guitar infusions. Lead Me Not has a gospel feel with Nick in a different voice. The album concludes with the soulful rhythmic ballad Cold Grey Light Of Dawn.

Dig My Mood is another gem by this talented artist. The lyrics and the melodies are gripping and although I miss the twang of that other album, the organ here more than makes up for it. Nick Lowe is a highly accomplished musician and songwriter with a consistent output of quality music; I hope he gets more recognition one day.

good nick lowe.......2004-08-03

Lead Me Not is a great song. So is Faithless Lover a great dichotomy-faithless lover there is no other. This should have won some awards. Failed Christian is really as true as you can get.

I Dug It, You Will Too.......2002-08-08

I'll be honest, I miss the rollickin, rockin good time smart alec that Nick Lowe once was (check out PARTY OF ONE or COWBOY OUTFIT) but whatever he does, he does it well. Lowe has ever been a bit of a musical chameleon, that was rather the point of JESUS OF COOL, after all. Once upon a time, he did British Invasion pop with Kippenton Lodge (see HENS TEETH by Brinsley Schwarz) then he did Byrds style country rock and psychedelia (early Brinsley Schwarz) and then he did country, pub and rockabilly solo and with Rockpile. Here he has transformed himself into a soulful lounge singer who actually has a soul. Few performers could pull off so many styles and stay true to their muse, but the Basher is a master. Best tracks are `Failed Christian', `What Lack Of Love Has Done', `Man That I've Become' and especially `Faithless Lover'. All are heartfelt, moving songs with a quiet intensity that Nick has hinted at for years (check out `You Make Me' from LABOR OF LUST or 'Heart' on NICK THE KNIFE) but which really came to the fore with the excellent IMPOSSIBLE BIRD. Here the transformation is complete. I'll admit, it took me a while to get into this album, since it was so different from most of his earlier output, but every Nick Lowe gets better with repeated listening. That is what makes him a genius.

Gamble paid off........2001-09-15

I had heard an interview with N.L. on NPR and I bought this album without really knowing what to expect. I listen to this album all the time and even though I've since gotten more N.L., this is my favorite. It is swanky, mellow and witty.

Average customer rating:

One of the most solid tribute albums that I have heard...
What, Not Labor Of Lowe?
Great covers of greater songs
A nice addition to all the great Nick Lowe CD's out there

Labour of Love-Music of Nick Lowe
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lowe Profile: A Tribute to Nick Lowe
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The Impossible Bird

ASIN: B00005Q46K
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Tracks:

All Men Are Liars - Dar Williams
The Rose Of England - Graham Parker
Cracking Up - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Half A Boy And Half A Man - Sleepy LaBeef & C.J. Chenier
Where's My Everything? - Greg Brown
Television - Marshall Crenshaw
Shting Shtang - Joe Clay
When I Write The Book - Andrea Re
Cruel To Be Kind - Marshall Crenshaw
Faithless Lover - Charlie Musselwhite
Soulful Wind - Guy Davis & Levon Helm
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding - Joe Louis Walker
Egypt - Elvis Costello

Amazon.com

Labour of Love casts attention on a facet of Nick Lowe's talent that's surprisingly uncelebrated--his songwriting prowess. Having made his mark as a producer, performer, and sideman, Lowe's skills as a singer-songwriter have been taken for granted, but, as this tribute confirms, Nick has long possessed a knack for mating blissful hooks with pithy couplets. Here an assortment of players and singers from a range of genres tackle Lowe gems dating from his new wave heyday up through his brilliant late-'90s comeback. Proving the adaptability of Lowe's material is half the fun here, as Joe Louis Walker turns the '70s anthem ("What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" into a midtempo soul lament, "Half a Boy and Half a Man" is transformed by Sleepy LaBeef and C.J. Chenier into a zydeco workout, and "Soulful Wind" is given the deep blues treatment by Guy Davis. With Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, and Dar Williams along for the ride, the 13-song set deftly mixes and matches stars, commendable journeymen, and crack players into a tribute worthy of one of contemporary music's unsung heroes. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

One of the most solid tribute albums that I have heard..........2005-05-01

This is one of the most solid tribute albums that I have heard. The first half is 5 star territory leading off with Dar Williams singing "All Men Are Liars" into an authentic New Orleans feel with Graham Parker doing "The Rose of England" with T-Bone Walk on mandolin and accordion. Next up is Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers doing a superb version of "Cracking Up" and then back to New Orleans with Sleepy LaBeef teaming up with C.J. Chenier on "Half a Boy and Half a Man".

Other strong cuts are a couple of songs by Marshall Crenshaw, especially his version of "Television", a very somber Charlie Musselwhite with some heartfelt vocals and harmonica on "Faithless Lover" that you just don't want to end, and Elvis Costello singing and playing every instrument very nicely on "Egypt". The rest of the album is pretty solid with not one bad song to be found among these tracks. There's also a very talented backing band led by G.E. Smith throughout much of this CD as well.

What, Not Labor Of Lowe?.......2002-07-23

This excellent tribute album demonstrates the strength of Nick's songwriting, although this is not something that has gone unnoticed by his fans. Nick Lowe's cutting wit and his unfailing gift for the hook are the reason that he has been around so very long. Amusingly, Lowe is probably best known for Elvis Costello's cover of `What's So Funny About peace love And Understanding', though that song is not included here. Even more amusing is the fact that a little noticed cover of that same track on the monster selling BODYGAURD soundtrack made Lowe a millionaire. It's all about the covers, and this little gem of an album is chuck full of excellent covers. Especially notable are Petty's `Cracking Up' (originally included on his bloated box set, which is also excellent, by the way), Parker's `The rose Of England', Greg Brown's `Where's my Everything' and Marshall Crenshaw's `Television'. I suppose that given the excellence of the contributing artists, it's no surprise that LABOR OF LOVE is a five star album. It's a must have for his fans and excellent introduction to the Jesus Of Cool for the uninitiated.

Great covers of greater songs.......2002-02-24

On the first couple of listens, I thought this was a fairly run-of-the-mill tribute album. A tribute album should generally show you new things in songs you already know and love, and should highlight a couple of songs you may never have heard. The covers here were mostly note-for-note, with only a couple of twists on old material. But with more and more listening, the wonder of Nick Lowe's songwriting shines through, and some of the covers became revelatory. Marshall Crenshaw's contributions are fantastic (and if you don't know it, Marshall Crenshaw is at the top of his form these days - check out his live album). Tom Petty was a natural for "Cracking Up." Rockabilly star and hardest working man in rock Sleepy LaBeef teams up with CJ Chenier to put the fun into "Half a Boy and Half a Man" (my five-year-old reasons "that makes him a teenager, right?"). Dar Williams is fine, but does anyone remember Ric Astley anymore? Elvis Costello is revelatory, but he's ALWAYS revelatory these days, the only true singer left on the planet. Listen, if you have even half a love for Nick Lowe, check this out.

A nice addition to all the great Nick Lowe CD's out there.......2001-10-19

Coming on the heels of Nicks new album this is a very timely release. I'm surprised to see no one else had reviewed this CD since it's a fine album of interesting artists covering a truly great songwriter. And thankfully, most of it works well. For originality I'd run with Costello's "Egypt," The combination of Sleepy labeef and CJ Chenier rocking country cajun version of Half a Boy, " and I like turning "Cruel to be Kind" into a song for two singers. After that there are real solid interpretations by Dar Williams, Graham Parker (his voice just gets better and better), Tom Petty, Marshall Crenshaw and Greg Brown . I was amazed by Charlie Musselwhites vocals on one of Nicks new masterpieces. And that's my only gripe; I wish there had been more songs from his last recordings. Still I guess a tribute record has to cover songs everyone knows. Still there's easily a volume two, especially Now that we've just got more classic songs from This Year's "Convincer." Bottom-line; buy Nicks if you don't own all these songs. If you do then you'll surely enjoy this Labour Of Love

Evangeline Made: A Tribute to Cajun Music

Average customer rating:

Coonass to the bone!
Back Home On Saturday Night
Bland Lame Mockery
Slight disagreement....
Correction regarding "Jolie Blonde"

Evangeline Made: A Tribute to Cajun Music
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Adieu False Heart
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ASIN: B000060OL9
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Tracks:

Vagabond Special - Cajun All-Star Band
La Chanson d'une Fille de Quinze Ans - Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy
Diggy Liggy Lo - John Fogerty
Je Veux Plus Te Voir - Linda Thompson
Pa Janvier Laisse Moi M'en Aller - Patty Griffin
Les Flammes de'Enfer - Richard Thompson
Ma Mule - David Johansen
Ma Blonde Est Partie - Maria McKee
Blues de Bosco - Rodney Crowell
O, Ma Chere Tite Fille - Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy
Valse de Balfa - Linda Thompson
Two Step de Prairie Soileau - Cajun All-Star Band
Arrette Pas La Musique - Nick Lowe
Tout Un Beau Soir en me Promenant - Maria McKee

Amazon.com

Cajun music might not need a tribute--after all, it has held its own and remained popular for a very long time now--but the music on this disc is glittering enough to shine in any company. Ann Savoy (the grande dame of Cajun music who assembled this project) and Linda Ronstadt pair up to gorgeous effect on two songs, Richard Thompson offers his own particular edgy style to "Les Flammes d'Enfer," Nick Lowe sounds convincingly Arcadian on "Arrette Pas la Musique," and Maria McKee brings a transparent soulfulness to her contributions. Surprisingly, however, no one tackles the Cajun anthem, "Jolie Blonde." There are plenty of other big names in the collection, with former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty standing out on the classic "Diggy Diggy Lo"--but then his former band always featured the bayou influence. Ironically, however, it's the two instrumental cuts by the anonymous band of Cajun all-star musicians that come across best, showing that even when the stars come out to play, there's never a complete substitute for authenticity. These American roots are strong indeed. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

Coonass to the bone! .......2007-01-10

If you are not familiar with Cajun music, this is a great way to start. Some very good artists play some classic cajun tunes. I love it.

Back Home On Saturday Night.......2005-07-15

This album is so much like being back on the bayou once again on a Saturday night, dancing on old wooden floors, having a cold drink and playing pool. The songs transform a car or living room into a long lost world of childhood nights when people had not much money, but something to laugh about, and took time to make the most of what they did have. I am definately buying my memories today.

Bland Lame Mockery.......2005-06-29

What should have been done with this project - Ann Savoy where is your common sense(?) - was to have incorporated TRUE Cajun artists' 'tributes' alongside mainstream artists' watered down lame interpretations just, if only, to add a bit of spice, zest and life to these horrendous "filler" tracks. Some of these artists have jumped on the wagon for a last gasp of possible exposure to their sagging careers. I'm very disappointed in Linda Ronstadt - seems all her projects from the past decade beyond her "Feels Like Home" album are mere warmups for indistinct singing which plainly implies she'd be much better off singing somewhere in a choir in anonymous obscurity. Somebody needs to grab Linda and shake her back to her own musical realities - what a shameful waste of her vocal abilities. [Ronstadt is leaving her "tierra" of Tuscon, Arizona in 2005 for a move back to San Francisco after a decade in commercial career doldrums - an obviously planned prestaging for a future "comeback" to her rightful throne as the Queen Of Pop.] If Ann Savoy envisioned massive universal exposure and commercial success for Cajun Music by influencing these 'blasts from their own pasts' to perform this genre of music, she was way off the mark and this entire project misfires. The artists on this tribute may indeed love Cajun, but, their musical visions fall flatly off base too fast. Sure, all music is out there and can be 'covered' by whoever wishes to do so, but, at least create an impressive contribution for the sake of keeping it vibrantly alive. We in Texas recognize and applaud the true Cajun artists[both famous and obscure]who come across the TX-LA border to perform at local & statewide celebrations only to leave audiences mesmerized and blown away long after they've packed up and gone back home to perform elsewhere. If you must have Cajun music in your collection out of a sincere love and appreciation for it, PLEASE look up the genre's rightfully endowed artists and obtain their Cd albums instead - at least give them their due.[You can also listen to Cajun Music saturday mornings for a few hours on Houston's own KPFT 90.1 FM on the internet at www.kpft.org - nothing but the real stuff is played there!]

Slight disagreement...........2004-12-02

I disagree with the previous review on a few things. First of all, CCR WAS influenced by Swamp Pop, but Swamp Pop is HEAVILY influenced by Cajun music; for those who don't know, it's essentially the music that came out when young Cajuns decided to play rock and roll instead of their own music, and they added Cajun instruments, rhythms and French lyrics to rock and roll, forming a "new" (but actually evolved) style of music. But that's just a technicality.

To make a forced distinction of Ann Savoy as an "adopted Cajun", while true, doesn't invalidate her knowledge of Cajun music and the lifestyle. She's been living in Eunice, LA for decades with her husband, Marc Savoy, the famous accordion builder and musician who played with such seminal musicians as Nathan Abshire and the Balfa Brothers. Ann became famous long ago for publishing "Cajun Music Vol. 1", which has become essentially a bible for Cajun musicians and fans of the music. Plus, don't forget the Cajun saying that there are three ways one can become a Cajun; you can be born Cajun, marry a Cajun, or come through "la porte d'en arriere" (the back door).

Lastly, to recommend Zachary Richard to someone who knows nothing about Cajun music is absurd. Richard is a singer-songwriter who plays primarily guitar (he's a relatively poor accordion player... his real strength is in his songwriting and stellar vocal skills). His music is, while phenomenal, a WORSE reflection of the true Cajun music sound than this record. For someone who really wants to get introduced to Cajun music, try an album by The Balfa Brothers, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Balfa Toujours, or, to stay in the Savoy vein of things, the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band or, best of all, the Savoy Family Band.

By the way, the name can be and is spelled both "Savoy" and "Savoie". Ann and her husband Marc spell it "Savoy". The area of Eunice where they live is also called "Savoy", after Marc's family, and driving up the highway, you see a sign that says so.

Correction regarding "Jolie Blonde".......2004-10-14

I thought this album was lovely with haunting songs, especially Patty Griffin's "Pa Janvier, Laisse Moi M'en Aller," and Anne Savoy & Linda Ronstadt's "La Chanson d'une Fille de Quinze Ans." A correction of an earlier review by someone else: Jolie Blonde" does indeed make its appearance on this album, under the title of "Ma Blonde Est Partie." Different title, same melody!

Average customer rating:

The Maturing Wisacre
Whole Lotta Fun
Nick Lowe AND Ry Cooder
A LOT OF FUN!!
Not Nick's best...

Party of One
Nick Lowe
Manufacturer: Upstart / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003NPJ
Release Date: 1995-10-31

Tracks:

You Got The Look I Like
I Want To Build A Jumbo Ark
Gai-Gin Man
Who Was That Man?
What's Shakin' On The Hill
Shting-Shtang
All Men Are Liars
Rocky Road
Refrigerator White
Don't Know Why You Keep Me On
Honey Gun (Extended Play)
You Stabbed Me In The Front
Rocket Coast

Customer Reviews:

The Maturing Wisacre.......2007-06-20

I have followed, and largely admired, Nick Lowe's output since "Pure Pop for Now People". Lowe has always struck me as someone willing to go out farther on a limb than others for a song. More often than not, the risk paid off, and sometimes it didn't. Generally, I'd rather hear Lowe on an off day than certain others when they're firing on all cylinders, but that's merely my taste.

"Party of One" is interesting in where it comes in Lowe's career. He's well off his high-point (post-Rockpile and his high-profile solo efforts), and I think this album finds him in a slightly more reflective groove, but with his wit in full flower. There's the fun-outrageousness of "The Look I Like", "(I Want To Build A) Jumbo Ark", "Refrigerator White", and "Shting-Shtang", but there are hints at the autobiographical in "Gai-Gin Man" and "Rocky Road", as well as slice-of-life stuff in the chilling "Who Was That Man?" and the seemingly laconic "What's Shakin' On The Hill". Behind it all is a feel of "seasoning", of a grown-up wise-guy (made even more clear in subsequent albums), musically sharp as ever, but with a broader, deeper perspective, which, interestingly enough, makes me enjoy the funny bits all the more.

I regard "Party of One" as the most enjoyable and balanced of Lowe's output up to this point. A master storyteller with musical chops to burn.

Whole Lotta Fun.......2007-05-10

Is this Nick Lowe's best work ever? No. Then again, that's akin to saying "you have a Renoir, but it's not considered to be his finest work..."

This CD is eminently listen-able, particularly on one of those roll-down-the-windows driving days.

Some of Nick's hooks are as good (i.e. "brilliant") as they have ever been, as in "You got the look I like." Plus, as has been said earlier, you have two guitar masters working on this album: Cooder and Edwards.

Nope, not his best work, and there are even a few times you'll hit the "skip" button after you've listened through it once or twice, but the fact that you keep playing those other 9 songs, or that you can't shake one from your head hours later, should tell you something.

Nick Lowe AND Ry Cooder.......2007-02-17

One thing other reviewers have missed is that Ry Cooder's typically-awesome guitar work adorns a few of the tracks (Gaijin Man, Rocky Road, and a couple others). Some of these songs are great, and the whole thing is fun.

A LOT OF FUN!!.......2006-03-31

I have a real soft spot for Nick Lowe's first two solo albums, Pure Pop For Now People (or Jesus of Cool in the U.K.) and Labour of Lust. A soft spot? They are two of my favorite albums EVER!! While I love Nick's more adult fare, like The Convincer, I've had a desire to hear something more of the Labour of Lust or even Nick the Knife rockabilly ilk lately, and Party of One is just the rockabilly recipe for what I needed! It's not too slick, nice and rugged, and it ROCKS and is a lot of fun and varied enough to stay exciting the whole listen! Oh, and Dave Edmunds produced it!

Not Nick's best..........2004-12-02

...which still means it's a fair sight better than most other people's work.

If you consider "Party of One" to be the first album of Nick's "indie" period, which also includes "The Impossible Bird," "Dig My Mood," and "The Convincer," it's easily the worst of the bunch. However, if you consider it to be the last one of his major-label period ("Party of One" was originally released on Reprise and was then reissued by Upstart), it fares a little better. But it's still no "Nick the Knife."

My problem with this album is: too much rockabilly. A couple of songs would have been enough, but rockabilly makes up nearly the entire album.

The best song, "What's Shakin' on the Hill," is fortunately *not* of this genre; in fact, it's a step forward toward Nick's more mellow songs of the late 90's, much as the Beach Boys' "Let Him Run Wild" was said to be a step toward "The Little Girl I Once Knew" (which was itself said to be a step toward "Pet Sounds"). But it's apparent Nick's not quite used to this mood yet, and you can hear it in his voice, which doesn't navigate the melody nearly as well as it does today. (He sounds much more comfortable on "You Got the Look I Like," the opener, and another good song.)

Tracks:

Thing Called Love - Bonnie Raitt
The Most Unoriginal Sin - Willie Nelson
She Loves The Jerk - Rodney Crowell
The Way We Make A Broken Heart - Rosanne Cash
When We Ran - Linda Ronstadt
Riding With The King - Eric Clapton/B.B. King
Icy Blue Heart - Emmylou Harris
She Don't Love Nobody - Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit
Across The Borderline - Freddy Fender
Feels Like Rain - Buddy Guy
Take It Down - Patty Griffin
It'll Come To You - Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise
Paper Thin - Buddy & Julie Miller

Customer Reviews:

Higher and Hiatt.......2005-11-24

While no-one does Hiatt as good as Hiatt, this isn't what this album's about at all. It's about paying homage to one hell of a songwriter, in their own way. Even though this latest tribute is not the strongest of three, I for one am rapt at some interpratations of Hiatt's songs. If you like Hiatt get this!! Also get Rolling into Memphis and Love Gets Strange. Two former tributes. Every tracks a winner!!!

Eclectic compilation.......2003-11-11

This is a great CD--really highlighting John's writing. Each rendition brings a new level of perspective to his words and surfaces his amazing lyrics, separate from John the singer. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves an eclectic blend of music.

Hit and Miss...but pretty good........2003-09-25

Overall, it's a well done tribute to Hiatt with a great roster of artists lending their talents. But, as usual with tribute albums, you quickly realize that nobody does it like the original. Having said that, there are some excellent tracks on this disc:
-Patty Griffin's "Take it Down" is definitely the standout here....it's almost good enough to rival the original.
-Clapton/King's "Riding With the King"
-Emmylou Harris is great on "Icy Blue Heart"

This disc is for the die-hard Hiatt fans who already have all of Hiatt's stuff....new folks should go for "Slow Turning" "Walk On" or "..Gruff Exterior"

A mixed bag, but good overall........2003-08-19

.
The album starts badly with Buddy and Julie Miller proving they can't get close to the electrifying original of 'Paper Thin'. The title track is another let down, and Buddy Guy's 'Feels Like Rain' fails to live up to Hiatt's own version. Can't blame them all for trying though.
Bonnie Raitt's stonking remake of 'Thing Called Love' is so good you can forgive its inclusion while wishing that more of the album was Hiatt's obscurer songs like Patty Griffin's lovely 'Take it Down' and Roseanne Cash's 'This is the Way We Make a Broken Heart'. Hiatt's well-known songs are well-known because he did such a great version. Trying to improve on them is a waste of time, though Rodney Crowell has a good stab at it on 'She Loves the Jerk'.
It's an interesting album for Hiatt fans, but one that will probably have them backtracking to the originals to hear the songs done properly, for the most part.

A solid tribute effort reminds you how good Hiatt is.......2003-07-02

Here's the problem--tribute albums rarely equal or surpass the original numbers by the original artist. It'll Come To You is no exception. While its best moments are as good as Hiatt's originals, they still don't improve on them. Much like the Richard Thompson tribute Beat the Retreat, It'll Come to You does what the best tribute albums always do---make you want to go back and rediscover the originals. It also allows you to discover artists new to you that you might not have given the consideration to.

The usual suspects are here--from Bonnie Raitt's rollicking remake of Thing Called Love (the best remake of a Hiatt tune I've heard outside of the King/Clapton collaboration Riding with the King). Raitt's remake is--pardon the gender confusion--the King of all the remakes here.Rodney Crowell's She Loves the Jerk and Emmylou's Icy Blue Heart are the Court Jester and Queen of this deck of Hiatt cards.

There are other treasures here as well including Buddy & Julie Miller's unexpected remake of Paper Thin. Freddie Fender's cover of Across the Border brings class to the entire collection. It's nicely done tribute to a talented artist who deserved one a long, long time ago.

Music:

Music

music

Music

Wake Up...It's Tomorrow [Import]

Caplet: Mélodies

Bop in Britain, Vol. 1: The Learning Curve

Georgia on My Mind, Vol. 2: Georgia Country

Do It to the Music [CD-single] [Import]

Brazil Encanto

Black Jenny [Import]

Bobby's Girl: Complete Seville Recording

Comme Un Accord/H [Import]

Best of Gershwin

Blue Note Years, Vol. 19 [Import]

Birdsong With Sunlight

Con Mi Viejo Amigo [Import]

Love Them While You Can

Let Your Ghost Go