Customer Reviews

At My Age [Vinyl]

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The wordplay on this one would shame Shakespeare. And Nick has always been able to pull off great wordplay without anyone noticing--the hallmark of genius, in my book. The really great language, you kind of don't notice, because it seems so integral to the meaning. The melodies are just as good. You think you've heard the song a hundred times, and most happily are hearing it again, but you haven't. It's just exactly what you want from the song, that mix of absolute newness with an eerie familiarity. I cannot praise this enough.

I also cannot recommend one song over another. They are uniformly excellent.

I would point out that when I last saw him perform, in Hollywood, he had as his opening act Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, those writers of "I'm Your Puppet," "Sweet Inspiration." "Do Right Woman" and "Dark End of the Street." The Memphis groove on this record certainly owes a debt to those gentlemen, and occasionally to some sly mariachi here and there, and real country as well.

Nick has been a priceless artist for a long time, and this adds, significantly, I think, to his body of work. I cannot think of a better songwriter. Ever. Listen to how he twists his rhymes around the melodies. And vice versa.

Great backing band as well. "Love's Got a Lot to Answer For" is a personal favorite. But you will find your own.

Bless you, Nick. (Oh, and when you play out with Geraint, let him do his "Deep in the Heart of Texas," even though Edmunds recorded it. My songwriting partner was the drunk screaming for it in Hollywood. Rome wasn't built in a day.)
Buddy

On his latest album, At My Age, singer-songwriter Nick Lowe -- who recently turned 58, and was a veteran of the UK pub-rock, punk and New Wave scenes of the 1970s -- continues in the same stripped-down country-soul style of his past three efforts: 1994's The Impossible Bird, 1998's Dig My Mood, and 2001's The Convincer.

Lyrically, he retains his trademark wit while increasingly offsetting his wordplay with moments of introspection, even when he's waxing optimistic about a new love: On the As Good As It Gets-inspired "A Better Man," he admits, "In my life, I've done things I'm not proud of," while on "Hope For Us All," he calls himself "a feckless man who's thrown away every single chance he's ever had." Elsewhere, he dispenses hard-earned wisdom on "People Change" (featuring harmonies from Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, whose 1979 debut single "Stop Your Sobbing" was produced by Lowe), expresses sympathy for fellow losers in love on "The Club," and pleads for understanding regarding his wild past on "The Other Side of the Coin" ("If I'd done all the things they say I've done, I'd be in the ground or on the run"). Most startling is "I Trained Her to Love Me," about a fellow who seeks revenge on womankind by dating girls just so he can enjoy watching them "fall apart" when he eventually dumps them (I wonder if Lowe was inspired by the 1997 indie film In The Company Of Men for this one...).

In addition to the 9 fine originals on this disc, there are 3 playful covers -- "The Man in Love," "Not Too Long Ago," and "Feel Again" -- that blend in almost seamlessly with Lowe's timelessly appealing melodies. If you've liked his recent work as much as I have, this is about as close to perfect as an album can get.

Of the last four Lowe CDs, all of which stray from country to lounge to classic pop, this one is the 2nd best, trailing only the magnificent "The Impossible Bird," but much better than the uneven Dig My Mood and the hit-and-miss The Convincer. It's still a grand cry from the glory days of the late 70s--the clever phrases are still here but much of Nick's "new" music lacks melody or a musical hook that marked his rock stuff. But the the bottom line is, Nick Lowe is a true original and always has been, and if you like his style, you'll like this CD.

Nick Lowe is back. The man who made my favorite lp of the '80's, the sublime Rose of England, has returned with a vengeance. And I am happy to report that at age 58, he is at the top of his game, bringing to the music world a much needed top notch release just in time for summer. The doldrums have no chance to set in while this thoroughly coherent, enjoyable CD is playing. There is nary a weak track on At My Age, and like any good record, subsequent plays reveal an astonishing depth and subtlety. Rome Wasn't Built In A Day, a lovely ode to a man's romantic devotion, also serves as metaphor and testament to Nick's patience and perserverance in the music world. Indeed, how many other 70's singers are doing some of their finest work nowadays?
This is surely Nick's best since the heights of The Impossible Bird. He follows much the same template he established on that record, and the subsequent 3 releases, but this new one rocks a bit more, and the ballads seem more hopeful and wise. In a recent interview he addressed those who have accused him of not rocking as hard as he did in the late 70's with this wry assessment: "I rock as hard as I ever did. Only now it's quieter, and more intense."
This comment alone should allay any fears that the man responsible for Cruel to Be Kind (Was there a better '70's single?) and Half a Man has lost any of his wit and panache. On this new cd, I Trained Her to love Me and The Club carry on this tradition. Long Limbed Girl too, is an irresistible tune, replete with a sweet elegiac quality that permeates the entire album. And it must be said here, Is there anyone in popular music with a better sense of melody? Or for that matter, is there a better vocalist?
With this new CD, Nick Lowe- the former punk rocker, producer extrordinaire- emerges as the preeminent singer-songwriter of the new century. His command of his craft,and his knowledge of music history, is perhaps only rivaled by Bob Dylan. Like Dylan, Lowe's a stranger to no genre. Nick Lowe is no less than the Howard Hawks of popular music.

As brilliant as The Convincer, but, at 33 minutes, there isn't enough of it. This album is so well produced, I, for one, would appreciate some longer pieces with more instrumental breaks. I''m grateful for the new release and am enjoying it, all the same.

There is one and only one flaw in this album--it's too short! Will we have to wait another 6 years for more from Mr. Lowe? If you are a Lowe fan there's no reason to stop now.

Who knew...who would have thought that Boomer would become the foremost interpreter of male angst with a wink? He is now the Frank Sinatra of the latter age of pop music. He sings with self-effacing wit and plainful pain, a jazzy over-the-shoulder ease and a truth that underscores the hurt. Nick Lowe has re-invented irony as a witty lonesome clever soul with a draped overcoat, gray hair, broken hearts both did and done, and a nudge with passion that embeds the silken phrasing that Frank Dean Bing etc.did into a new modern thrill.

Nick Lowe's early recordings as Jesus of Cool, Pure Pop 4 Now People, and his production of New Wave artists would alone be enough to put him in HAll of FAME, but starting w/ Impossible Bird, Nick has a legacy of Sweet Sounds for Soulful Folks.

This disc may not bring new fans, it doesn't break new ground. It shouldn't have to. It has lovely melodies, nasty wit, and singing that brings smiles and the feeling that the listener gets it and may offer best to the person next.

I'm middle age and never heard of Nick Lowe before. I read a review in " The Week " magazine which praised this new record. I really love it. Every song is enjoyable and I plan to get more of his music. Glad to discover this guy.

Given that Nick's 80s output ("Nick the Knife", "The Abominable Showman") never got their due, it's refreshing to see the critical reverence he gets today. In this low(e)-key suite of stripped down productions, a world-weary lothario sings songs of love and loss. Still convincing.

Nick's smooth style and brevity hides the depth of his lyrics. This is wonderful stuff for mature audiences. Only a few artists, and Nick is one of them, can make you laugh and cry in the same song. He has produced a masterpiece.