Customer Reviews

Nick the Knife

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Without a doubt, this is the album where Nick Lowe's talents came together -- his humor, sense of melody and singing make this one of the best albums from the British group that included Rockpile and Elvis Costello. You'll be humming these songs for months.

The year was 1989 when I bought this album for a buck in Chicago at a garage sale. I already knew that I loved Costello and Lowe and Squeeze. At first, I found the songs catchy, easy to live with. Then they grew on me exponentially and it became clear that Nick Lowe had the ability to take his Buddy Holly and his 1960s American country music influences and turn them into catchier british grooves with sardonic lyrics. Listen closely to the play on the blues and rockabilly beats. This is one of my top three favorite albums of all time. As much as I love Costello, I am not sure he would have been what he was without Lowe.

Oh what a sound! Nick's got the knack to create those catchy little ditties that make you tap your feet and stir your emotions. A brilliant use of quirky sounds and deep, thought-provoking lyrics makes for great british pop rock! Listen once, then listen again!

Nick Lowe's "Nick the Knife" is one of the best, all-time rock albums. The combination of the artist's stunning wit, unshakable grooves, and breadth of musical styles are simply unmatched.

Every track here is first-rate, but most particularly the middle tracks: Couldn't love you (romantic hyperole gone wild), Let Me Kiss Ya (catchy, offbeat rocker), Too Many Teardrops, Ba Doom (Got a smile like a searchlight....), and Raining Raining (beautifully sad).

This album, combined with his first solo LP, "Jesus of Cool", also known as "Pure Pop for Now People" established Nick Lowe as a powerhouse of pop, and set him out on a journey of great music for over 25 years now.

I was already turned on to Nick Lowe from Labour of Lust and Pure Pop/Jesus of Cool. Of course, the foray into the works of other artists and bands, in which Nick had active and/or behind the scenes impact, created a large and diverse section of my old LP collection. When Nick the Knife came out, the band was different, the sound was different, the lyrics were classic and edgy Lowe. I purchased a new German import of the album and was enchanted. The songs have pop-hooks for the most part, but they are still unique and, to me, are hard to categorize. My favorite Lowe song of all time is "My Heart Hurts" on this record. I have to agree with some of the other reviewers for this and other Lowe records that he has become somewhat blue and morose, so I have to admit I'm partial to the "First Half" ouvre.

...for more like this from Nick Lowe. This is certainly one of Lowe's best records, and one I've often called my favorite even compared with his more recent (and terrific) releases from the late 1990s and 2000s. For sure, it's the Nick Lowe record I've listened to most in my life. With songs like "My Heart Hurts," "Raining, Raining," "Heart", "Too Many Teardrops," "Couldn't Love You More Than I Do,"Queen Of Sheeba"...it's pure passion for now people. Definitely one of his best ever...

When I heard him on the radio the first time way back in the 80's he rocked me!
Unfortunately he is not often on the radio anyway (I had luck)
He was called "Thief Of The Century" - that was right and wrong.
No one did it so well as Nick. Both his early uptempo-rocksongs and his recent more balladesque ones are great. I went 300 miles to attend one of his rare concerts - go and get his records, its much cheaper ;-)

The highest compliment I can pay Nick Lowe is that whenever I put on some of his songs, people who have no idea who he is like it almost instantly and ask "who is this guy?". I can't say that for other favorites of mine like Elvis Costello and Graham Parker, whose harsher styles and voices turn off many listeners before they can appreciate the depth of the songwriting.

This is a great album for fans of Mr. Lowe who prefer his rockin' easily accessible music to the more morose slower paced crooner songs he's into now. From the opening drumbeat, these songs have your toe tapping. Lowe combines a great sense of humor and a unique smooth singing voice to make songs that just make you smile. The Production is typically Nick Lowe....low-tech, and those who prefer a crisper "sound" may be disappointed. My favorites are "stick it where the sun don't shine" and "burnin", but most of the songs are good ones.

...for more like this from Nick Lowe. This is certainly one of Lowe's best records, and one I've often called my favorite even compared with his more recent (and terrific) releases from the late 1990s and 2000s. For sure, it's the Nick Lowe record I've listened to most in my life. With songs like "My Heart Hurts," "Raining, Raining," "Heart", "Too Many Teardrops," "Couldn't Love You More Than I Do,"Queen Of Sheeba"...it's pure passion for now people. Definitely one of his best ever...

Side 1: Burning; Heart; Stick It Where the Sun Don't Shine; Queen of Sheba; My Heart Hurts; Couldn't Love You (Any More Than I Do)

Side 2: Let Me Kiss Ya; Too Many Teardrops; Ba Doom; Raining Raining; One's Too Many (And a Hundred Ain't Enough); Zulu Kiss