Nick Lowe - Jesus of Cool
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CD Details
Artist: Nick LoweEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2008-02-19
Music Label: Yep Roc Records
Soundtracks:
- Music for Money
- I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass
- Little Hitler
- Shake and Pop
- Tonight
- So It Goes
- No Reason
- 36 Inches High
- Marie Provost
- Nutted by Reality
- Heart of the City [Live]
- Shake That Rat
- I Love My Label
- They Called It Rock
- Born a Woman
- Endless Sleep
- Halfway to Paradise
- Rollers Show
- Cruel to Be Kind [Original Version]
- Heart of the City
- I Don't Want the Night to End
Music reviews of Jesus of Cool
Music Review: Brilliant, twisted, sophisticated power pop: bonus edition
Rating: 5 Stars
Back in print for the 30th anniversary of its original release, this 1978 solo debut still shows itself to be the greatest album in Lowe's catalog. Marking a glorious new phase in his career, Lowe had already made the transition from the pub rock of Brinsley Schwarz to the punkier and new wavier sounds of the artists he produced for Stiff Records. Lowe's songwriting had also started to show the twists and sparks that he'd bring to Stiff, as he recorded a pair of singles aimed at breaking his contract with United Artists: The Tartan Horde's ""Rollers Show" and The Disco Brothers' "Let's Go to the Disco" b/w "Everybody Dance."
Once free of UA, Lowe signed with Stiff where he served as a house producer (most notably for The Damned and Elvis Costello) and released the label's very first single, "So it Goes" b/w "Heart of the City," both of which turned up on this debut LP. A follow-up EP (titled "Bowi," in retaliation for Bowie's album "Low") included a cover of Sandy Posey's "Born a Woman" (with the gender-specific lyrics ironically intact), the surf-inspired bass-heavy instrumental "Shake That Rat," the chirpy and morose "Marie Provost," and the hypnotically lethargic death-watch "Endless Sleep." Of the four, only "Marie Provost" returned for the album (the other three tracks are here as bonuses). His next single was a letter-perfect cover of Tony Orlando's Brill Building era "Halfway to Paradise" b/w "I Don't Want the Night to End," again, both included here.
Lowe contributed to the Stiffs Live album and then jumped ship to Radar where he released the single "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" b/w "They Called it Rock" (the former carried over to the album, the latter included here as a bonus) and finally, his debut album. Though five of the twelve tracks had already been released on singles and EPs, their general rarity kept them fresh to album buyers. The six new songs included terrific Lowe compositions, and letter-perfect backing from a multitude of players that included members of the eventual Rockpile. Leading off is the beat-heavy "Music Money" in which Lowe lays out the antithesis of his new found musical freedom. The strummed acoustic guitars and walled backing vocals of "Little Hitler" show how fluidly Lowe could craft a studio sound that at both celebrated and ironically commented on pop music. "Tonight" features similar acoustics and harmonies, but in service of a gorgeous love song.
The straight-ahead rocker "Shake and Pop" shared a melody with "They Called it Rock," providing two sides of the Lowe/Edmunds equation; the former was included on the UK album, the latter on the US, and both included here. The organ and reggae beat of "No Reason" suggests Costello and the Attractions, and the upbeat soul of "Nutted By Reality" might point to The Jackson 5 if it didn't open with the lyric "Well I heard they castrated Castro, I heard they cut off everything he had." That's Lowe in a nutshell: an oddball lyric about Castro's demise set to a sunny light funk beat that changes key and segues seamlessly into a bouncy, dream-like travelogue with a terrific baritone guitar solo. And it makes complete sense when you hear it. Lowe's cover of Jim Ford's "36 Inches High" (again featuring Attractions-like organ figures) is slow enough to seem like he's deconstructing and examining the lyrics as he sings.
The pre-album tracks are just as good, and match as tightly as jigsaw pieces with the new tunes. The demise of the faded silent film star "Marie Provost" shows how easily Lowe could match a jingly tune to a grisly story, crafting lyrical hooks that belie the dark theme. "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" essays the destruction of a dressing room with propulsive bass and staccato piano figures, and a live rendition of "Heart of the City" shows just how deadly Rockpile was as a stage unit.
The U.S. release of the album, retitled "Pure Pop for Now People" so as not to offend America's delicate sensibilities, made a few track substitutions and changed the running order. Dropped were "Shake and Pop" and the live version of "Heart of the City," to be replaced by "They Called it Rock" and the shorter studio version of "Heart of the City." Also included on the U.S. version was "Rollers Show." This CD follows the original UK running order; you can recreate the U.S. version as 6, 2, 5, 9, 20, 18, 14, 7, 3, 10, 8, 1. Remastering was performed by the veteran Vic Anesini.
Yep Roc's packaging goes the extra mile with a double digipack (one side holds the CD, the other a 16-page booklet) that features both the U.S. and UK covers, a cross-shaped Lowe foldout, new liner notes by Will Birch and extensive photos of many original Lowe artifacts such singles and EPs sleeves and record labels. There's even a mock-up of the rumored "Wireless World" album title, using session photos not included on either of the original packages. Detailed session info provides recording dates, studio locales and personnel that reveals for the first time how Lowe utlized members of Brinsley Schwarz, Rockpile, The Rumour, The Attractions and others on his solo works.
This deluxe reissue is a must-have for pop music fans -- those who own the original CD issue would do well to upgrade. Even fanatics who have the original CD and the odds 'n' sods "Wilderness Years" collection will enjoy the artwork, liner notes and sessionography. Great job Yep Roc, now can you please get "Labour of Lust" back in print?! [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]
Description of Jesus of Cool
CD Digi-Pak. Reissue of 1978 album which was released in the US as Pure Pop for Now People. Nick Lowe is an English singer-songwriter, bass guitarist and producer who records and performs in a number of different musical styles. He began his recording career in 1966 as a member of Kippington Lodge, founded with his friend Brinsley Schwarz. Lowe's best-known songs from the Brinsley Schwarz era are 'What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding' which was a major hit for Elvis Costello in 1979, and 'Cruel to Be Kind' a song the other band members rejected but was later a solo hit for Lowe. After leaving Brinsley Schwarz in the mid-1970s, Lowe began playing in Rockpile with Dave Edmunds. In August 1976, Lowe released 'So It Goes' b/w 'Heart of the City'. 20 tracks.If you have a dog-eared copy of Nick Lowe?s Pure Pop for Now People, here is your chance to revitalize. That 1978 record, an ingenious and melodic pop gem, is really the Americanized version of Jesus of Cool, Lowe?s European debut, released the year after his departure from pub-rockers Brinsley Schwarz. This 30th-anniversary edition combines the original Jesus, extra songs that appeared on Pure Pop, and seven bonus tracks (including the original version of Lowe?s most successful single, "Cruel to Be Kind"). The collection is without an Achilles heel, from "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass," with its Bo Diddley riff, on through Lowe?s experimentation with pre-Beatles pop ("Little Hitler"), glam rock ("So It Goes"), new-wave rock ("Shake and Pop"), and even disco ("Nutted by Reality," a jocular salute to Fidel Castro). The morbidly funny "Marie Provost," a power-pop tale of the tragic silent-film actress, ranks with the best in Lowe's stash and serves as the anchor for the record, which features guest players Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner, and the Attractions. --Scott Holter
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