Nick
Lowe: At My Age (Yep Roc)
It’s been well over thirty years since Nick Lowe—the guy who
originally wrote the Elvis Costello-popularized “(What’s So
Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding”—first broke
ground with British pub-rockers Brinsley Schwarz, and nearly as long since
he helped usher in British New Wave as both a producer and solo artist.
Lowe’s first album in six years finds London’s elder statesman
settling into a comfortable adult-contemporary groove, with light melodies,
bright Memphis-flavored brass, and a sprightly step that belies Lowe’s
years. From the youthful “Long Limbed Girl,” to the shuffling,
Mexican horn-accented “The Club” and the rockabilly cover
of Charlie Feathers’ “A Man In Love,” At My Age
is the kind of soulful pop record that bridges generations.
By Frank Valish
7/2007