REVIEW: Lowe Country - The Songs of Nick Lowe

Nick Lowe is a master artist - vocalist, musician, producer, tastemaker - one of the truly class acts in music.

But nowhere does this British gentleman shine more than as a songwriter.  Lowe consistently displays a great sense of melody, impeccable song structure, hooks galore, featuring clever wordplay to embellish a terrific story, a memorable character or a unique way of looking at a situation.

This CD Lowe Country - The Songs of Nick Lowe puts 13 songs in the hands of some of today's finest Americana singers with a focus on the more country side of Lowe's catalogue, or giving a more country arrangement to some of his better known rock songs -- "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" (Amanda Shires), "Marie Provost" (JEFF the Brotherhood), "Heart of the City" (Chatham County Line).  



Listen to the entire CD here, and listen especially for some of my favorite moments:

Hayes Carll's "(I'm Gonna) Start Livin' Again If It Kills Me".

Griffin House's "Crackin Up".

Longtime WYMA favorites The Parson Red Heads version of "Don't Lose Your Grip on Love".

One of my very favorite singers, Canadian Ron Sexsmith's "Where's My Everything".

Caitlin Rose doing "Lately I've Let Things Slide", here.

Robert Ellis' "All Men are Liars". See Live version here:

Full list of songs and artists here: Fiesta Red Records

Purchase here: Music Millennium or at better independent record stores everywhere, especially in your town.

Lowe Country is a terrific collection of cover songs. Highly recommended.