what are the chances that the predictable won't happen and "breaking glass" ot "cruel to be kind" won't win?
i'll choose "cracking up" but "so it goes" is also a good candidate..
― Zeno, Sunday, 9 December 2007 08:43 (sixteen years ago) link
"Jesus Of Cool" is a better album overall, but "Cruel To Be Kind" is still his best ever moment. So that one.
― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 9 December 2007 12:26 (sixteen years ago) link
This poll should've been postponed until after the reissue (yay!) so I could vote for "Rollers Show".
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Sunday, 9 December 2007 13:35 (sixteen years ago) link
voted for "So It Goes," but the way this poll is goin', no one knows.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 9 December 2007 14:11 (sixteen years ago) link
She was a winner that became a doggie's dinner She never meant that much to me Whoa oh poor Marie
― JN$OT, Sunday, 9 December 2007 14:42 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm tempted to go with "Switchboard Susan" (the other radio hit from Labour of Lust, at least in Detroit, but I gotta be honest and go with "So It Goes."
So is "Rollers Show" (from Pure Pop For Now People) not on the Jesus of Cool reissue? Sorry, but if that's true, it stinks. (Also: Maybe they should have included "We Love You Bay City Rollers" or whatever it's called, which I've never heard, but I gather is an entirely different song?)
A guy at work was saying this week how the original (pre album) verson of "Cruel to Be Kind", by the way, was more "IPure Pop/Jesus of Cool sounding, but I have no idea if he was imagining things (or if I'd be able to tell the difference if I heard that version -- I never noticed the second album was a huge change in sound, to be honest.)
Songs by Nick Lowe I care about after 1979, by the way: Zero*. Though I may have heard two or three I liked before. That album this year sucked, though.
* -- "I Knew the Bride", which is probably my favorite Nick Lowe song ever come to think of it, doesn't count, since it had been around long before. But honestly, does anybody really think even the Rockpile album was really on the level of these two?
ps: "Marie Provost" is still the best song ever written about a dauchsand (even if Nick doesn't know how to pronounce the breed) (or maybe partly because he doesn't) (and I may not know how to spell it, actually, so I probably shouldn't talk.)
― xhuxk, Sunday, 9 December 2007 15:04 (sixteen years ago) link
A guy at work was saying this week how the original (pre album) verson of "Cruel to Be Kind", by the way, was more "Pure Pop/Jesus of Cool sounding, but I have no idea if he was imagining things (or if I'd be able to tell the difference if I heard that version -- I never noticed the second album was a huge change in sound, to be honest.)
― xhuxk, Sunday, 9 December 2007 15:06 (sixteen years ago) link
And okay, here's a question I've never asked anybody, but I've wondered about for decades: on the cover of the debut album (whatever your country calls it), Nick Lowe is dressed up as several different "genres" of music (or maybe stars) (and the UK and US covers are slightly different, right?)
So.
1) Which genres, exactly is he dressed up as?
and
2) Which songs on the album correspond to those genres?
In one of the photos, he's clearly trying to look like Springsteen, but there is no Springsteen type song. Conversely, he never dresses up as the Rollers! But he does look sort of "metal" in one photo, which would match "Music For Money" I guess.
― xhuxk, Sunday, 9 December 2007 15:12 (sixteen years ago) link
Yes, "Rollers Show" is on the reissue - there's a full track listing on that linked page above. Both "Rollers Show" and "They Called It Rock" were on PPFNP but not the original JOC, that's why they're not listed up there.
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Sunday, 9 December 2007 15:41 (sixteen years ago) link
I'd say "songs by Nick Lowe I care about after 1994: zero." I'm very fond of Nick the Knife ("Stick It Where The Sun Don't Shine," "Too Many Teardrops," "Let Me Kiss Ya")
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 9 December 2007 15:46 (sixteen years ago) link
"Songs by Nick Lowe I care about after 1979, by the way: Zero"
the Impossible Bird and Convincer records are quite great exercises in country pop pastiche
― Zeno, Sunday, 9 December 2007 15:59 (sixteen years ago) link
This poll should've been postponed until after the reissue (yay!)
You mean they are on their way back?
Whoever is responsible for these two albums being unavailable should be sent to Hague and be convicted for crimes against Humanity.
― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 9 December 2007 17:52 (sixteen years ago) link
As for Lowe songs from after 1979, there were a couple good ones on the Rockpile album.
― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 9 December 2007 17:54 (sixteen years ago) link
_The Doings_ box covers almost all the highlights of his career and includes a killer live disc. He had many great post-79 songs; the stuff from the last 10 years has it's moments but, yeah, isn't a patch on his first 10.
― Mr. Odd, Sunday, 9 December 2007 21:34 (sixteen years ago) link
Nick Lowe post-1979 is way too much of a country act for me.
― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 9 December 2007 22:16 (sixteen years ago) link
Nick Lowe post-1979 (and even more so as he's moved toward a certain age) is way too "sincere" for me. (I have nothing against sincerity, but it's not exactly this particular guy's forte'.)
And I'd probably like his country more if it didn't sound so "alt" (as in adult alternative more than alt-country I guess). (Though Brinsley Schwarz weren't bad, of course, and Labour of Lust had a couple country-ish tracks.)
I should listen to Nick the Knife again someday, though. I actually reviewed it along with Lindsey Buckingham's first solo album for my college newspaper when it came out, and I didn't hate it. But I also don't remember it being especially funny, and it was a big disappointment after the first two.
― xhuxk, Sunday, 9 December 2007 22:27 (sixteen years ago) link
NTK catches him moving from funny to sincere, so it's far from a disaster. And there's a good balance between the schticky numbers like "Stick It Where The Sun Don't Shine" and "Too Many Teardrops."
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 9 December 2007 22:31 (sixteen years ago) link
post 79 i really liked half a boy and half a man:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uiYYHLz9M4A
― scott seward, Sunday, 9 December 2007 22:52 (sixteen years ago) link
I voted Breaking Glass. The other ones on jesus of cool are too panache-y for me.
― filthy dylan, Sunday, 9 December 2007 23:47 (sixteen years ago) link
I feel predictable saying "So It Goes," but damn, that's a really good song.
― babyalive, Sunday, 9 December 2007 23:59 (sixteen years ago) link
you should hear Nick The Knife again if you find it for cheap, Chuck. After that either the production/performances or the songwriting is pretty bleh.
I like the singles on Pure Pop/Jesus but I find Labour Of Lust to be a lot more satisfying a listen. Kinda bummed I can't vote for "American Squirm." Probably gonna go with "So It Goes."
― da croupier, Monday, 10 December 2007 00:01 (sixteen years ago) link
I voted "No Reason", damn!
The original "Cruel to be kind" was the b-side of "Little Hitler" I think, it's more demolike than the hit version.
― Mark G, Monday, 10 December 2007 13:03 (sixteen years ago) link
Hmm, still missing off re-issue:
Halfway to Paradise Keep it out of sight I've been taking the Truth Drug.
― Mark G, Monday, 10 December 2007 13:05 (sixteen years ago) link
a curious thing how Nick Low is more popular in north anerica than his own country. an evident of it is this thread which is more popular while north america ilxors are awake..
― Zeno, Monday, 10 December 2007 13:14 (sixteen years ago) link
"this thread which is more popular while north america ilxors are awake.."
correct my theory if it's wrong?!
― Zeno, Monday, 10 December 2007 13:15 (sixteen years ago) link
"Marie Provost," hands down.
― Jazzbo, Monday, 10 December 2007 13:20 (sixteen years ago) link
"I voted "No Reason", damn!"
the begining of this song withe ghose angry drums/guitar bit is almost like its been taking from a "gang of four" album
― Zeno, Monday, 10 December 2007 13:43 (sixteen years ago) link
Kinda bummed I can't vote for "American Squirm." It was only on the US Labour? I think in the UK it was the b-side of a split single with Elvis Costello?
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 10 December 2007 14:07 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh, it was the a-side, by "Nick Lowe and His Sound" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" was the b-side. I wonder what it's like to listen to that album with "Endless Grey Ribbon" instead? Does the whole thing grind to a halt for that track?
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 10 December 2007 14:11 (sixteen years ago) link
"I like the singles on Pure Pop/Jesus but I find Labour Of Lust to be a lot more satisfying a listen"
otm i think
― Zeno, Monday, 10 December 2007 14:12 (sixteen years ago) link
Yeah, that's about right.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 10 December 2007 14:14 (sixteen years ago) link
cracking up
― tipsy mothra, Monday, 10 December 2007 14:50 (sixteen years ago) link
this is where he looks a little like mark e smith:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNJz53uAL5s&feature=related
― Zeno, Monday, 10 December 2007 15:24 (sixteen years ago) link
So is Labour of Lust not getting a reissue?
― Jazzbo, Monday, 10 December 2007 15:29 (sixteen years ago) link
no,but maybe next year they will get the "30th Anniversary Edition" it also desrves
― Zeno, Monday, 10 December 2007 15:35 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm going to be the Jesus of Lame and say "Cruel to be Kind."
― Alex in NYC, Monday, 10 December 2007 15:44 (sixteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― ILX System, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 00:01 (sixteen years ago) link
Nick himself said that the reason his early solo albums were out of print was because, as the licences in various countries were expiring, he was regaining the rights to the albums and wanted to release them once he could do so everywhere simultaneously. So in Geir's opinion, it is Nick Lowe who should be sent to the Hague - though since rapists and mass murderers get off easy there, Nick'd probably spend 11 minutes in the poke, if found guilty.
Here's the expanded tracklist:
Jesus Of Cool: 30th Anniversary Edition:
01 Music For Money 02 I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass 03 Little Hitler 04 Shake And Pop 05 Tonight 06 So It Goes 07 No Reason 08 36 Inches High 09 Marie Provost 10 Nutted By Reality 11 Heart Of The City (live) 12 Shake That Rat 13 I Love My Label 14 They Called It Rock 15 Born A Woman 16 Endless Sleep 17 Halfway To Paradise 18 Rollers Show 19 Cruel To Be Kind (original version) 20 Heart Of The City 21 I Don't Want The Night To End
That's all thirteen tracks from both the US and UK album versions, plus eight tracks previously on his rarities compilation "The Wilderness Years" and the early (cool) disco version of "Cruel To Be Kind," which was on his box set, but nowhere else CD-wise.
It skips these early number from "The Wilderness Years":
Fool Too Long Let's Go To The Disco Everybody Dance Bay City Rollers, We Love You Allorolla Part 1 Truth Drug So Heavy Keep It Out Of Sight Heart (demo) I Got A Job
Hopefully these songs will show up on the reissue of "Labour Of Lust," because (if I'm not mistaken) there is only one released song ("Basing Street") not on either previous UK or US albums. The albums shared:
Cruel To Be Kind / Cracking Up / Big Kick, Plain Scrap! / Born Fighter / You Make Me / Skin Deep / Without Love / Dose Of You / Love So Fine / Switchboard Susan
The British album had: Endless Grey Ribbon The US album had: American Squirm
That leaves room for the leftover tracks, even if it doesn't make sense chronologically.
― deedeedeextrovert, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 00:30 (sixteen years ago) link
Good news. Hopefully "Labour Of Lust" is back in sale again shortly as well.
― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 09:20 (sixteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― ILX System, Thursday, 13 December 2007 00:01 (sixteen years ago) link
Wow! The first time that my pick was #1.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 13 December 2007 00:04 (sixteen years ago) link
I thought "36 Inches High" was going to get at least one RIP Jim Ford sympathy vote.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:32 (sixteen years ago) link
Missed the vote but would've gone for "Marie Provost." Misspelling, mispronouncing, and in general not giving a shit (about a truly tragic tale, y'all), Lowe created the best popist fight song since "The Great Pretender."
― Kevin John Bozelka, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:50 (sixteen years ago) link
"Marie Provost" was the surprise here, really. Didn't expect a non-single to do that well here.
― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:55 (sixteen years ago) link
But, Geir, poor Marie "became a doggie's dinner". Who could argue with that?
― Ioannis, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:57 (sixteen years ago) link
And it was a single, or at least the lead track on the "Bowi" e.p.
― Mark G, Thursday, 20 December 2007 08:37 (sixteen years ago) link
oh hang on, that was "Born a woman". As you were.
Eh, so it goes.
― gigabytepicnic, Thursday, 20 December 2007 08:39 (sixteen years ago) link
Officially out today. And so it goes.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 15:45 (sixteen years ago) link
but where it's going on one knows
― Zeno, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 16:17 (sixteen years ago) link
February 19, 2008: Yep Rock re-releases "Jesus of Cool," Fidel Castro steps down. Coincidence?
― Fitzcarraldo, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 06:09 (sixteen years ago) link
cause he was living in a different world!
― Mark G, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 11:04 (sixteen years ago) link
Have to get this. Especially glad to see "Rollers Show" back in circulation (a VERY clever piece of work which also works as straight celebratory/tribute pop); Radcliffe (with Mark Ellen) played it last night and spoke about this album at length. Loved the original when I was a kid.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 11:08 (sixteen years ago) link
After much thought, I've decided that Labour Of Lust is just about a perfect pop album--whatever "perfect" means.
― inhibitionist, Sunday, 1 June 2008 11:20 (fifteen years ago) link
^^^^
― Someone Still Loves You Evan and Jaron (Tape Store), Friday, 24 April 2009 20:46 (fifteen years ago) link
I just picked up these two albums (the Yep Roc reissues). Great power-pop! Damn I love the drumming on "Big Kick Plain Scrap".
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 28 January 2013 21:56 (eleven years ago) link
Did 'American Squirm' make it onto one of them? So great.
― Be Glad for the Snorg Has No End (Jon Lewis), Monday, 28 January 2013 22:20 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah, it was on the LoL reissue. Gotta track down those Wilderness Years tracks not on either reissue.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 28 January 2013 22:22 (eleven years ago) link
Guys, can you do me a favor? Listen to "Cruel To Be Kind" on headphones and tell me if you hear a table tennis game going on, very faintly, in the background.
― Hamilton, Joe Frank & Two-Thirds of Asphyx (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 20 August 2016 18:51 (seven years ago) link
Is that what that sound is?
― Deneb on Ice (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 20 August 2016 19:12 (seven years ago) link
I mean I can't hear continuous volleys but there are sounds every once in a while that seem to be a ping pong ball being hit.
― Deneb on Ice (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 20 August 2016 19:13 (seven years ago) link
That was my guess... it doesn't sound like it's a product of any of the instruments in the song, also doesn't sound like percussion. But it creeps in here and there and seems most noticeable towards the end of the song.
― Hamilton, Joe Frank & Two-Thirds of Asphyx (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 21 August 2016 07:21 (seven years ago) link
Also thanks for noticing SOMETHING there, man, it's been haunting me. Heh.
― Hamilton, Joe Frank & Two-Thirds of Asphyx (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 21 August 2016 07:22 (seven years ago) link
There's a 'glitch' noise the last time he sings 'I don't know why', what about that one?
― Mark G, Sunday, 21 August 2016 08:05 (seven years ago) link
Seems like you may be the first to have noticed this. I looked around the web and the closest thing I could find was not really related. http://www.thebluegrasssituation.com/read/shift-list-chef-john-currence-shares-soundtrack-his-rock-%E2%80%98n%E2%80%99-roll-life
― Deneb on Ice (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 21 August 2016 13:24 (seven years ago) link
If you don't want to click- it's a chef talking about his past in an indie rock band- here is the relevant part, perhaps not relevant enough but just bizarre enough to mention
The band relocated to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where they wound up recording with legendary producer Mitch Easter, who had helmed R.E.M.’s earliest recordings. Easter’s relationship with the indie pioneers led to a surreal moment at one of Chapter Two’s own sessions. The band was at his house one day, trying to get a sound effect down on tape in his driveway, when a car pulled up. “We were in the middle of a take and we were like, ‘Who is this asshole?’” says Currence. “And then Mike Mills [of R.E.M.] gets out of the car, so our tune changed a bit.” The bassist stuck around and even helped with the session, creating a rhythm component for a song by hitting a baseball mitt with a ping-pong paddle
Also, one of the chef's favorite songs is the one under discussion.
― Deneb on Ice (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 21 August 2016 13:31 (seven years ago) link
Ha. Weird. I wonder if Nick Lowe is involved with his Facebook page at all... this all winds up with me living in a house with NICK LOWE-SECRET SOUND FX-CIA MIND CONTROL painted on the front, right?
(Oh and Mark G I think that's the noise I'm talking about!)
― Hamilton, Joe Frank & Two-Thirds of Asphyx (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Monday, 22 August 2016 06:54 (seven years ago) link
xpost I hear the "ping-pong" as well — most noticeably between 2:44 and 2:50.
― Jazzbo, Monday, 22 August 2016 11:29 (seven years ago) link
And run like the windThe nation's young men steam
― Tommy Gets His Consoles Out (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 5 August 2023 23:52 (eight months ago) link