RiffDraft

Nick Lowe – At My Age

Nick Lowe’s been around (mostly England) since the 70′s, producing quasi-punk bands (The Pretenders), writing a few hit songs (Elvis Costello’s “What’s so funny (about peace, love, and understanding)”), and playing in bands. So, it seems almost like an afterthought that he would write and record a solo album. Who would predict that it would be as timeless as At My Age?

You can tell he’s learned a few things in his 30+ years in the business. The sound is somewhere between Motown and Memphis, with horns speckled here and there. His voice is a mellow Charlie Rich (“Behind Closed Doors”) with a few attempts at Sam Cooke’s lilting phrasing. But what really makes it all work is the classic, effortless songs he has written.

I still buy CDs so that I can take a look at the liner notes. Upon my first listen, I went looking for the songwriting credits, expecting to see names like Leiber/Stoller or Goffin/King and copyrights from the 60′s. There’s only one cover here, “Feel Again,” the weakest of the bunch. The rest are Lowe’s. I can say no more. This album is a classic.