Album Review: Nick Lowe – Jesus of Cool: 30th Anniversary Edition
Nick Lowe had a growing (if still somewhat underground) reputation in 1979. As a producer — mostly for Stiff Records — he had worked the boards on stunning a number of high-profile and successful albums, including ones for Graham Parker, The Damned and Elvis Costello. Lowe had already made a name for himself as bassist with pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz, and was playing with Dave Edmunds in Rockpile (due to contractual issues, it would be some years before anything was released under the Rockpile name). He had also done an EP and some solo singles.
In 1978 the busy Lowe finally got around to his own solo album, Jesus of Cool (renamed Pure Pop for Now People for US release, so as not to offend delicate Stateside sensibilities). On Jesus of Cool, Lowe covers a wide array of style, partly to prove he can, but mainly to have a good time. The songs (all written or co-written by Lowe) trade in all the styles he loves, including pub rock (“They Called it Rock”), new wave, bubblegum (“Rollers Show”), faux-reggae (“I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass”), romantic pop (“Tonight”) and many others. A healthy sense of humor pervades the proceedings.
In 2007 Yep Roc relesed a definitive reissue of this flawless album, including all the tracks from both the UK and US versions, and a clutch of bonus tracks, 21 in all. The bonus highlight is an early version of the hit “Cruel to Be Kind.” This album belongs in the collection of every rock fan.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.