The Wake

Nick Lowe - Pure Pop for Now People

Do you love Elvis Costello like we do? Hidden in the shadow of Costello’s success is a musician that tastes, smells and even sounds like him. Nick Lowe is that musician, and his album Pure Pop For Now People is a benchmark in modern pop.

After honing his talents in a slew of different English pub bands, Lowe released Pure Pop For Now People in 1978 as his first solo album. Combining the eclectic sounds he helped produce on earlier Costello albums, Lowe creates a crunchy machine of poppy singles that have become landmarks of jangling guitars, dissonant vocals and loose drums.

While albums usually sound best when played beginning to end, Lowe’s knack for writing crafty singles allows Pure Pop to break the conventions of the rock’n’roll album. With hooks so memorable they completely ensnare your attention, each track on the record works cohesively with the album, and is able to stand individually.

Lyrically, Pure Pop is like playing a game of Candyland inside a nightmare. The lyrics are dark and dangerous, but sugarcoated with the appeal of pop music. As Lowe tells stories of record company greed, lost genitalia, and pets eating their fallen owners, the album spirals further into the supernatural. The incredible parody that this album takes on is a window into the history of modern pop music. Each song’s style stems from a previously invented genre into something unique – a blend that creates the savory pop tunes of Lowe’s individuality. Pure Pop is a new experience upon every listen. Put the album on random and enjoy all the nuances of power-pop at its best.

Check this album out if you like: Matthew Sweet, Elvis Costello, and Cheap Trick.

To listen to tracks from the album and more stunning info, listen to Radio K’s “Last Years Model” on Monday, February 25th and March 3rd at 8pm.
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