Thank God for iTunes gift certificates and Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic.com.
While trying to figure out how to burn through my $15, I perused AMG's best records of the year so far and found the elegant and refined songs of Nick Lowe. "At My Age" is just such an engaging listen...it's a portrait of a man who's truly lived, looking back over his time on earth, sometimes with regret, sometimes with razor sharp humor. Musically, the album runs from something like rockabilly to classic late night, jazz tinged piano ballads. Lowe's voice on the slower songs has that wonderful, weary sound to it and, to me, it recalls some of the mood of Tom Waits classic "Closing Time".
My favorite track is easily "Rome Wasn't Built In a Day". It's a slightly swinging tune with a confident protagonist musing on how he's going to win the object of his affection:
"You don't know it but I've made my mind up
You'll wind up in my arms
First I have to break down your resistance to my charms
Yes darlin'
I know it won't be easy
But I won't rest until I find a way
Everyobody knows that Rome wasn't built in one day"
I am most happy to see that Mr. Lowe (I think I have to refer to him that way; he's got the air of someone my grandfather, a classy gent himself, would have been friends with) is going to be coming to San Francisco later this year. I might be the only person under 50 at the show, but I'm in. I may even have to put on a suit for this one.
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