Jesus of Cool (1978)

In the U.S., where sensibilities are infinitely more tender, this was released with a different cover and slightly altered track listing under the name Pure Pop for Now People, probably the more apt title though not nearly as, you know, cool. (On the other hand, Nick Lowe is hardly the kind of martyr that could ever be tagged as a "Jesus." But whatever. It was just about being funny and basically it still is.) What you have here is a collection of pure pop songs bristling with hooks (remember hooks?), energy, and confidence. Known at the time more as a producer-in-demand of new wave standard-bearers – Elvis Costello, Pretenders, Damned, so on and so forth – Nick Lowe already had a well-deserved reputation as a student of the pop districts of roots rock 'n' roll and that's where he dwells here. From the grotesqueries of "Marie Provost" (who dies alone with her lapdog in her lonely apartment, you can guess the rest) to the mocking mythologizing of "They Called It Rock" and "Music for Money," this collection of songs remains as fresh and rocks as neatly as the day it was released. If you've never heard it, it could well become your latest infatuation.