I have bemoaned for years, and Mr. Mod can attest (say Amen, brother), the loss of Nick Lowe‘s masterpieces, Labor of Lust and Pure Pop for Now People (originally Jesus of Cool in the UK) to the great digital abyss.
Last time I checked these discs were released in the ’90s and then vanished, showing up in used shops for as much as $89! Puh-leeze.
But you can bemoan a lot less as Yep Rock Records has just released Jesus of Cool (with the original track line-up) and “10 extra non-LP singles, EP sides and compilation cuts that lead up to Jesus.”
AND IT’S ON EMUSIC!!! Sweet. Here’s a bonus cut, originally released as part of the excellent Bowi ep.
Nick Lowe, “Shake That Rat”
RELATED SIDE ISSUE: Pure Pop for Now People and Jesus of Cool are two of my favorite album titles and they’re for the same album! Has any other album come even close to having two drastically different release titles that are both this bitchin’ and spot-on?
I’m glad they’re including Born a Woman on this reissue. Great song.
Doesn’t the US album Having a Rave-Up with the Yardbirds contain half of Five Live Yardbirds? That’s a lot of crossover and two cool titles too.
Good thing for this reissue. I’ve gotta say, as much as I love these first two Nick Lowe albums, they run out of gas in a hurry. The singles and bonus/UK cuts provide MUCH added value to this debut.