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Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit: The Rose of England (Columbia); Nick Lowe: 16 All-Time Lowes (Demon U.K.)

Ira Robbins, Rolling Stone, 12 September 1985

EVER SINCE his classic solo debut, 1978's Pure Pop for Now People — and a follow-up, Labour of Lust, almost as good — lovable Nick Lowe has stuck to the same menu of good-humored, but no longer compelling, rock & roll, rockabilly and pure pop. After a stint as the trend-setting Jesus of Cool, the former pub rocker seems to have returned to the cheerful meaninglessness of his musical youth. While 16 All-Time Lowes, available only as an import, distills the best of those first two albums, The Rose of England is another plainly enjoyable but unspectacular outing with his current steady band.

Total word count of piece: 381

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