ONCE IN ’79: NICK LOWE – “CRUEL TO BE KIND”
“May 24, 1979
NICK LOWE’s “Labor of Lust” is just out. It’s his follow up to last year’s LP, “Jesus Of Cool” (aka “Pure Pop For Now People”). The song “Cruel To Be Kind” starts the album, although it’s not the version that was on the flip side of last year’s 45 of “Little Hitler.” It’s been slowed down, and the swirling carnival keyboard on the original is missing from this acoustic-heavy remake. The album then moves through “Cracking Up,” “Big Kick, Plain Scrap” and careens into the newest single “American Squirm.” Also included are “Switchboard Susan, Skin Deep,” and a nod to the Everly Brothers called “Without Love.”
Musicians on the album are Rockpile, the band that Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe now share. Billy Bremner and Dave Edmunds both play guitar on the record, Nick on bass and Terry Williams on drums. Ex-Brinsley Schwartz Bob Andrews is on synth and American Huey Lewis is borrowed from Clover to cut some harmonica parts.”
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