Nick Lowe “Love Starvation” EP
Nick Lowe is like a fine wine — and his ability to craft catchy melodies with meaningful lyrics get better with age. Supported by masked guitar greats Los Straitjackets, Lowe has penned three original tracks: “Love Starvation,” “Trombone,” and “Blue on Blue.” The A/B sides have a Spanish flavor similar to Richie Valens. However, the real classic here is the tender ballad “Blue On Blue.” Highly Recommended.
The Morning Line “North”
San Francisco, CA-based The Morning Line delivers a follow up to 2017’s Smoke. They start with the slow building “Antennas,” a droning guitar melody with reverbed basslines. “Given Up” has a good guitar riff, with a 90’s style very much like Collective Soul.
The band picks up the speed a bit on “1982” and lead vocalist Stephen Smith is like a mellowed Elvis Costello at times. Wistful midtempo songs like “Complicated” and “Sickness” are good, but the folk-rock “Tripwire” slows the momentum. Thankfully the energy level is just right on “Nostradamus” and “No Love Lost.” The catchy “South Carolina” is another highlight. Check it out!
Kool Kat Musik
Sofa City Sweetheart “Super(b) Exitos”
LA musician Juan Antonio Lopez (and assorted bandmates) have made a deeply personal statement and a hell of an album. “The Same Old Song (You Were Always On My Mind” is a great low-key opener comparable to Elliot Smith with its “la di da” chorus and “Stanely Waited” is a richly textured character study with a western rhythm that soars during the bridge. Acoustic guitar and strings echo along with the verses of “Annie Stays Home” and the gentle falsetto and harmonies all by itself carry “Floating” along. Every song here is a pocket symphony with really high peaks like “Stop The Thinking” that are simply catchy power pop with the addition of Spanish horn accents that takes it over the top.
“In This Lifetime” is another brilliant single that’s a hopeful pep talk, and following that are the melancholy “I am On My Own” and “Song For Alex.” The album slowly unwinds with more balladry, but it remains compelling musically, especially the ender “So Long / Lucky Nuff.” Lopez pours his heart out in the lyrics and even on the few instrumentals. He designed this album to be listened to as a complete concept, a little adventure that begins when you drop the needle down before the first song and isn’t over until you hear the record crackle at the end. It serves that purpose and earns praise as one of the best LPs of 2019. Highly Recommended.
