Nick Lowe has reached a midlife plateau in his career where he can actually gaze down upon some mighty impressive past accomplishments. Lowe left his mark on pub rock, punk, and new wave as a performer and producer before losing momentum in the late '80s and early '90s. However, with 1994's The Impossible Bird he engineered a stunning artistic comeback. Dig My Mood, which arrived four years later, proved Bird was no fluke. And The Convincer keeps the streak going. Like its predecessor, this 12-song set is anchored around reflective tunes that are presented with a minimum of fuss. The mature Lowe takes his vocal cues from Nat "King" Cole; like the great romantic crooner, there's an elegant catch in his delivery that's both downcast and dignified. The once irrepressible wag with a propensity for punning record titles (The Abominable Showman, 16 All-Time Lowes) is now a soulful balladeer of the first order. Somehow those irreverent hijinks aren't missed in the least. --Steven Stolder
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