Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family

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Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family
Studio album by
Nick Lowe
ReleasedOctober 29, 2013 (2013-10-29)
Studio
GenreHoliday, Christmas Music, Rock, Americana
LabelYep Roc
ProducerNick Lowe, Robert Treherne, Neil Brockbank
Nick Lowe chronology
The Old Magic
(2011) 		Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family
(2013) 		The Quality Holiday Revue (Live)
(2015)

Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family is a studio album by British singer-songwriter Nick Lowe. The album was released on October 29, 2013 by Yep Roc Records. The album was featured at #17 on Rolling Stone's "40 Essential Christmas Albums" list on November 30, 2019.[1]

Album Background and Recording[]

Quality Street was released following Lowe's 2011 studio album, The Old Magic.

Nick Lowe was approached by his label, Yep Roc Records, to make a Christmas themed album. Lowe's initial reaction was negative, but he later agreed to take on the project, as he said in an interview with The Current radio station on December 20, 2013.[2]

The album was recorded at Gravity Shack Studios in Tooting Bec, London, UK. This studio has since been renamed as Silver Shark Studios. While recording in the studios Lowe said, "We tried to make it a sleigh-bell free atmosphere."[3]

Quality Street features three Nick Lowe originals: "Christmas at the Airport," "I Was Born in Bethlehem," and "A Dollar Short of Happy." Lowe also covers Roger Miller's "Old Toy Trains" and Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday."[4] "Hooves on the Roof" was composed by Ron Sexsmith expressly for this album.

As a promotional event by Yep Roc, Quality Street was streamed in its entirety for 24 hours on YouTube on July 25, 2013.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3.5/5 stars[5]
Uncut4/5 stars[6]

Critical Reception[]

In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said, "Easing into his second decade as a dapper crooner, it's little wonder that Nick Lowe has succumbed to the siren call that seduces every gentleman vocalist: he's gone and made a Christmas album."[7]

The Washington Post covered the album in an article posted on November 29, 2013. Chris Klimek began the article with, "In the A.D. era of Christmas albums — that would be After Dylan — nobody who releases one can seem too dark a horse. Still, Nick Lowe, who called his first solo album “Jesus of Cool” (it was retitled in these more sensitive United States), isn't the likeliest candidate."[8]

On December 8, 2013 Lowe performed "Christmas at the Airport" during an interview for NPR.[9]

Quality Street was given 4 out of 5 stars by the London-based publication, Uncut, on December 17, 2013. Luke Torn began his review with, "Ol’ Saint Nick, playful pop alchemy, and the retro-reinvention of the Christmas album..."[10]

Quality Street was named Album of the Week by The Independent on December 21, 2013. Andy Gill began the article with, "With Quality Street, Nick Lowe manages the virtually impossible, delivering a Christmas album that's both inventive and irony-free, and seasonally warm without pushing any of the usual commercial buttons."[11]

Track Listing[]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Children Go Where I Send Thee"Traditional, arranged by Nick Lowe2:41
2."Christmas Can't Be Far Away"Boudleaux Bryant3:30
3."Christmas at the Airport"Nick Lowe3:49
4."Old Toy Trains"Roger Miller3:00
5."The North Pole Express"Traditional, arranged by Nick Lowe2:45
6."Hooves on the Roof"Ron Sexsmith3:33
7."I Was Born in Bethlehem"Nick Lowe3:23
8."Just to Be with You (This Christmas)"Ross Bon3:31
9."Rise Up Shepherd"Traditional, arranged by Nick Lowe2:57
10."Silent Night"Franz Gruber, Joseph Mohr, arranged by Nick Lowe2:40
11."A Dollar Short of Happy"Nick Lowe, Ry Cooder2:45
12."I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"Wizzard4:21
Total length:38:55

Personnel[4][]

  • Nick Lowe: Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Producer
  • Geraint Watkins: Keyboard
  • Johnny Scott: Guitar
  • Matt Radford: Bass
  • Robert Treherne: Drums, Producer
  • Peta Waddington: Design
  • Rose Blake: Illustration
  • Tim Young: Vinyl Mastering
  • Dan Burn-Forti: Photography
  • Neil Brockbank: Producer, Recording
  • Tucker Nelson: Recording

References[]

  1. ^ Edwards, Gavin (2019-11-30). "40 Essential Christmas Albums". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  2. ^ Seel, Steve. "Interview: Nick Lowe". www.thecurrent.org. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  3. ^ https://plus.google.com/110686239645171179005. "YEP ROC TO RELEASE 'QUALITY STREET' - A NEW NICK LOWE ALBUM, HOLIDAY-THEMED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE -". Shore Fire Media. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Nick Lowe – Quality Street (2013, 180 g, Vinyl), retrieved 2021-04-08
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Nick Lowe Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  6. ^ Torn, Luke. "Nick Lowe – Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family". Uncut. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  7. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family - Nick Lowe | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-04-08
  8. ^ Klimek, Chris (November 29, 2013). "Nick Lowe gets into the holiday spirit with his first collection of Christmas tunes". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  9. ^ "Why Would Nick Lowe Make A Christmas Album? Ask Nick Lowe". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  10. ^ "Nick Lowe - Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family". UNCUT. 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  11. ^ Gill, Andy (December 21, 2013). "Album of the week: Nick Lowe, 'Quality Street' (Proper)". Independent. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
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