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.

Happily returning once again to the immortal worlds of Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and the Everly Brothers, Lowe opens The Rose of England with "I Knew the Bride," a song he gave Dave Edmunds when the pair began their fruitful artistic partnership in the mid-Seventies. For his could-be-a-hit version, Nick employs the performing and producing services of Huey Lewis and the News. (Lewis also crops up playing harmonica on 16 All-Time Lowes' "Born Fighter.") Otherwise, he is joined by the venerable Cowboy Outfit – former Rumour guitarist Martin Belmont, drummer Bobbi Irwin and onetime Squeeze keyboardist Paul Carrack – a crack band that effortlessly adapts to the various stylistic detours on the album.

Throughout, Nick the Knife maintains his typically offhanded aplomb, recasting his favorite tunes and turning to outside songwriters for worthwhile contributions. The efforts of two close associates – John Hiatt's grumpy "She Don't Love Nobody" and Elvis Costello's strife-torn "Indoor Fireworks" – provide the album's emotional focus, preventing it from meandering off into lightweight bonhomie. Lowe's own material includes the enigmatic title ballad, the bouncy tragedy of "Darlin' Angel Eyes" and "(Hope to God) I'm Right," which blends Buddy Holly and the Kingston Trio for an insecure dissertation on finding romance. There's also "Long Walk Back," a greasy rock & roll instrumental cowritten with the band.

Relentlessly entertaining but frustrating in its severely limited scope, 16 All-Time Lowes contains Rockpile's "When I Write the Book," seven tracks from Pure Pop for Now People and eight from Labour of Lust. Unhappily lacking any musical rarities, the record's real value for fans is its complete list of personnel for each track, something Lowe's original releases never provided. (RS 456)

IRA ROBBINS