Thirteen albums into a solo career Lowe proves the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Hughesy's assessment: There was a time when my reaction to late-period Lowe (the Basher era being long gone) was along the lines of There's less to this than meets the eye. That, however, was before I listened below the surface and discovered that there is, actually, quite a lot going on. The AllMusic reviewer got it right: To say there are no surprises is no surprise: this nattily tailored roots music sounded comfortable from the outset and since Lowe sees no need to tinker with a formula that works, The Old Magic feels familiar upon its first play. Worthwhile
Track listing: Stoplight Roses; Checkout Time; House for Sale; Sensitive Man; I Read a Lot; Shame on the Rain; Restless Feeling; The Poisoned Rose; Somebody Cares for Me; You Don't Know Me at All; Til the Real Thing Comes Along
Highlights: toplight Roses; Checkout Time