This one is another oldie written during high school. At the time, I was digging the mandolin sounds on R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.” It’s kind of surprising to look back and think that a song with a mandolin was such a big radio hit in the era of grunge.
As I started writing my song, I didn’t have a mandolin but I tried to approximate the sound of one by playing my acoustic guitar with the capo on the 4th fret.
Several years later when it came time to record, I added mandolin to supplement the two acoustic guitar tracks. I also recorded one vocal track, two tambourine tracks, and a shaker.
The lyrics tell the story of someone lost in the woods and being chased by wolves while a search crew attempts to find them before it’s too late.
Released in 2001, “The Convincer” is a gentle gem in the Nick Lowe catalog; an anniversary edition provides opportunity for rediscovery. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 20, 2021