Dan Navarro

I picked the rainiest week of the year to listen to Lowen & Navarro's latest disc, and it couldn't have been a more perfect time. The duo's well-matched vocal harmonies, nuzzled comfortably with a warm mix of folky pop, provided much warmth on this dank, winter's day, while their verses tackle the heart-centered subjects that come from going within (especially when the weather keeps us from going without). Written by Dave Moore, the title track is the only one not co-penned by the duo, but its theme of loss (Moore wrote it after the loss of his daughter) makes it a worthy addition. Others, such as the loving "Cold Outside," the easygoing, cleverly written "Raining In My Eyes," and the piano-driven ballad "If I Was Rain" not only provide a nice soundtrack for the soggy city outside my window, but a powerful, expertly crafted song set from two musical soul mates.

— Heather Johnson

For Fans Of:
John Mayer, Heavier Things
Blue Rodeo, Days In Between
BoDeans, Resolution - Performing Songwriter Magazine

Eric Lowen and Dan Navarro ended the first of two sold-out Rams Head shows on Wednesday with a casual unamplified performance of the Pat Benatar hit "We Belong," surrounded by a crooning crowd. It wasn't just the romantic ballad that made listeners' eyes misty: Lowen & Navarro, who have been writing and playing together for almost 20 years, are making what is likely their farewell tour.

Unlike their progenitors Simon & Garfunkel, they're not being split by acrimony. Lowen has Lou Gehrig's Disease—"the closest connection I've ever had to professional baseball," he quipped. His disease was diagnosed on St. Patrick's Day 2004, and a song inspired by the illness, "Learning To Fall," bore an appropriate Celtic lilt. At the end of the giddy waltz, Lowen pushed his voice into a high harmony, almost a wail, triumphant. He showed no difficulty playing sometimes gentle, sometimes defiant finger-picked guitar and mandolin—or lifting a glass of merlot.

Phil Parlapiano added a jazz edge with keyboards and squeezebox, and Robbie Magruder on drums and J.T. Brown on bass brought the rhythm. Navarro sang low harmonies and most of the leads, including lyrics that took on a certain pathos, such as: "Facts I could not erase / Exploded in my face / What I could not repair / I just left lying there."

Lowen & Navarro’s legacy will be strong. At best, their songs hit on fundamental truths with a simplicity that is moving beyond expectation.

What will be missed most are the men's vitality and affection. Recalling a recent tribute concert in Austin, Lowen recounted his partner's damp eyes: "I think he was cryin' because he was out of tune or something."

— Pamela Murray Winters
- Washington Post, March 17, 2006