Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers [Import]

Product Description
2004 reissue of the classic 1977 album features 15 tracks including 4 bonus tracks, 'It Will Stand', 'Government Center', 'The New Teller', & 'Roadrunner (Once)', taken from the legendary Beserkley 'Chartbusters' sampler. Includes foldout sleeve with extensive liner notes, photos & memorabilia. Castle.

Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers,Jonathan Richman,Castle,Alternative Pop/Rock,College Rock,Contemporary Singer/Songwriter,Guitar,Pop/Rock,Proto-Punk,Rock,Rock & Roll,Rock/Pop,United States of America,Vocals

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Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers [Import]

Average customer rating: Get to know Jonathan! Very Good Of course it ain't perfect but who's counting Richman offers a solid overview of his years on Rounder "Jonathan, don't get all excited...but I do!! and I am!!"

Action Packed: The Best Of Jonathan Richman Jonathan Richman , and Jonathan Richman Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: I, Jonathan Roadrunner, Roadrunner: The Beserkley Collection Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers Rock 'n' Roll With the Modern Lovers Back in Your Life ASIN: B00005Y1ZJ Release Date: 2002-02-05

Tracks:

1. Circle I
2. New Kind Of Neighborhood
3. Action Packed
4. Everyday Clothes
5. Fender Stratocaster
6. Closer
7. Reno
8. Since She Started To Ride
9. You're Crazy For Taking The Bus
10. The Neighbors
11. The Girl Stands Up To Me Now
12. Cappucino Blues
13. When I Say Wife
14. She Doesn't Laugh At My Jokes
15. Monologue About Bermuda
16. Parties In The U.S.A.
17. I Was Dancing At The Lesbian Bar
18. Una Fuerza Alla (A Higher Power)
19. The Heart Of Saturday Night
20. Vampire Girl
21. City Vs. Country
22. You Must Ask The Heart

Amazon.com

When the mid-'70s Jonathan Richman traded the "snotty," Velvet Underground-tinged sensibility of the original Modern Loves for a strummed, twangy electric style and an even lighter percussion sound, he didn't give up his convictions. The 22 cuts here, drawn from Rounder releases from the '80s and '90s, are as joyful and unironic as anything cut during those years. He explicitly acknowledges his roots in the innocent '60s on "Parties in the U.S.A.," both lyrically and in its borrowed "Hang On Sloopy" riff, and he reaches back to the Collins Kids' rockabilly nugget for this collection's title track. Richman celebrates urban delights ("I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar," "Cappuccino Bar," "Vampire Girl"), but these tunes find him digging ranches ("Circle I") and island jaunts (an expansion of "Bermuda" includes a pointed jab at the old Lovers' "She Cracked"). Openheartedly, he even cut a whole album in Nashville (well, Springfield, Missouri) style and a long-player in Spanish. Finally, "She Doesn't Laugh at My Jokes" sounds like the product of a much less damaged Brian Wilson circa The Beach Boys Love You. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Get to know Jonathan!.......2007-03-18

When I was a teenager in the mid 70's living in NJ, there was a NY FM station (WNEW) that was just the only one I listened to - one dee jay, the morning man, Dave Herman, used to occasionally play an artist that was out of the mainstream, simple yet with something going on. He turned me onto many of my favorite groups at the time, The Roches, Jonathon Richman, Ramones, T.Heads. In later years he did the "something old, some thing new, borrowed & blue" allowing listeners to program thematically a small 4 song set - I entered several times; in fact, he was invited and read our wedding invitation (1980) on the air...I digress. That was where I first heard one of the tracks off Beserkley Chartbusters, either Government Center or The New Teller (still love that one). Anyway, I went nuts to buy it, instead found original The Modern Lover's album, and it was very different; had JoJo's love of the Velvet Underground all over it, with several added layers of snottiness - when Beserkley Chartbuster's had come out, JoJo must've had already visited Bermuda and was off in his own direction apparently...(listen to THIS album, being reviewed, to better understand). I loved Roadrunner, bought the next JP & ML album (with alternative version of the world famous Roadrunner on it) and started following the band around the tri-state whenever they played. Only thing is that JoJo never played anything from the albums I loved - he was taking off his shirt and crawling around the stage singing that he was "a little dinosaur", or running around like "a little airplane". It was great. Over the years I purchased the vinyl albums, but somewhere around the Egyptian Reggae era, I stalled.
I listen to Yahoo Launch radio and they played (on my station) some JoJo a few weeks ago, the song where he explains his trip to Bermuda's impact on his musical values and leanings, and I was back - back in my old room, headphones plugged in, listening to a stack of albums. So I ordered up several JoJo albums. And now my 8 & 9 year old kids can't get enough either - I cracked out the old vinyl and played them 'Pablo Picasso' (who was so jealous, he "turned the color of an avocado") on their own record player, and they didn't believe it was from the same dude - "that guy who has fun singing but not like a regular singer".
Anyway, my 5 stars are obviously based not just on content, eh? But you owe it to yourself to get to know JoJo, listen with your heart and pretend that life isn't slathered with reality, and come on a fantasy trip, where there are parties somewhere right next door, with potato chips and guys playing guitars, and that you can walk right in and start dancing...and perhaps hopefully end up dancing in a lesbian bar.

Very Good.......2003-03-02

I, at one point, owned all of Jonathan's Rounder material. "I, Jonathan" is a great album; "Jonathan Goes Country" is better than you would ever imagine. But on all of Jonathan's Rounder albums there are some songs I really feel are not needed. "I, Jonathan" and "Jonathan Goes Country" both contain remakes of some of his better late seventies and early eighties cuts for Beserkly and Sire--"Corner Store" and "That Summer Feeling" for example--which pale in comparison to the originals. What this best of collection does, contrary to some of the other reviewers' opinions here, is give you a very good representation of his best material for Rounder. If you really want a good collection of Jonathan, buy this cd, pick up "Jonathan Sings," and "The Beserkley Years: The Best of." I would hope to God that you would already own "The Modern Lovers."

Of course it ain't perfect but who's counting.......2002-12-17

As the liner notes state (which by the way are a great addition to the package) favorite songs are going to be left off.

It seems they went heavier on the Richman albums that aren't as popular and rather skim on the classic discs. Why do we get four cuts from the mediocre "Having A Party" and only two from the his much agreed upon masterpiece "I,Jonathan"? Why four from the OK "You Must Ask the Heart" and only two from the great "Modern Lover's 88".

It's a good disc because simply it's Jonathan and it's a good sampling of a phase of Jonathan's life. Keep in my mind this isn't an introduction to Jonathan's music, just a snapshot of a particular time. This is a good album to have if you can't afford the albums the songs individually came off of. You are missing out on some classics by doing that however (When Harpo played his Harp,That Summer Feeling). I suppose you are getting treated to some classics too (New Kind of Neighborhood,Parties in the USA). My only complaint with this is the complaint I have with all "best of.." collections is that it never is the best of and often times it can be the worst if. (I really think Reno is a terrible song).

Four Stars for the music, Three for the idea.

Richman offers a solid overview of his years on Rounder.......2002-06-07

This 22-track collection could have featured some of Jonathan's forays into instrumentals ("Blue Moon," "Grunion Run") or spoken-word pieces ("1963," "Twilight in Boston"). There, I'm done quibbling... What this disc lacks in variety, it compensates by showcasing Richman's strengths as a songwriter. His songs from this period (1988-95, on the folk-based indie label Rounder) generally revolve around relationships ("You Must Ask the Heart"), music ("Fender Stratocaster"), dancing/partying ("I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar," "Parties in the U.S.A."), rural joys ("Circle I"), urban delights ("Reno"), and the minutiae of daily life ("Everyday Clothes"). The simple rock 'n' roll arrangements place Jonathan's often humorous lyrics front and center. Action Packed is a solid introduction to Richman's post-Modern Lovers career. Fringe Benefit: The liner notes include Jonathan's charming third-person account of his "First Twenty Years in Show Business."

"Jonathan, don't get all excited...but I do!! and I am!!".......2002-05-22

Jonathan writes rock and roll songs. They could have been written in the 1950s or 1960s, but there's also a sense of timelessness about them. Like Ray Davies, Jonathan doesn't write about Big Subjects. He writes about everyday clothes, cappucino bars, love, and occasionally Bermuda or Vampire Girls for fun. And like Ray Davies, his focus on the everyday, combined with his big heart, makes him one of the best rock songwriters ever.

This is a grand collection of the music he did for Rounder Records. Jonathan sharpened his focus and honed his craft during his time on Rounder, and this terrific selection of songs shows that. Most of the music here is Jonathan as a solo artist ("believe me, it's better that way") putting his heart out there, as open as the sky and beautiful as the moon. The material ranges from the rockin' (Parties in the USA, Dancing In The Lesbian Bar, Fender Stratocaster) to 50s-style country (Reno, The Neighbors) to wistful balladry (The Girl Stands Up To Me Now, You Must Ask The Heart). Every song on here is a gem waiting to be discovered.

There's not much any reviewer can say that can match the songs themselves. Jonathan's interviewers and attempted biographers all find a guy who hasn't got much to say about his life or his music. That's because his life is his music, and his music tells you all you need to know about Jonathan. His music is clear and honest and speaks from the heart, and in the final analysis, that's exactly what music is supposed to do. To Jonathan's credit, that's what he's done since the Modern Lovers days, and that's what he says he'll do "until it stops being fun." Let's hope it stays fun for a long, long time.

Average customer rating: BETTER THAN PROZAC fly into the mystery with Jonathan! essential

Rock 'n' Roll With the Modern Lovers Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers Manufacturer: Castle ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Alternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers Back in Your Life The Modern Lovers Live Modern Lovers 88 ASIN: B0001EMM56 Release Date: 2004-03-22

Tracks:

1. Sweeping Wind (Kwa Ti Feng)
2. Ice Cream Man
3. Rockin' Rockin' Leprechauns
4. Summer Morning
5. Afternoon
6. Fly into the Mystery
7. South American Folk Song
8. Roller Coaster by the Sea
9. Dodge Veg-O-Matic
10. Egyptian Reggae
11. Coomyah
12. Wheels on the Bus
13. Angels Watching Over Me
14. Dodge Veg-O-Matic [Extended Version][*]

Album Description

2004 reissue of the classic 1977 album features 14 tracks including 1 bonus track 'Dodge Veg-O-Matic' (Extended Version). Includes foldout sleeve with extensive liner notes, photos, & memorabilia. Castle.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Reissue of One of the Essential Canons in the Jonathan Richman Catalog with One of his Best Albums. The Men's Bathroom at Cbs Studios in San Francisco Provided a Better Recording Environment that the Regular Studio and the Band Laid Down These Tracks with all the Reverb that Matthew King Kaufman Could Muster from the Tile Walls...and Boy Did They Deliver. Includes Classics Like "Ice Cream Man", "Rollercoaster by the Sea", "Egyptian Reggae" and More. Includes a Bonus Track, a Rare Extended Mix of "Dodge Veg-o-matic".

Customer Reviews:

BETTER THAN PROZAC.......2005-01-24

I NICKED THIS ALBUM FROM MY COLLEGE RADIO STATION AROUND 1985 OR SO. THIS AND THE FIRST JESUS AND MARY CHAIN LP WERE PRACTICALY THE ONLY THINGS I LISTENED TO SOPHOMORE YEAR. GOD,I WAS DEPRESSED. ANYWAY, THIS RECORD USE TO CHEER ME UP. EVERYONE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO LISTEN TO THIS RECORD BEFORE BEING PRESCRIBED PROZAC. IF 'ROLLERCOASTER BY THE SEA' DOSENT CHEER YOU UP, THEN TAKE THE GAS PIPE.

fly into the mystery with Jonathan!.......2004-04-02

Definitely one of my favorite Jonathan albums, probably only second to the "Pablo Picasso" era Modern Lovers. I was lucky enough to find a Beserkley copy on cd before it went out of print & got very collectible. Even if you paid alot for it on Ebay you still need to get this though. The bonus track is the full version of "Dodge Veg-o-matic" with Jonathan's ad-libbed spoken word intro which was only available on the "Beserkley Years" compilation in the cd era. The artwork is what really sets these Castle versions apart. Aside from the obligatory essay by someone you may or may not have heard of, the booklet features pictures & clippings, most of which I have never seen before in ten years of collecting cds. The merits of remastering are up for debate as far as I'm concerned, but if it matters to you, at least psychologically you'll notice the difference. As for why it's one of my favorites, I think the sound has alot to do with it, the vocals recorded in the bathroom a la Jim Morrison on "L.A. Woman". Also, his song selection was amazing. He went from the school bus to church to China to South America for good songs, & his originals have all the spirit & energy of a campfire singalong. The atmosphere in that room must have electric, even if the instrumentation was acoustic.

essential.......2004-03-31

Jonathan at (maybe) his most childlike and at yet at the same time his most rockin, rockin in an acoustic fashion that is. I think he might have called it at the time the first all acoustic rock album. Anyway its him and his band in a room with a nice echo playing together with great empathy. This record is all about room feel and the sound of a band playing live, getting it together in a room, like an early rolling stones recording in mono. Its a great album, just look at the cover, how could you go wrong? Nice mastering on the c.d. as well. Recommended.

Average customer rating:

Roadrunner, Roadrunner: The Beserkley Collection Jonathan Richman , and Modern Lovers Manufacturer: Sanctuary UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: I'm So Confused I, Jonathan Back in Your Life Rock 'n' Roll With the Modern Lovers Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers ASIN: B0002ADXY8 Release Date: 2004-07-26

Tracks:

1. Roadrunner (Twice)
2. Astral Plane
3. Pablo Picasso
4. She Cracked
5. Hospital
6. Someone I Care About
7. I'm Straight
8. Modern World [Alternate Take]
9. Dignified and Old
10. Government Centre
11. New Teller
12. It Will Stand
13. Back in the U.S.A.
14. Rockin' Shopping Center
15. New England
16. Lonely Financial Zone
17. Here Come the Martian Martians
18. Amazing Grace
19. Rockin' Rockin' Leprechauns
20. Summer Morning
21. Afternoon
22. Egyptian Reggae

Tracks:

1. Sweeping Wind (Ewa Ti Feng)
2. Dodge Veg-O-Matic [Extended Version]
3. Fly into the Mystery
4. Wheels on the Bus
5. Angels Watching Over Me
6. I'm a Little Airplane
7. Hey There Little Insect
8. Ice Cream Man
9. I'm a Little Dinosaur
10. Morning of Our Lives
11. Chapel of Love
12. Abdul and Cleopatra
13. Lover Please
14. Affection
15. Buzz Buzz Buzz
16. Back in Your Life
17. Party in the Woods Tonight
18. I'm Nature's Mosquito
19. Lydia
20. I Hear You Calling Me
21. Roadrunner (Once)

Average customer rating: Strange duck Best Of The Boston Scene The manchild Jonathan Richman explores his deepest concerns An old friend Richman's Triumphant Kick Into the 1990s!

I, Jonathan Jonathan Richman Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Having a Party with Jonathan Richman I'm So Confused Jonathan Goes Country Modern Lovers 88 Jonathan Richman ASIN: B0000003KJ Release Date: 1992-09-16

Tracks:

1. Parties In The U.S.A.
2. Tandem Jump
3. You Can't Talk To The Dude
4. Velvet Underground
5. I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar
6. Rooming House On Venice Beach
7. That Summer Feeling
8. Grunion Run
9. A Higher Power
10. Twilight In Boston

Amazon.com

In an album that dares live up to its self-referential title, Jonathan Richman plumbs the past in the off-kilter style his legions of admirers adore. For the uninitiated, it can be alarming to hear Richman's low-tech, vocals-way-out-in-front musical arrangements coupled with wistful remembrances of the simpler, cornier days of youth. But I, Jonathan is redeemed by its sincerity. No snarky mockery can be found as the adenoidal singer celebrates the "Rooming House on Venice Beach" of his younger days. A bridge to the present is nicely built on tracks such as "Parties in the USA" and "I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar." This well-crafted pop album, recorded with a bunch of pals in Richman's basement studio, is a compelling argument against the necessity of pairing age with bitterness. --John Moe

Customer Reviews:

Strange duck.......2007-03-10

Jonathan Richman is a fantastic, strange guy. I love a large percentage of his music, but this album was just a little too Raffi-esque for me. I adore You Can't Talk To The Dude, so I purchased this album just to get a good copy of that song.

My favorite by him is Jonathan Goes Country.

Best Of The Boston Scene.......2006-07-08

If you are a fan of the boston music scene then check out these amazing albums:
1) Surfer Rosa by The Pixies
2) Lyres Lyres by The Lyres
3) Low Rises by Baby Ray
4) Vs. by Mission Of Burma
5) Fig. 15 by The Human Sexual Response

The manchild Jonathan Richman explores his deepest concerns.......2004-12-14

First, before reviewing this wonderful album, a few words for the un-initiated about Jonathan, who is way too childlike to address as Mr. Richman. Jonathan is a boyish, charming singer-guitarist who wears his heart on his sleeve. His voice is seemingly untrained, his guitar playing unsophisticated, but his songs are honest and emotional. What Jonathan lacks in musicality, he makes up for in passion and personality; more than any other performer I know, he lets us right into his heart. Depending on the listener's personality, this sloppy sentimentality is either a complete turn-off or a reason to keep showing up at his concerts.

On this album, "I, Jonathan," (1992) he continues to chronicle conflicts in his marriage with Gail. We see his then-wife mentioned by name in a previous album, "Modern Lovers '88" (1987), in a celebratory song which has only the lyrics "Gail Loves Me" repeated over and over. In his 1991 live album "Having a Party", he sings of how he got together with her just for fun, but Gail treated the relationship more seriously, and she never laughed at his jokes. In other songs, Jonathan reveals himself to be an ENFP on the Myers-Briggs personality scale - a emotional, intuitive, feeling, perceiving person, in essence, a man-child. Gail - as Jonathan describes her in song - comes across as sober, cautious in action ("Make a Mistake for Me Today", on 1989's "Jonathan Richman" album), conservative in dress ("Everyday Clothes," also "Jonathan Richman"), perhaps even a bit icy ("Closer," also on "Jonathan Richman"). Gail is an INTJ - introverted, intuitive, thinking, judger - close to the opposite of Jonathan. Benny and Joon these two are not. Gail is the grown-up.

On this album, "I, Jonathan," Jonathan again addresses themes of personality conflict, of his free spirit bumping into the constraints of Gail (and others') logical, orderly and organized thinking. Even on songs which are not relationship songs, these issues of freedom and judgmentalism percolate to the surface. He celebrates the seminal rock band "The Velvet Underground" for being "wild like the USA ... bold and brash, sharp and rude." In "Rooming House on Venice Beach," he reminisces about a simpler, happier time when he was unencumbered by possessions, money, locked doors, or... relationships. "Parties in the U.S.A" describes the police breaking up a quiet coffee-drinking gathering of innocents, wrongfully accusing them of being too loud. In "I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar," he contrasts the laissez-faire, hip-shaking, rock-and-roll bar with a more conservative, uptight, and self-conscious bar where patrons drink in sips. Is this how he views his marriage to Gail? In the swooning "That Summer Feeling," he pleads (apparently in futility) that sentimentalism and nostalgic revelry will overcome and soften the listener (Gail?). Jonathan's longing for freedom is crystallized in "Tandem Jump," about parachuting. (This latter song is thematically connected to "Floating," on "Surrender" (1996), in which he invisions himself physically distanced from his family.) Jonathan's free spirit is in chains.

On his relationship songs, he addresses these ideas more directly. He sings "'You Can't Talk to the Dude' and things will never be right until you go." Someone can't converse, someone else's sense of humor has gotten worse. The pronouns are changed around, perhaps, but when he sings about the dude's bad eating habits (cross-reference "I Eat with Gusto!" on "Jonathan Richman"), it becomes clear that Jonathan is the dude who can't communicate. Gail, being straight-laced, can't stand his manners (or lack thereof) and his inability to communicate is as annoying to her, as her mincing his words is annoying to him.

Even in the song "Higher Power," which thematically and musically parallels "Gail Loves Me," Jonathan celebrates his initial meeting with Gail. "It's magic, it's magic, the way we got together," he exclaims. But ... "I knew it from that first kiss, so stingy and so spare," and most tellingly, "I knew how it would be, the way she hated me."

All told, these are brilliant, wonderful songs; I've been listening to this CD non-stop for several months while driving around in my car. The music itself, even when singing about sad and troubling things, is happy and uplifting. The emotional honesty here is breathtaking, but it is the sadness and knowledge that the relationship is ultimately doomed (as chronicled by later Jonathan albums), which helps this album stand up to repeated listening, as it mixes the sour into the sweet.

More than anything, this music makes me feel like I have a friend who understands me, in Jonathan Richman.

An old friend.......2004-10-13

This is one of the warmest, friendliest, most enjoyable albums I have ever heard, and the album that really got me into JR. From the familiar bass line of the opening track to the captivating bedtime story of the final cut, with the standout "That Summer Feeling" in between, Jonathan immediately becomes an old friend. He really is a national treasure, as anyone who has seen him live will tell you. A QUESTION: Has anyone else had problems playing this CD? I have owned two copies (I bought the first one used, and thought that might be the problem, so I gave it to a friend and bought a brand new copy) of this disc, and both seem to stutter and skip at the same places. The problem is worse on some CD players than others but is always there. Anyone else had this experience? My car stereo has a similar problem with Yo La Tengo's "Upside Down" EP, and has had it from the beginning.

Richman's Triumphant Kick Into the 1990s!.......2003-01-29

Jonathan Richman shuffled his way into the 1990s with his quirky, unique vision still smiling and unruffled (save his great hair). On "I, Jonathan" he still proudly boasts his influences on his rolled-up, soup-stained sleeve: mid-60s garage rave-ups ("Parties In The USA"), sloppy mid-60s instrumental B-sides ("Grunion Run," "Tandem Jump"), and the Velvet Underground ("Velvet Underground"). There's a smartass humour in Richman's songs that no one can even come close to, and he manages to jam his tongue firmly in his cheek while straight-facedly presenting immortal songs ("I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar")...even an old-school sock-hop love ballad turns on him in the best possible way ("Higher Power"). But even when you nab away Jonathan Richman's funnybone (but leave him his scuffed sneakers, please), the clever tunesmith remains as tall and gangly as ever - especially in plaintive ballads about nostalgia and mortality ("That Summer Feeling") and paeans to his old hometown ("Twilight In Boston"). His voice may be mellowing with age, but the same guy who wrote "Roadrunner" and "Rockin' Rockin' Leprechauns" is still there; his frantic electric guitar is drenched in reverb, and from the sound of the banging-on-an-oil-can drum beats and the chanted gang-vocal harmonies, you know damn well the guys in his backup band were having one hell of a good time doing these songs. And who wouldn't? We sure as hell enjoy listening to the finished results. An definite artistic highpoint for one of the 20th Century's more under-appreciated American rock songwriters.

Average customer rating: I love it Cuts through to the nitty-gritty Best Jo-Jo Album His Best Work Getting it Right

The Beserkley Years: The Best Of Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: I, Jonathan The Modern Lovers Rock 'n' Roll With the Modern Lovers Modern Lovers 88 Jonathan Goes Country ASIN: B000003491 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Roadrunner
2. Astral Plane
3. Pablo Picasso
4. Government Center
5. New England
6. Here Come The Martian Martians
7. Important In Your Life
8. Abominable Snowman In The Market
9. Lonely Finacial Zone
10. Ice Cream Man
11. Afternoon
12. Dodge Veg-O-Matic
13. I'm A Little Dinosaur (Live)
14. The Morning Of Our Lives (Live)
15. Back In Your Life
16. Abdul And Cleopatra
17. My Love Is A Flower (Just Beginning To Bloom)
18. Affection

Customer Reviews:

I love it.......2007-04-12

I first heard about Jonathan Richman through a magazine article. Then I saw him in humorous locations throughout the film, There's Something About Mary. This is my real introduction to this very interesting artist. His music is pretty much indescribable. I'll just call it smiling music. It just makes you smile. He sings songs about just about anything you can imagine. From being a three year old kid to rocking out in the laundrymat, you will be entertained. His voice takes some getting used to, but it fits perfectly in his humorous songs. I recommend this album to everyone.

Cuts through to the nitty-gritty.......2005-08-10

Years ago, I had this up on the stereo when my wife walked in the door. "What the hell is that?" she asked.

"Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers," I replied, and before "Morning of Our Lives" was over, she was choking back tears.

That's the kind of record this is. It walks the thin line between stubborn steadfast optimistic love and stalking

Best Jo-Jo Album.......2004-05-07

I won't try to describe the phenomenon that is Jonathan Richman. He started as an MC5/Lou Reed rocker and is now the troubadour for those two guys that make unfunny comedies. I love Jonathan and always have, but his work can become precious. (I'm not sure "Nature's Mosquito" or "Dancing in the Lesbian Bar" qualify as works on the level of "Desolation Row" or "Gimme Shelter," but you get the picture.)

This album, however, is nails through and through. It is not a solo album and this line up of the Modern Lovers is really great. Jonathan's songs here are all rockin', too. They are nostalgic without being cloying and funny without being slapstick (mostly). There are no less than three genuine Jonathan classics, too: "That Summer Feeling," "Give Paris One More Chance," and "Not Yet Three." The remaining songs are not just filler.

If I had to pick two albums, I'd pick this one and "In Your Life." In fact, I'd say this was an essential album to anyone's library.

His Best Work.......2004-02-24

I was sort of surprised to read all these generic reviews of "Jonathan Sings," as none of the reviews actually dealt with this specific album (Good work, Amazon.) Jonathan Richman can be really self-indulgent, and although I'm a huge fan, I'm not wild about his solo albums (which seem to be the majority). Nor do I think the first "Modern Lovers" album is so essential (but then I also hate the Velvet Underground's first album as another example of bad musicianship). Not to worry, however: this album (i.e., "Jonathan Sings") sparkles. Richman assembled a really good group of musicians for a change: the back up singers are really wonderful (I saw one of them (Ellie something) open for Richman circa 1990 at the Palomino Club of blessed memory). Each song is a gem, and three are his best: Give Paris One More Chance, That Summer Feeling and I'm Not Yet Three. I'm kind of shocked that this ablum is out of print, but I'm not shocked that used versions fetch so high a price. If I could replace my crappy cassette version of this album, I would. Go buy this if and when it's re-released.

Getting it Right.......2003-09-05

Jonathan Richman blasted out of Boston with his band, The Modern Lovers, about 20-odd years ago, hailed as the next new Mick Jagger, yet with an open heart, and not a cloaked dagger, to offer his fans. The group that filled out The Modern Lovers(Jerry Harrison, later of the Talking Heads; Ernie Brooks, the renowned bassist and later sometime record exec, and David Robinson, who went on to play drums for The Cars) were equally distinguished.

There are no known visual recordings of that group at work, tho some still photos are floating around; some of these can be found on the one live album of the (mostly) original group that did (thanks to Brooks) make its way into CD form. (That recording is spotty at best, which is to be expected given the primitive recording nature, but gives one an idea, and also includes at least one old Lovers outtake not to be found elsewhere on disk or vinyl.)

What we do know is that fans and record executives who saw the group were convinced that they were the next great thing, and the Lovers were promptly shipped off (by RCA, if I recall correctly) to LA to be produced by ex-VU member John Cale (Richman, as a youth, had been a big VU fan, and from time to time would follow them around on their abrupt touring schedule) for the then astronomical sum of $250,000.

Songs like Roadrunner, Pablo Picasso, and Modern Love were catchy, new, and, amazingly enough, seemed acceptable to both teen audiences and their parents (many of the latter, you will recall, were at the time terrified of their children developing into Charles Manson-like flower children or, even worse, college dropouts) and it seemed like Richman and the Lovers were on their way.

It was not to be. Richman, often described as good-hearted but hard-headed, did not take kindly to the artistic direction suggested by the record company, balked at the deal, and walked out on the band. Happily, the basic tracks had already been laid down, and we now have the essence of that great group available on the CD simply entitled The Modern Lovers.

Richman's self-relagatio (broke and back in Boston) lead to the various odd incarnations we have found him in since. Happily, Jonathon Sings is one of those rare occasions were he really gets it right. There is an artful acoustic twinge to this production which makes the most of his ever-wistful lyrics. Best of all is the little-known classic: The Neighbors. Rhapsodizing about the maleficent influence of excessive neighborly interest, Richman declares himself "intent not to let the neighbors run my life, yeah, no need to let the neighbors run my life."

That statement might well sum up his attitude toward the entire music establishment. Richman's independent line of thought has often tested even his most loyal supporters, but with Johnathon Sings he amply rewards them with his best solo work.

Daniel Pendergrass

Average customer rating: Jonathan gets a bit more serious. 22nd album The idiots guide to eastern philosophy? A particularly mature and ambitious effort from JR De l'ame pour l'ame

Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love Jonathan Richman Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: I'm So Confused I, Jonathan Action Packed: The Best Of Jonathan Richman Jonathan Goes Country Having a Party with Jonathan Richman ASIN: B000294T1A Release Date: 2004-06-22

Tracks:

1. Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love
2. Sunday Afternoon
3. Vincent Van Gogh
4. Cosi Veloce
5. He Gave Us The Wine To Taste It
6. Salvador Dali
7. My Baby Love Love Loves Me
8. In Che Mondo Viviamo
9. Behold The Lilies Of The Field
10. Les Etoiles
11. The World Is Showing It's Hand
12. Abu Jamal
13. On A Du Soleil

Customer Reviews:

Jonathan gets a bit more serious........2005-08-09

Jonathan Richman is a bit of an oddity in music-- best known alternately as the mastermind behind post-Velvets proto-new wave band The Modern Lovers (whose members ended up in the Cars and Talking Heads) and as the guy who sung songs in "There's Something About Mary", Jonathan Richman is truthfully difficult to categorize. His music has an innocence to it, a sing-song quality and a memorableness that gets his songs stuck in your head without driving you nuts, be it his early Lou Reed-inspired material or the European-infused acoustic pop of this record, "Not So Much to Love as to Be Loved".

What's perhaps unique about this album is that it feels a lot more serious-- this isn't to imply that Richman's previous records couldn't be looked at as serious, but that's there's a goofiness that permeates them, and its here too, but it seems like this time he's got a bit of a commentary to make.

In the end, Richman's music is something you'll love or hate, and it'll probably happen within 90 seconds of hearing him. But I've noted that many people aren't n the right frame of mind to hear Jonathan Richman. This record is certainly a reasonably good example of his work, and I personally find it to be one of my more listend to by him. My advice-- if you're curious, pick something up, listen to it, then try it again in six months if it doesn't work for you. If you're a fan and don't have this, get ahold of it, its superb.

22nd album.......2004-09-21

Jonathan Richman is a legend. He has released a million albums and songs. Well, maybe not that many. This is actually his 22nd album in about thirty years. It's eleven more songs. Another chapter in the book. He was pretty obscure during most of his life. Members of the Modern Lovers went on to be in The Cars and the Talking Heads. Some notice came his way when the Sex Pistols covered his songs. Years later a whole new generation would watch him on Sesame Street and in the film "There's Something About Mary." Richman has a few songs about love, but also songs about Vincent Van Gogh and Salvador Dali. It's funny stuff.

The idiots guide to eastern philosophy?.......2004-09-02

Every new Jonathan Richman album is like a letter from an old friend. You get them about once every 1-2 years and get to know a bit about what the friend is going through at the time. And a very honest friend at that. Not just telling you what he's been up to, but more importantly how he's feeling at the time.

Well, I think Jonathan is going through an introspective mood. Am I the only one who sees it that way? He seems to be looking more inside himself for some answers. In a positive way. Not in a self-centred way at all. In 'Cosi Veloce' he's asking his mind to slow down a bit. Trying to focus on the void? Meditating? What's going on? Then, 'Behold the lillies in the field' sounds even more like eastern philosophy to me. And 'Abu Jamal' is not just political, but more importantly it says how the calmness of the man seems to contradict someone being on death row.

There are more bits that make me think of meditation. But I can't remember them at the moment.

A very philosophical piece of work. Brilliant. Thanks Jojo!

A particularly mature and ambitious effort from JR.......2004-08-09

Eternally boyish Boston-born troubadour Jonathan Richman has passed through a number of phases in his 30-plus years of writing and performing: Lonely and alienated adolescent (in the early 1970's with his garage-rock outfit the Modern Lovers); childlike regression during the latter half of the '70s; sweetly goofy family-man (early 1980's to mid-'90s). Since his move to the Vapor label in the mid-90's, he has become an endearing alternative-pop cult figure, beloved for his willfully innocent yet honest chronicles of modern love and life.

Jonathan's previous effort, 2001's Her Mystery Not Of High Heels And Eye Shadow, rarely strayed from the topic of love, and was considered too slight by some critics (including myself, as much as I enjoyed it). However, his latest, Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love, is quite possibly one of his most satisfying efforts. Being the first record he has produced entirely by himself, he seems to have settled on a sound that suits him perfectly -- this is one of the clearest, cleanest-sounding rock records I've heard in a long time, and he has his best backing ever with bassist Greg "Curly" Keranen (who first performed with Richman in the mid-'70s) and drummer/loyal touring partner Tommy Larkins, as well as with hints of brass, woodwinds and accordion.

What also makes Not So Much... particularly satisfying is both the strength and diversity of the material. My favorite track, the jaunty "The World is Showing Its Hand", is an excellent example of how Jonathan takes unironic delight in life's simplest pleasures -- in this case, taking in the smells of the various things around him ("Gimme a mowed lawn, gimme ozone, gimme summer rain / Let me smell more of the world, then I might learn something"). The jangly "He Gave Us the Wine to Taste It" is another instant classic; taken on one level, it could be just about an unusual wine-tasting, but really, it's more about simply enjoying the good things in life without having to pick them apart and analyze them too much. The title cut carries on the same basic theme of "Affection" -- the haunting ballad he originally cut in 1979 and revisited in '98 -- but this time with a catchy mid-tempo groove and gently humorous musings like "I was waitin' for affection, but I was looking in the wrong direction / What I needed was not so much to be loved as to love." (The thematic similarity to "Affection" is further underscored by the stripped-down ballad version of "Not So Much..." offered as the #15 hidden track.)

"My Baby Love Love Loves Me," which originally appeared last year on Richman's Take Me To The Plaza concert DVD, is a bouncy, typical-JR love song that would have sounded right at home on Her Mystery...; so would've the lovely, picturesque (but too-short) instrumental "Sunday Afternoon". The two songs about painters couldn't be more different: "Vincent Van Gogh" is a rollicking re-working of a tune he first recorded on 1985's long out-of-print Rockin' And Romance LP; "Salvador Dali" may lack the stick-in-your-brain hooks of "VVG" ("he loved color and he let it show"), or even the early Modern Lovers track "Pablo Picasso" (...), but its haunting melody, and its theme of looking to art to find a cure for your blues, make it a worthy addition to his songbook. In the tradition of the 4 Spanish tracks he recorded for his previous record, here Richman includes 2 highly rocking tracks that he wrote and sang in Italian ("Cosi Veloce", "In Che Mondo Viviamo"), as well as 2 French numbers (the upbeat "Les Etoiles", the languid "On a Du Soleil"). Most startling is the unusually topical "Abu Jamal", a simple yet powerful protest song.

Bottom line: I'm not sure I would recommend picking up this eclectic and often serious effort as your very first JR record, but I admire it a great deal and I strongly recommend it to anyone who is already into his stuff.

De l'ame pour l'ame.......2004-07-02

This is a great CD ! I like it a lot. The title track, "Not so much to be loved as to love"
is the unmistakable Jonathan song, meaning also it is predictable, nothing new. I am also preferring the second version of this song which appears as the last hidden track in its naked simplicity.. Jonathan wanders in Boston nearby the reservoir..
- "Sunday afternoon", I considered as a filler until I heard some chords which reminded me of a song by the Velvet Underground, "Sunday Morning".There are other references to the Velvets on this CD, no coincidence !
- "Vincent van Gogh" revamped version is energetic and lively.. I nearly prefer this version to the original.
- "Salvador Dali" is my favourite song ! It starts like "19 in Naples" as Jonathan tells us that when he was 14 he was depressed and that Dali's paintings were the guide to the world of dreams, and the opening key to freedom. When the instruments start to play, I noticed a powerful bass line knitting a neat groove which extends itself like a mantra to climax in a perfect chorus at the end of the song. I look at the booklet, the bass player is no one else but Greg "Curly" Keranen, from the Modern Lovers #2.
- "Behold the lilies of the field" sounds like Lou Reed singing a lost song from the Velvet's Loaded album. I love this kind of Jonathan song where he uses the influences of his youth to express a mature man's feelings.
- With "Abu Jamal" Jonathan has written his classic-to-be protest song. Do you remember Dylan's "Hurricane", well "Abu Jamal" ranks at the same level.And what flabbergasted me, was to hear this Indian organ, the same as the one Nico was using ..delivering this monochromatic gloomy sound..
- "Les etoiles" and "On a du soleil" are merry songs a la Charles Trenet,they have become popular when played live.
- The two hidden tracks are very good. The first one is about the sea asking Jonathan to come home and he gets scared and feels like dying, again the Nico organ is the only instrument heard and Jonathan sounds sad, The other hidden track is the aforementionned title track with a live in studio only treatment.

Jonathan remains the eternal troubadour, the Bostonian wanderer, the prince of dorkness.

Average customer rating: I Could Party Like This Forever Jonathan offers warm, witty slices of life that rock Flawless!! One of the best albums of my life Even though there are other 5 stars out there, He wins!

Having a Party with Jonathan Richman Jonathan Richman Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Jonathan Richman I, Jonathan Jonathan Goes Country I'm So Confused You Must Ask the Heart ASIN: B0000003JZ Release Date: 1991-09-20

Tracks:

1. Girl Stands Up To Me Now
2. Cappuccino Bar
3. My Career As A Homewrecker
4. She Doesn't Laugh At My Jokes
5. When She Kisses Me
6. They're Not Tryin' On The Dance Floor
7. At Night
8. When I Say Wife
9. 1963
10. Monologue About Bermuda
11. Our Swingin' Pad
12. Just For Fun

Customer Reviews:

I Could Party Like This Forever.......2002-08-26

This was the first Jonathan album I picked up, my curiosity piqued by the fact he wrote "Pablo Picasso."

I was instantly transformed by this sparse yet varied musical cornucopia. Jonathan immediately invites us into his inner circle, and the result is a warm, funny, exhilirating mostly live set that at times is even touching.

Everyone has their favorites on any album, and mine are the power-folk tunes "At Night" and "Just for Fun" ('We got together just for fun/With no obligations, 'cept maybe the one/That if we stayed together, we'd stay together just for fun'). Humorous to some, poignant to me...that's the beauty of Jonathan's music...it's universal to the point where we can add our own experiences to it, and bring our own meanings to his music.

Simple, warm, and utterly upbeat, I put this album in the CD changer with Nick Lowe, the Proclaimers, and Barenaked Ladies for a mellow, yet ultimately joyful set.

Buy it, find it,..., but hear this album...you won't be transformed, but you'll sure as hell feel better about everything. A world that can produce music like this must have some great things going for it.

Surrender to Jonathan, says I.

Jonathan offers warm, witty slices of life that rock.......2002-06-08

Even if you already own Richman's Rounder compilation Action Packed, 1991's Having A Party is still worth your money. In addition to such chuckle-worthy slices of life as "The Girl Stands Up to Me Now," "She Doesn't Laugh at My Jokes," "When I Say Wife," the blistering "Cappuccino Bar," and the epic "Monologue About Bermuda" (in which he makes light of his "snotty" punk past), you'll find seven other indispensible gems: the wildly romantic shuffle "When She Kisses Me," the wistful a-capella poem "1963," and lively tunes about adultery ("My Career as a Homewrecker"), commitment ("Just For Fun"), loneliness ("Our Swingin' Pad" -- one's desire to invite friends over for a party has never sounded so poignant), people in his audience ("They're Not Tryin' on the Dance Floor"), and the joys of staying up late ("At Night"). The music is rock 'n' roll in its purest form, and Jonathan's liner note ("Once in a while a record comes along that is such a departure from the normal style of a singer that some explanation is in order. This record is not one of those...") is priceless. A few of the tracks were recorded in front of a live audience, but Having A Party remains a cohesive effort -- the studio tracks seem to capture the energy and intimacy of Richman's live shows as well as the live tracks do!

Flawless!!.......2001-10-29

I bought this after buying the "Modern Lovers" first album, i enjoyed it very much. I was hoping for more of the same from this cd. This is my first jonathan richman CD. At first i was dissapointed, i was expecting the same stuff that i heard on the Modern lovers album. But i stuck with it and listened to the whole cd. After a couple more listenings, and a day gone by, i couldn't wait to get home and play this cd. It's so much fun. It wasn't what i was expecting but i don't care. it's different from what i was expecting and probably better too. It wasn't what i wanted at the time but it's what i want more of now. I can't evan remember what it was i wanted. I listen to this every night before i go to bed, on my headphones. It doesn't get old fast like some albums. Some songs that weren't my favorite before are sounding great now. I like all the songs but here are some of my personnal favorites: "When she kisses me", "At Night",
"Our swingin' pad", "just for fun", and "Monologue about bermuda". Bermuda is more like jonathan telling a story. You would think it gets old after a listen or two but it doesn't, it's always fun to listen to. The whole cd is a lot of fun. And funny but it doesn't cheapen some of the more serious songs.
When i get sick of listening to this album i have a new Richman cd lined up already to replace it. It's "Jonathan sings".
I hear it's out of print. I found it used at the "wherehouse" ! What a great deal.

One of the best albums of my life.......2000-01-24

Of all the many dozens of albums I have ever owned, this one ranks among my most cherished. It's amazing to stop and think how much happiness I've gotten from this one album over the past decade. Highly recommended!

Even though there are other 5 stars out there, He wins!.......1998-11-07

Jonathan tells us all about himself. There's nothing left to say about him, except it is fun to sing along ABOUT him to his amazing guitar and blue eyes and child-like memories. Besides, this song on here, 1963, I gotta hear it. I was born then, and I first heard Jonathan @ 14 and now it's 20 years later -- lovin' him as much as Ice Cream Man! Hey, this is a BRAND NEW SHIRT! -- Mal/Cheri!

Average customer rating: Jonathan's "Nashville Skyline" WOW The warmth of Jonathan Richman Buy this just for TRACK #9 -- NEIGHBORS!!

Jonathan Goes Country Jonathan Richman Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Having a Party with Jonathan Richman I, Jonathan I'm So Confused Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar! You Must Ask the Heart ASIN: B0000003JV Release Date: 1992-02-14

Tracks:

1. Since She Started To Ride
2. Reno
3. You're The One For Me
4. Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad
5. I Must Be King
6. You're Crazy For Taking The Bus
7. Rodeo Wind
8. Corner Store
9. The Neighbors
10. Man Walks Among Us
11. I Can't Stay Mad At You
12. Satisfied Mind

Customer Reviews:

Jonathan's "Nashville Skyline".......2003-08-13

With this CD, Jonathan Richman embraces the country ethos, but without a trace of the urban irony one would expect in the context of his early Modern Lovers days. It includes some fun, honest originals that make it sound like Jonathan's been writing country songs all his life, as well as some heartfelt covers. There are some duds here, too, but the hilights outweigh them. The session work on this cd is also a highlight, especially the guitar work, which is both true to the country vein and blends well with Jonathan's unique style.
The opening track, "Since She Started to Ride," sets the pace well. On the surface, this is a simple song about a girl whose equestrian leanings are getting a little out of control in her boyfriend's opinion. I've always thought this also held a deeper level as well, a musing about growing apart wrapped in a goofy fable.
"Reno" follows up with it's infectuous, two-word chorus ("Reno, Reno, Reno, honey, Reno, Reno, Reno"). A great song about infantile impatience and the little city in Nevada that caters to it.
"I Must be King" is a good cover with some nice flourishes of honky-tonk piano, though the line "She and I are like brother and sister" makes my neurotic, Freudian side a little uncomfortable.
"You're Crazy for Taking the Bus" is probably my favorite song on this CD. It's a great little slice of Jonathan's simplistic philosophy. It's a great open road song, lightly shunning our jet set culture. The chorus is a great rockabilly back-and-forth that will stick in your head for days and make you laugh out of nowhere at inappropriate moments.
"Neighbors" is full of the Spanish kind of flavor Jonathan has delved into in more recent years, but I guess it fits on a country record in a Southwest kind of way. The lyrics are more Jonathan philosophy, though a little more ambiguous. Whatever it means, it's a great song with more of his comedic vocal style in full force.
The center of this CD, in my mind is the haunting cover "Man Walks Among Us." This song has more old-fashioned stylings than the other selections, but this belies the underlying sophistication of the lyrics. Images of animals scurrying from a man wandering through the desert, signaling to each other "Man walk among us, be still," are followed by the words "Soon will be gone all the deserts. Cities will cover each hill." Do the animal understand Man's destructive force better than we do? This was definitely more than I expected from a fun country detour of a CD.
"Satisfied Mind" closes the disc on a similarly subdued note, a cliched but warm and melodic cover about the falsity in our dreams of riches.
The rest range from descent to throwaways, but the CD does work as a complete listen, especially driving down the Western highways that inhabit this unique and wonderful cd.

WOW.......2002-11-10

The first side of this album (minus since she started to ride) is kind of half baked but once you get to "You're crazy for taking the bus" the rest of the record is awesome.

Who cares if half the songs on the album are covers, anything Jonathan touches becomes singularly Jonathan's. Besides his song choices are so pretty (and profound?) that who is anyone to criticize. To me this sounds just as much like a Richman album as anything else. "Neighbors", as others have noted, is the standout track...and yes it's bizzare.

The warmth of Jonathan Richman.......1999-12-17

What can you say about Jonathan Richman ? You love him or you hate him for the same reasons : Because of his voice, because he's so earnest in writing about anything that can happen, because of his honesty which can be so sweet that it hurts in your teeth. I love the guy, but I don't like all his albums. (There's nothing wrong with that, I certainly don't like all the things I've done and I'm me!) If I like it doesn't depend on the songs but on the general sound of the album. And this album sounds great, the songs are great and the spirit is great. The only thing I didn't like was the playlenghth of the album = much too short. I'm not a rich man so I've been in doubt for some time if I would buy it. But the temptation was too great. Listen to my personal favourites Reno and especially Corner store. All the best things that Jonathan Richman and country can give you are available on this album.

Buy this just for TRACK #9 -- NEIGHBORS!!.......1998-11-08

Jonathan goin' country is a nice change of pace -- and there's a video of his ex-wife Gail doin' "Since She Started to Ride" that is rare but out there. (It was Gail's first step of independence, maybe?) But the BEST BEST BEST part of this recording is track #9 -- "Please Don't Let the Neighbors Run My Life." These are words and a philosophy to live by!! It's about marriage and trust, if that's an issue to you, and if it's not, it's about being your own self, and not what the environment around you expects or wants you to be. Nuf said? Oops, I hear the neighbors knockin' -- my computer's turned up too loud! "Well my wife she knows me by now, so there's no need to let the neighbors run my life, oooh, oooh..." Married, single, male, or female, neighbors/people do LIKE to run your life, and this song reminds you you only have to let them if you wanna. :)

Average customer rating: listen to when fighting with your wife/girlfriend Pop goes Eytan! WOW! Great Sound, Great Lyrics

Was It Something I Said? Eytan Mirsky Manufacturer: M-Squared Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Everyone's Having Fun Tonight! Get Ready for Eytan! The Tao of Steve: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ASIN: B00005LDP7 Release Date: 2001-06-06

Tracks:

1. When Good Girls Go Bad
2. Love Is for Girls
3. Just Another in a Long, Long Line
4. Can't Make Up My Mind
5. Leaving You
6. Can I Get Any Lower?
7. Do I Have to Say It?
8. Meet Some Girls
9. Only Hurting Myself
10. All the Things to Do When She Says No
11. Sluts!
12. When You're a Human Being
13. Payback
14. You Don't Know Her
15. (I Just Wanna Be) Your Steve McQueen
16. Human Nature

Album Description

Great guitar-pop straight from our offices in the historic Brill Building

Customer Reviews:

listen to when fighting with your wife/girlfriend.......2006-09-05

This is power pop with every song written about the joys and heartaches of women.

Mirsky is a gifted songwriter that instead of moping and using dark images takes a wry, witty "Seinfeld" approach to his observations.

The songs are all good. The only drawback is b/c the instrumentation is all the same, the songs do start to sound a bit similar and repetative.

Pop goes Eytan!.......2002-06-08

We recently rented the surprsingly amusing film "The Tao of Steve". My wife and I found ourselves humming to infectious pop on the soundtrack. And "Lowe" and behold it was Eytan Mirsky!
Its pure pop from the perspective of a loser, (with women that is). If you like Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Marshall Crenshaw, Etc...you'll like Eytan.

Great stuff, get it now and tell all your friends you were listening to Mirsky way back in 2002!

WOW! Great Sound, Great Lyrics.......2002-02-19

Definitely check this guy out! The entire CD is excellent! Eytan's lyrics are meaty; smart enough and witty enough to keep you coming back time after time. His music complements the lyrics quite nicely. Download the MP3 samples here and see for yourself. If you like them, you'll like the entire album. Also check out Eytan's other album, "Get Ready for Eytan".

Average customer rating: The Divorce Album Slick production can't disguise Jonathan's pain Speak what we feel Most will be confused, but not me. Jojo is So Confused.

I'm So Confused Jonathan Richman Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Jonathan Richman I, Jonathan You Must Ask the Heart Having a Party with Jonathan Richman Jonathan Goes Country ASIN: B00000DD1X Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

1. When I Dance
2. Nineteen In Naples
3. I'm So Confused
4. True Love Is Not Nice
5. Love Me Like I Love
6. Hello From Cupid
7. If She Don't Love Me
8. The Lonely Little Thrift Store
9. Affection
10. I Can Hear Her Fighting With Herself
11. The Night Is Still Young
12. I Can't Find My Best Friend

Amazon.com

No doubt that playing the minstrel in There's Something About Mary gave Jonathan Richman the greatest exposure of his career. But don't expect success to spoil him: I'm So Confused--which includes that movie's "True Love Is Not Nice," if not the title song--finds the charming if offbeat pop-folkie singing the same simple-minded odes he's been doing since disbanding the Modern Lovers way back when. Produced with negligible effect by Ric Ocasek, Confused is mostly of a romantic nature, although with the occasional surprise. "The Lonely Little Thrift Store," for one, digs deep with arresting lines like "The avocado-green appliances with the smell of domestic violences." Perpetually quirky, Richman is nearly the definition of cult artist. No role in any blockbuster film's going to change that. --Neal Weiss

Customer Reviews:

The Divorce Album.......2002-11-10

Often people who try to interview Jonathan wil only mention how hard it is to get him to talk about his personal life. I find this highly unusual since there is no need for him to reveal anything, everything about Jonathan's personal life is on his records.This record is a testemant to that.

This finds him singing about a failed relationship (If she don't love me, I can't find my best friend) and then trying to console himself (True love is not nice). It also has some of Jonathan's more distubingly poetic imagery (the lonely little thirt store).

Yes, I am one of those [nasty] people who thinks this one is a little too slick (but it's been noted that us diehard jojo fans think that any production at all is too slick, I mean come on Jonathan once recorded an album in a bathroom) but the songs are good enough to look over that. I was glad that he went back to a smaller sound on "Her Mystery..". ...

Slick production can't disguise Jonathan's pain.......2002-06-08

Richman's second Vapor album, I'm So Confused (1998), starts out on a lighthearted note with the jaunty "Nineteen in Naples" and a re-recording of 1986's "When I Dance." But then it quickly turns heavy as Jonathan, picking up where Surrender to Jonathan (1996) left off, continues to to address the end of his marriage in songs like "I'm So Confused," "Love Me Like I Love," "Hello From Cupid," "If She Don't Love Me," "I Can Hear Her Fighting With Herself," "The Night is Still Young," and "I Can't Find My Best Friend" (a song I cannot listen to without crying). Like the best songwriters (Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, etc.), Richman relies upon concrete images ("the night is still young, and the bed is still cold") and plain-spoken phrases ("I can't find my best friend, and my life's just not the same") to tell his stories and infuse them with genuine feeling.

Much has been made of Ric Ocasek's glossy production and cheesy synthesizers. However intrusive these things may seem, though, they can't disguise the sadness in Jonathan's voice, which lends these songs extra weight. The disc only drags during a re-recording of 1979's "Affection," one of Jonathan's most emotional songs; here, he drains all emotion from it by smoothing out all wavers and breaks in his voice, fixing up some of the lyrics, and adding a goofy spoken bit toward the end. (These changes may make for easier listening, but the results are much less -- pardon the pun -- affecting.) I can see why he would want to resurrect this song, though: He may have lost the love of his life, but he wants to show us that it hasn't made him bitter and cynical; he still stands by his old word that love and affection are still worth seeking out. On a lighter note, the mid-tempo ballad "True Love is Not Nice" (a sort of precursor to 2001's "Couples Must Fight") and the rockin' "Lonely Little Thrift Store" rank among his finest recordings. (I love the cover image, too -- the gloomy color scheme, and Richman standing off-center as his handsome face looks deep in thought. Sad but pretty, like many of his tunes.)

Speak what we feel.......2001-10-05

Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. Jonathan grows older and has let go nothing of the true self that he first showed the world so long ago. For Gods sake, listeners, is sincerity so devalued these days, that a man with his own voice, armed with gorgeous lyrical and musical imagery to be mocked? Jonathan continues to sing of the spaces between the everyday patterns. He is out on a darkling plain, calling to those who would fight ignorance and shammery. And that is why he languishes in cultdom. America, you don't know what you have.

Most will be confused, but not me........2001-05-16

I've gotten used to being glanced at askance by my friends. This is usually the result of an off-handed comment about a movie or a record or a person, a comment which doesn't quite jibe with their own opinions. I was glanced at askance at the end of "Holy Smoke", a film I consider to be daring and interesting, but which my friends found uncomfortably challenging (they said "boring, weird, and dumb", but as this is MY review, I hold to my own interpretation of their reaction). I was glanced at askance when I suggested that, perhaps, Metallica wasn't the best band of "our generation" (a designation of age group I find often fluctuates depending on the point the speaker is trying to make). Every now and then, in order to expand their horizons, I'll play for my friends a piece of music I think is exceptionally good or simply fun, in the hopes that I can connect with at least one other person who understands that music doesn't have to be sold with a video, and that just because something is meticulously constructed to sound perfect, it doesn't necessarily have the soul that should come across in music. Ben Vaughn, The Coctails, any out-of-the-ordinary and refreshingly pure sound I can find, I play for them and look in their eyes for that spark of recognition...of understanding...of "oh...oh, yeeahhhhh...", that I know must have appeared in my eyes the first time I heard these bands. Usually, I end up looking at their eyes from the position of askance, by way of glancing. But not with Jonothan Richman. True, there are plenty of friends and acquaintances who scoff at the sometimes childlike, sometimes cheesy, and always honest sentiment expressed by Richman. But we speak of them in hushed tones. We being me, and the two friends who listened to Richman and didn't glance askance. They looked more in the direction of "oh...oh yeeahhhhh..." "I'm So Confused" is my favorite Jonothan Richman album (of what I've heard, which is most of it, though I've yet to discover "I, Jonothan", which people seem to have raved over), and is most definitely in my select list of favorite albums of all time. I love every single track, especially the standouts, such as "True Love is Not Nice", (the presence of which in "There's Something About Mary" served not to denigrate the song, but to uplift the otherwise undeserving film), and the absolutely beautiful "I Can't find My Best Friend". There are few people able to convey as much emotion with as much simplicity as Richman manages it. This has been kind of a long review. I really should have saved space, and just boiled it down to "oh...oh yeeahhhhh".

Jojo is So Confused........2000-05-14

Of the two old songs he's redone this time around; When I Dance works pretty good, while poor Affection which is one of Richman's finest songs, is almost ruined by producer Ric Ocasek's synthesizer cheese (which is unfortunately fairly omnipresent). On the new stuff Ric's synth is far more tolerable, and this adds up to one of the most consistently strong albums Jojo's produced in a long time. Sometimes confusion is infinitely better than certainty, still recovering from, and dealing with his divorce, while stepping into a whole new world of possibilities. There are songs here that are among the best things he's ever written or sung; The Lonely Little Thrift Store is one of the most perfect Jonathan Richman songs ever: concise verbal description/evocations in his tight rhyming rocking style over an almost Egyptian compulsively catchy stripped down (sounds like just J.R. and drummer Tommy Larkins on this) holy rock & roll (send this one out to Al Hoff). I Can't Find My Best Friend is the kind of song and emotion that's only possible to create or understand if your heart has been broken. I'm So Confused is auto-bio honest, pensive, edgy and one of the few places where Ocasek improves stuff by his presence, True Love Is Not Nice is a lovely country-synth bit of accurate observation and wisdom. On, Love Me Like I Love Jonathan says he wants "people to love me like I can love" and though it's one of the best songs here, I've just got to argue, that people can only love you or anyone on their own terms, that's all anyone can expect, isn't it? Hello From Cupid is a sweetly seductive soul-pop gem, while The Night Is Still Young is the same guy that wrote Roadrunner almost 30 years ago still driving around at night looking for something as simple as salvation, or in this case, a party he was invited to but can't seem to find. Thankyou Jonathan, (as the kids all say) you rock.

Rap Music:

1. Journey to the Center of the Earth
2. King Biscuit Flower Hour [Live]
3. Legend Pt.2 [Import]
4. Life in the So-Called Space Age
5. Little Robbers
6. Live a Little, Love a Little/Charro!/The Trouble With Girls/Change of Habit [Soundtrack] [Import]
7. Live in Las Vegas [Box set] [Live]
8. Live 'n' Rare [Limited Edition] [Live] [Import]
9. Lost for Words
10. Man From Utopia [Original recording remastered]

Rap Music

rap music

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