65 replies to this topic

[Ned Braden]

Jonathan Richman. Now begin thread dedicated to the man and his awesomeness. Dude's been putting out great stuff for ages. His new album earlier this year (07 if you count outside of the US) was pretty stellar IMO, but seems to have gone largely unnoticed. Seeing the guy live is quite the treat if you're into this sort of thing. I most certainly am. Here are some recently announced concert dates. I'm gonna make it to at least one in the LA area. Tuesday, 2nd Dec San Diego, CA (The Casbah) Wednesday, 3rd Dec Los Angeles, CA (El Rey Theatre) Thursday, 4th Dec Long Beach, CA (Di Piazza’s Lava Lounge) Friday, 5th Dec Ventura, CA (Majestic Ventura Theatre) Sunday, 7th Dec San Francisco, CA (Great American Music Hall) Monday, 8th Dec Mill Valley, CA (142 Throckmorton Theatre) Tuesday, 9th Dec Sacramento, CA (Blue Lamp) Thursday, 11th Dec Seattle, WA (The Triple Door) Friday, 12th Dec Olympia, WA (Capitol Theater Backstage) Saturday, 13th Dec Eugene, OR (Sam Bond’s Garage)

[Ned Braden]

I think I may have overestimated the vast number of Jonathan Richman fanatics posting in this forum. Oh well. Maybe one of these days if I get a bit more free time and motivation and I'll start a run-thru tribute thread a la Heretix's Ryan Adams or Cerebralcaustic's Fall threads (both rad by the way). For now though, it's a beautiful day and I'm going to go enjoy it. Here's a fantastically fun album to help me do this! Modern Lovers '88: hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?omnkzidyjwn And this is excellent:

[6ome 9irl]

Saw him. Solid.

[Paul]

I really love Jonathan Richman. I saw him at the Abbey Pub this spring and it was really really great. I wasn't even that familiar with his solo stuff when I bought tickets, but I knew I had to see him even if he was only going to play one Modern Lovers song. So I downloaded pretty much a random selection of his albums and was just amazed by all of them, just because they can be so different from one another yet still represent this singular artistic vision. The ones that really stick out are I, Jonathan (and the version of "That Summer Feeling" on it that just destroys me every time I hear it) and Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love (which I remember seeing Pavement Ist Rad or someone on here that I can't come up with because it was a couple boards ago being a big fan of a couple years ago, and even before I had much of a clue of who Jonathan Richman was, I remember that title even sticking with me as being powerful).


There's a big thread from a year or two ago called something along the lines of "MODERN LOVERS HOLY SHIT"

[Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ]

this guys like 12 years old

[Pavement Ist Rad]

Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love (which I remember seeing Pavement Ist Rad being a big fan of a couple years ago, and even before I had much of a clue of who Jonathan Richman was, I remember that title even sticking with me as being powerful).

I've never heard or heard of this album.

[Paul]

Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love (which I remember seeing Pavement Ist Rad being a big fan of a couple years ago, and even before I had much of a clue of who Jonathan Richman was, I remember that title even sticking with me as being powerful).

I've never heard or heard of this album.

Hmmm...this was a couple boards ago so maybe I just don't remember who it was. But some Sombie really liked it.

[Pavement Ist Rad]

Back when I was first discovering all this awesome music from the "psychedelic" and "punk" eras, I actually spent a lot of time watching those respective genres' segments on that PBS "History of Rock" documentary thing. I remember seeing parts of it years before, but I guess somebody in my family had thought to record the whole thing onto VHS. Of course, a good chunk of the series got taped over, but not the hour or so all about the dawning of "punk rock" or whatever the fuck. There were interview segments with Jonathan Richman and I only knew about him because there was a Nerf Herder song about him. My friend and I were confused as to why this funny looking Jewish guy was talking like he was retarded and going on about the "B.U. girls" at "B.U., Boston University." Dude was fucking weird.

Shortly I realized that "I'm Straight" and "Hospital" were the greatest songs of all time. "She Cracked," too.

I have a solo Richman comp. called Mega Hits on my computer. I might listen to it some time. Deep down inside I have always assumed that his solo work just isn't going to do it for me. Who knows, though.

[sKinnY]

hard to say this but J. Richman definitely outnerds Rivers.

[Badger]

Saw JoJo solo at Glastonbury in the early 90s, one of the greatest shows I've ever seen. Saw him again in Brooklyn a few years ago with a drummer, left after about 3 hours, he was singing a verse, then singing it again in cod-Italian, then again in cod-Spanish, song after song. He just wore us down. Glad he's still there tho. Nice turn in 'there's something about Mary'. 1st Modern Lovers record still a big one for me.

[Ned Braden]

And also, fucking Kingpin dudes. Yeah... I, Jonathan. Pretty great album. Possibly my favorite of his solo stuff. Cool sounding shit like You Can't Talk to the Dude, goofy ridiculous stuff like Lesbian Bar and stuff that is crazy beautiful... yeah Paul was pretty much dead on regarding That Summer Feeling. Song utterly slays me every time I hear it. A higher power is also concentrated happy juice in song form. Great stuff. Will probably evaluate in depth at a later date.

[Ned Braden]

I have a solo Richman comp. called Mega Hits on my computer. I might listen to it some time. Deep down inside I have always assumed that his solo work just isn't going to do it for me. Who knows, though.

Yeah, Richman's a pretty great compilation guy when it comes down to it, even though all of us here know that greatest hits albums are for housewives and little girls. Pretty much any solo album I've ever heard by him has at least 2 or 3 phenomenal songs and at least 2 or 3 goofy filler songs. Once I got obsessed and decided that I loved this guy more than anything, the cutesy dumb songs became sort of endearing. Certainly stuff that might turn off a new listener though.

This compilation is mostly early stuff with the modern lovers. For those of you who haven't heard, there's a whole bunch of awesome in here. The live version of ice cream man that closes out the second disk is unreal. One of my favorite live recordings ever. And shit... important in your life. When that guitar hits, tell me you don't love the world.

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?zht4w25zyte (Radio On: Stop and Shop with the Modern Lovers)

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?y5m0mj0kqmd (Radio On: Stop and Shop With the Modern Lovers 2)

As far as solo work, yeah... would be pretty solid mixtape fodder. Think maybe I'll get on that one of these days.

[Ned Braden]

Just snagged tix to show at El Rey tomorrow. Should be rad.

[Ned Braden]

Had never actually listened to this, aside for a few songs (including Reno, which due to its inclusion in the movie Kingpin, is untouchable by default).

I sort of figured any album called "Goes Country" would be at best, a novelty with a couple decent highlights.

What I failed to factor in, is that in the Jonathan Richman universe, everything is brilliant. So too, is this.

At work now, but I will up this album eventually, and probably many others on this thread for anybody interested.

[brobee]

her beauty is raw is hitting pretty hard these days. only downloaded it a few days back and damn, wish i'd gotten it earlier. would add it to my eoy, but it wouldn't place high enough to make any overall impact. still, definitely a great record.

[Ned Braden]

In my experience, much of the Jonathan Richman discography is pretty hard to come by, and overlooked by most of the civilized world.

As such, from this day on, I will start posting some download links to his albums and talking about them (probably not linearly), in an effort to sway other people into getting down with his stuff.

I think that the more people listening to this guy, the better off the world will be. His tunes have instilled in me a general satisfaction with a beautiful, yet flawed world.

From the Wikipedia, Jonathan Richman discography:

The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers (1976)
The Original Modern Lovers (1981)

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers (1976) *
Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers (1977) *
Modern Lovers 'Live' (1977) *
Back in Your Life (1979) *
Jonathan Sings! (1983)
Rockin' & Romance (1985)
It's Time For (1986) **
Modern Lovers 88 (1988)

Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman (1989)
Jonathan Goes Country (1990)
Having a Party with Jonathan Richman (1991)
I, Jonathan (1992)
¡Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar! (1994)
You Must Ask the Heart (1995)
Surrender to Jonathan (1996)
I'm So Confused (1998)
Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow (2001)
Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love (2004)
Because Her Beauty Is Raw and Wild (2008)
¿ A qué venimos sino a caer ? (2008) **

* indicates things that I own on vinyl only, and have not been able to find links for (feel free to help out if able)
** indicates things I have never heard, and will hopefully track down.

"Let the great experiment begin."
~ Doctor T. Funke

[Paul]

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers (1977) *
Back in Your Life (1979) *

* indicates things that I own on vinyl only, and have not been able to find links for (feel free to help out if able)

I've got mp3s of these two. I will upload them at some point in the near future.

[Ned Braden]

Now spinning:


Rockin' and Romance


Tracklisting:
1. The Beach
Poppy fun little rock tune. The beach be one of the best things we got!
2. My Jeans
Just a great song. Subject matter is slightly on the frivolous side (his jeans are beat as hell, he needs some new ones, but none of those damn levis fit at all...), but for some reason, this just hits perfectly for me. Maybe this is because I'm a small waist big leg dude, I dunno, I've been there for sure. Great track.
3. Down In Bermuda
Enter into the psychology of J. Richman. Why exactly did he forsake a career as a punk rock god? Why has the dude who wrote She Cracked and Pablo Picasso been singing about abominable snowmen? This song lends a glimpse into a mind that I dig a whole lot. Also a pretty great (though slightly overboard to some listeners) live version of this on the "Having a Party" album. I think I prefer this subdued version.
4. The U.F.O. Man
A nice little guitar jam. FUN!! It's about aliens!!!
5. I Must Be King
Here's some more romance. A very pretty and touching love song. I enjoy this about equally to the version found on "Goes Country." If I had a girl that I cared about I might very well fool her into liking me back by throwing this little gem onto a mix tape.
6. Vincent Van Gogh
Jonathan Richman sings a heartfelt rock song about one of his favorite artists. This is a trend he will continue to pursue for a while. I personally like this song more than a lot of his others in this vein. I think there's a bit more depth to it than is seen at first from the surface. VVV = that depressed, wacko artist who lopped off part of his ear. VVV, according to this song, = an artist who loved colors, loved life, and had to use his art to show people this. The fine line between depression and deep passion/love of life is the underlying theme I see behind all of Richman's work, and that which has made him such an endearing artist to me.
7. Walter Johnson
Little half spoken/sung piece. Sorta goofy. But I dig. Pretty much just him talking about a ball player who's attitude he admired. "Boys, this game isn't any fun if you don't get a hit every once in a while."
8. I'm Just Beginning To Live
Hall of fame Richman instrumental type piece (not really instrumental... the repeated chorus says all it needs to. Pretty great lyric). Right up there with Egyptian Reggae and Tandem Jump in my mind. Maybe even better. Something about this just grabs me and makes me want to smile... and begin to live.
9. The Fenway
Sometimes I wish I were a Red Sox fan. Then I remember, fuck that team. Richman is awesome though.
10. Chewing Gum Wrapper
Love this song. He "just writes about stuff that already happened!" And he loved the colors! So honest.
11. The Baltimores
Cool little ode to a favorite vocal group. Very pretty song. Those "oooh wah ooh" type backing vocals... this is something I just about always enjoy when they're involved in Richman songs.
12. Up In The Sky Sometime
Sounds pretty samey to some of his other songs. Not a deal breaker to me with this one. Looking up at the sky and yearning for some sort of escape is something I can identify with.
13. Now Is Better Than Before
Beautiful song. Definitely grabs the heart. Pretty great example of him playing it live is up on youtube somewhere.

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers (1977) *
Back in Your Life (1979) *

* indicates things that I own on vinyl only, and have not been able to find links for (feel free to help out if able)

I've got mp3s of these two. I will upload them at some point in the near future.

Rad, thanks Paul!

[Sid Hartha]

It's Time For (1986) **

** indicates things I have never heard, and will hopefully track down.

I can put that one up later. It's one of his best, you know.

[Ned Braden]

It's Time For (1986) **

** indicates things I have never heard, and will hopefully track down.

I can put that one up later. It's one of his best, you know.

Awesome, thank you tons. The songs on there I have heard are brilliant, just never been able to track down the album and listen to it in its entirety. I am exited to hear it.