Album: Modern Lovers
Artist: Modern Lovers
Born: Natick, Massachusetts
Released: August 1976
Genre: Proto-Punk
Influenced: Talking Heads, David Bowie, John Cale, Daniel Johnston, Jens Lekman
In terms of musical influence, it's possible to trace a direct musical lineage from Sister Ray -> Roadrunner -> God Save The Queen, all primitive song structures with an emphasis on chords A & D. Though what marks out The Modern Lovers from Velvet Underground and Sex Pistols is the focus on themes of teenage love and the open road rather than social decay. Jonathan Richman and his Modern Lovers recorded the album between 1971 and 1973 but it wasn't released until summer 1976, just months before punk transitioned from underground to mainstream in Britain. Warner Bros signed the band in the early 70s based on their live shows in Boston and flew them to California in 1972 to record an album, with John Cale (him again) joining them in the studio as producer. Both these sessions and others failed to generate an album that Richman, still hurting from the death of his friend Gram Parsons, was happy with and so on release this record turned out more like a Modern Lovers greatest hits. As well as Jonathan Richman, the line-up included keyboardist Jerry Harrison (later Talking Heads), drummer David Robinson (later The Cars) and bassist Ernie Brooks (later working with Arthur Russell and others), an undisputably talented line-up. Of course, the best and most influential song on the album is Roadrunner, of which there are around 10 different versions; the one on this album is not the most famous, with Richman recording a pared-down version in 1974 titled Roadrunner (Twice) that has now become definitive.
Richman's nasal delivery and positive, life-affirming lyrics ("one-two-three-four-five-six!", "faster miles an hour!", "radio on!") about cruising around suburban Boston make Roadrunner a garage rock classic. Astral Plane has a strong Doors flavour and the lyrics are on the borderline of mystical and silly, and there's always this unique off-the-cuff quality to Richman's delivery. Old World is one of the more interesting songs lyrically, recognising the value of old-fashioned principles but saying goodbye to them too. Pablo Picasso is one of the funniest rock songs ever written, extolling the macho virtues of the great Spanish painter and full of that dry, goofy Richman humour. John Cale released his own version in 1975 (before this album's release) and Bowie also covered it. Hospital is a real departure from the rest of the material, a sincere and darkly romantic love song that shows off the band's unique talent for creating great melodies. Girl Friend is a straighter, less weird (but slightly more dull) love song. Modern World is a return to the positive themes of Roadrunner, a youthful riposte to the cynicism that set in after the glow of the Sixties had faded. On the 2003 reissue, several songs were added to the mix, including the brilliant I'm Straight and She Cracked, which sound like the template for the sound of the Talking Heads. For me, discovering this album was like finding one of those archaeological missing links, bridging the gap between the Velvets and punk & new wave.
In terms of musical influence, it's possible to trace a direct musical lineage from Sister Ray -> Roadrunner -> God Save The Queen, all primitive song structures with an emphasis on chords A & D. Though what marks out The Modern Lovers from Velvet Underground and Sex Pistols is the focus on themes of teenage love and the open road rather than social decay. Jonathan Richman and his Modern Lovers recorded the album between 1971 and 1973 but it wasn't released until summer 1976, just months before punk transitioned from underground to mainstream in Britain. Warner Bros signed the band in the early 70s based on their live shows in Boston and flew them to California in 1972 to record an album, with John Cale (him again) joining them in the studio as producer. Both these sessions and others failed to generate an album that Richman, still hurting from the death of his friend Gram Parsons, was happy with and so on release this record turned out more like a Modern Lovers greatest hits. As well as Jonathan Richman, the line-up included keyboardist Jerry Harrison (later Talking Heads), drummer David Robinson (later The Cars) and bassist Ernie Brooks (later working with Arthur Russell and others), an undisputably talented line-up. Of course, the best and most influential song on the album is Roadrunner, of which there are around 10 different versions; the one on this album is not the most famous, with Richman recording a pared-down version in 1974 titled Roadrunner (Twice) that has now become definitive.
Richman's nasal delivery and positive, life-affirming lyrics ("one-two-three-four-five-six!", "faster miles an hour!", "radio on!") about cruising around suburban Boston make Roadrunner a garage rock classic. Astral Plane has a strong Doors flavour and the lyrics are on the borderline of mystical and silly, and there's always this unique off-the-cuff quality to Richman's delivery. Old World is one of the more interesting songs lyrically, recognising the value of old-fashioned principles but saying goodbye to them too. Pablo Picasso is one of the funniest rock songs ever written, extolling the macho virtues of the great Spanish painter and full of that dry, goofy Richman humour. John Cale released his own version in 1975 (before this album's release) and Bowie also covered it. Hospital is a real departure from the rest of the material, a sincere and darkly romantic love song that shows off the band's unique talent for creating great melodies. Girl Friend is a straighter, less weird (but slightly more dull) love song. Modern World is a return to the positive themes of Roadrunner, a youthful riposte to the cynicism that set in after the glow of the Sixties had faded. On the 2003 reissue, several songs were added to the mix, including the brilliant I'm Straight and She Cracked, which sound like the template for the sound of the Talking Heads. For me, discovering this album was like finding one of those archaeological missing links, bridging the gap between the Velvets and punk & new wave.
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