For those of you not in the know, Jonathan Richman formed The Modern Lovers in 1970 in Boston with Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), Ernie Brooks and David Robinson (The Cars). The band recorded a series of demos, first with John Cale (The Velvet Underground) and later with producer Kim Fowley. Both sets of demos were eventually released, but not until the original group had disbanded.

In 1975 Jonathan relocated to California and secured a recording deal with Beserkley Records. By 1976 he had pulled together a new version of The Modern Lovers. This group included the holdover David Robinson from the original band and added, Leroy Radcliffe and Greg ‘Curly’ Keranen (The Rubinoos).

The self-titled release delivered on Richman’s desire for more acoustic and harmony-based material. Unfortunately, nearly on top of the bands’ debut album release, the earlier demo material drawn mostly from the Cale demo sessions was issued, and Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers was overshadowed by “Pablo Picasso,” “Roadrunner,” and their—now classic—“debut.” Shortly after the release of their actual self-titled debut, Robinson departed to join The Cars.

Needing a new drummer, the band found D. Sharpe (later of the Carla Bley Band) and this new line-up recorded Rock ’n’ Roll With The Modern Lovers which was released in 1977 and achieved some chart success in Europe with “Egyptian Reggae” making it to #5 on the U.K. Singles Chart.

Greil Marcus called it “the purist rock ‘n’ roll album I’ve heard this year.” However, another in the series of personnel changes, Keranen left the group. Modern Lovers ‘Live’ followed in 1977 with new bassist Asa Brebner.

While the U.S. might not have caught on to the magic of Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers, the U.K. certainly did. Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, ‘Live’ features Jonathan and The Modern Lovers performing classics from their first two releases to an enthusiastic crowd. The set included the recent Top 5 U.K. single “Egyptian Reggae,” as well as tracks from The Modern Lovers’ previously releases plus an eight-minute version of “Ice Cream Man.”

1979’s Back In Your Life marked the end of any original versions of The Modern Lovers and closed the Beserkley era with Jonathan stepping back from music for a few years after its release.

Luckily for us all, that very same self-titled debut Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers is being re-released as a remastered album on CD/LP this August 19th, 20222 via Omnivore Recordings.

1. Rockin’ Shopping Center
2. Back In The U.S.A.
3. Important In Your Life
4. New England
5. Lonely Financial Zone
6. Hi Dear
7. Abominable Snowman In The Market
8. Hey There Little Insect
9. Here Come The Martian Martians
10. Springtime
11. Amazing Grace

Richman’s second collection of Modern Lovers, over which he was billed (eventually, the group name would be dropped) had a lighter rock & roll sound than the first. In fact, as often as not, Richman played acoustic guitar. And his lyrical concerns had similarly lightened up, to the point of childlike whimsy on such songs as Hey There Little Insect and Here Come the Martian Martians.

But the focus was still Richman’s unabashed vocalizing (the word “sings” is actually put in quotes on the back cover), giving the whole album an amateurish charm.

Opening on the bass-tastic, mid-tempo rock Rockin’ Shopping Center, that is seamlessly followed by their low key rendition of Chuck Berry’s Back In The U.S.A., the beautifully jaunty Important In Your Life and then comes the informatively heartfelt New England and the depressingly accurate description within Lonely Financial Zone.

Up next is one of my own personal favorites of this wonderful new album, the upbeat hand clapper Hi Dear which is in turn backed by the endearingly written Abominable Snowman In The Market (... a dirty marshmallow with fangs), then comes the pre-schoolers dance within Hey There Little Insect, the buoyant melodies within Here Come The Martian Martians, the album closing on the languishing Springtime and then a track that starts off as you would imagine, but ends up completely different, Amazing Grace.

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www.omnivorerecordings.com