What Are You Listening To?

[Music Head]

from my library



This could easily fit into punk also. Hard to find them better than this for me. Debut album for Boston band with frontman Jonathan Richman and buds, before his name was the prefix. Also Jerry Harrisons band before Talking Heads and David Robinsons band before the Cars. Richman claimed Velvet Underground as his primary influence and you can certainly tell that here. Even grabbing John Cale as producer for most tracks. Although this was released in 1976, it was recorded in 1972. By the time of this release band members had moved on leaving Jonathan to reform his band with others, but this is where it all began. How about those classic scenes in that Pablo Picasso clip? And he was never called an asshole. The video clip of Bowie with Hospital doesn't fit to me. Best listened to without looking.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - She Cracked

Best Track - Roadrunner

One two three four five six
Roadrunner, roadrunner
Going faster miles an hour
Gonna drive past the Stop 'n' Shop
With the radio on
I'm in love with Massachusetts
And the neon when it's cold outside
And the highway when it's late at night
Got the radio on
I'm like the roadrunner
Alright
I'm in love with modern moonlight
128 when it's dark outside
I'm in love with Massachusetts
I'm in love with the radio on
It helps me from being alone late at night
It helps me from being lonely late at night
I don't feel so bad now in the car
Don't feel so alone, got the radio on
Like the roadrunner
That's right
Said welcome to the spirit of 1956
Patient in the bushes next to '57
The highway is your girlfriend as you go by quick
Suburban trees, suburban speed
And it smells like heaven(thunder)
And I say roadrunner once
Roadrunner twice
I'm in love with rock & roll and I'll be out all night
Roadrunner
That's right
Well now
Roadrunner, roadrunner
Going faster miles an hour
Gonna drive to the Stop 'n' Shop
With the radio on at night
And me in love with modern moonlight
Me in love with modern rock & roll
Modern girls and modern rock & roll
Don't feel so alone, got the radio on
Like the roadrunner
O.K., now you sing Modern Lovers
(Radio On!)
I got the AM
(Radio On!)
Got the car, got the AM
(Radio On!)
Got the AM sound, got the
(Radio On!)
Got the rockin' modern neon sound
(Radio On!)
I got the car from Massachusetts, got the
(Radio On!)
I got the power of Massachusetts when it's late at night
(Radio On!)
I got the modern sounds of modern Massachusetts
I've got the world, got the turnpike, got the
I've got the, got the power of the AM
Got the, late at night, (?), rock & roll late at night
The factories and the auto signs got the power of modern sounds
Alright
Right, bye bye!


1) Roadrunner - *** - audio
YouTube - The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner
2) Astral Plane - ** - audio
YouTube - the modern lovers'astral plane'
3) Old World - ***
4) Pablo Picasso - *** - video
YouTube - The Modern Lovers Pablo Picasso
5) She Cracked - ** - audio
YouTube - The Modern Lovers She Cracked
6) Hospital - *** - audio
YouTube - Modern Lovers - Hospital
7) Someone I Care About - ** - audio
YouTube - The Modern Lovers - Someone I Care About
8) Girl Friend - ***
9) Modern World - *** - audio
YouTube - modern world (demo version)

3's - 6
2's - 3
1's - 0

Rating - 2.7

[Tiggi]

Sounds interesting.

Forgot to mention it also has some Phillip Glass influences.

You might well like it, Jon...

[dgas1992]

Joni Mitchell- Blue

[Beach]

Joni Mitchell- Blue

A wonderful album as I recall! :wink:

[JonG]

This could easily fit into punk also. Hard to find them better than this for me. Debut album for Boston band with frontman Jonathan Richman and buds, before his name was the prefix...

Classic. I wish Richman had explored this sound for a little longer before getting much... sillier.

[Tiggi]

School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms



A bit like the Cocteau Twins crossed with My Bloody Valentine & a little bit of The Cure, set to electronic beats.

Despite these strong influences, this album still manages to have its' own identity.

[JonG]

School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms

Good album. It was put out by one of my favorite record labels, Ghostly International.

[Tiggi]

Flaming Lips - Embryonic



Iota fed back that he didn't think this was a great album, a few weeks ago, but I'm going to disagree...

It's certainly not as accessible as their more recent albums, but seems to be a return to their earlier sound. The difference this time is that the band now have the means to realise their "songs" more fully.

As ever with FL, I can't help but hear echoes of Pink Floyd ('scuse the pun...) running through their music despite the fact that the music is fundamentally different.

Amongst the best of 21st Century Psychedelia IMHO...

[Tiggi]

Malakai - Ugly Side of Love



An odd little album.

It's one of those that sort of blend Alternative with Dance (Geoff Barrow of Portishead co-produces).

Didn't knock me for six, but pleasant enough...

[JonG]

Rameses III - The Kindness In Letting Go from I Could Not Love You More [Type, 2009]

Steel guitar, piano, drones...beautiful stuff.

London-based trio Rameses III (keyboardist Daniel Freeman and guitarists Spencer Grady and Steve Lewis) delivers a set of pastoral dronescaping that takes the listener on a ravishing hour-long journey of generally peaceful and spacious character. The material's sultry sound often envelops the listener in a soothing bath of harmonious shimmer, and one surrenders to the music's intoxicating pull without reservation.

- #13 on Textura.org's best of 2009 list.