Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Good background music
Have not heard of this album and liked it. Seems to have a Lou Reed / Velvet Underground sound. Some punk, and drive with good songs. 4/5
This is an album I definitely thought that I would like but I didn’t. If The Velvet Underground is butter than The Modern Lovers if margarine.
Imagine The Smiths had a drunk cousin in Boston. This is the Modern Lovers. Its an album that I would never turn on around someone because the singing has much to be desired for, but I'm a sucker for bad singers as long as the lyrics are written well and there is emotion. The only thing is that the lyrics don't always hit and neither does the emotion, but for the songs that are enjoyable they are very enjoyable. It is an overall 3/5, and I can definitely see why it was so pivotal to the punk genre but its much more of a stepping stone than a pillar.
Definitely a cool snapshot of mid-70s rock and roll. I already own this album, but I'd buy it if I didn't.
Same old same old. Come on guys. Try and write something musical and interesting otherwise people will think you've got no talent at all. Maybe you haven't?
Tough one to rate for me. Feels more like a transition point for music rather than an album I would want to listen to routinely. This album, like many others on this list, is interesting to talk about in terms of who was involved and what time the music came out. That said, the actual album is pretty ho-hum.
It’s okay
God awful vocals and sounds like if The Strokes drank too much Cointreau.
love 'pablo picasso', the rest is rather dull
This album is for sure interesting and quirky but I actually kinda liked it The singer has a really nice voice which saves a lot of these songs for their quirky lyrics The original Pablo Picasso was cool to see even though Bowie’s is a lot better 3/5 Favorites: hospital, girlfriend,
I liked this more than I thought i would. It seemed like it was going to be quite repetitive. And while it still kinda is not to the degree I was prepared for. If anything it sits in the dancey lane. Which for me very little music sits in. Its one of a kind in that way. Usually if a song repeats too much I just get bored and dont want to move around. This hit me so incredibly different that I dont even know or understand. But however they did it, props to them for real. Its old proto punk with a dancey new wavey or goth rock spin. And almost can't be happier with the results. I listened to a lot of the bonus tracks from the deluxe edition. And I usually dont do that. Just as long as im still enjoying myself why not. Not taking those into account for this review but I did like them. The core tracks are good. I got a bunch of likes and just couldnt be happier for a thing I was initially skeptical of. Very very good.
Side a was rock solid. Side b was watery diarrhea
1 - holy shit this guys voice. If ever there was a punchable voice, this guy possesses it. Never again.
DAMN
I quite enjoyed it. I think with some different production I would like it even more (sorry John), the way they play is so loose it feels like they’re in the verge of falling apart, it’s interesting but then the whole thing goes on a bit too long and looses its novelty.
I owe my discovery of this to M.I.A. back in 2007. Just don’t ask her opinion on Black Lives Matter… or immigration… or 5G… or vaccines… or truffle fries.
Being lonely and horny doesn't inherently make you interesting or a good musician
like an american pogues but they took inspiration from the worst dudes they could find and also it sucks
it was was OK. Raw, stripped down, and very garage band sounding. i heard "Roadrunner" many times but no other songs.
This was a very interesting listen. It was good. I can see why it didn't chart, but at the same time I feel it's worthy of the top 1,000, mostly because of it's place in music chronology, being right after punk but right before new wave, and having tinges of both. It's ok, but I'm glad I listened to it.
I gained nothing from listening to this. No enjoyment, no insight. Won't miss of i never hear again
I can see how this may be viewed as one of that bands that forged punk rock. Songs had a good beat and energy but lyrics and lead vocals were definitely lacking.
Someone described this as The Doors meeting The Clash and they’re not wrong. In my headcanon it’s Jim Morrison singing. 4.5
Foundational for so much american indie to come
8.5/10
girl what was this man even talking about
I hear the whole mix of influences this album has behind it, velvet underground , talking heads, the cars... Feels like a total blender but somehow still their own.
A protopunk band that feels like direct descendants of the Velvet Underground and the Doors? On paper I should love this band and I'm honestly not sure why it didn't quite hit right for me this morning. That said, I didn't dislike it. I did enjoy listening to it; it just didn't blow me away and I don't have a strong desire to return to it.
Pretty lame '70s psychedelic Rock album. No idea why this one is on the list when The Doors and bands of similar genre exist and do this much better.
I loved this. It was a really cool sound and you can tell from the writing and energy that they were doing something new and innovative. Seems like it would have been cool to see them live. A lot of people were saying their live shows were nuts. 8/28/26
Really wanted to like this album. I like a couple of Jonathan Richman songs but had never listened to Modern Lovers. This had potential, but overall, it just did not do it for me.
The sing talking towards the middle of this album (She Cracked) was really annoying; it also became kind of whiny (Dignified and Old) on other tracks. Otherwise, musically this was alright. (3)
70s Jonathan Richman is just the best, even if he doesn't like this record. Crystallises so much of the future of independent music in such an unencumbered way.
Basic
american rock is definitely not my thing...
This guy wants a girlfriend i think ? All in all, thought i'd hate it but i probably only lightly dislike it. Too long as well, but one bonus point for the honest lyrics, i did kinda liked them as it turns out
James Murphy shouts out "all the modern lovers tracks" in losing my edge so was happy to dive into it. Some I dug! But like never really got around to a sound like this, but enjoyed "old world". Might spin it again
Did not spark joy. Fine to work to, sounded too much like the velvet underground but not good enough and that made me dislike it.
Really liked this
It was pretty cool nothing pit of this world but enjoyed it
There are some real good songs on here, but I’m Straight and Dance With Me are terrible
This is some cool licks.
Classic garagey proto-punk from a local (to me) powerhouse. The influence this band and album has reaches further into my music obsession that I ever even realized, with 3 of these songs being covers on other albums I own. There is a very obvious and intentional Velvet Underground sound to this. Not surprised it was produced by John Cale. Great stuff here that I need to dive deeper into for sure.
Hmmm. Hrrmmrmrmrmrmrmmrmr. The list hasn't been making these genre predictions easy as of late. "The Modern Lovers" strikes me as an English band name given that it's most likely sarcastic, and the 1976 release date leads me to view this album as a proto-punk release. The angular geometry on the album cover verifies this theory for me, though for reasons I can't really explain. Anyways, I'm locking in punk for my prediction. Let's blow this popsicle stand. I'm a fucking genius and I love being right (if you ignore the fact that this band is American). On YouTube Music, the video for "Astral Plane" is of some midget stripteasing while lying on a bed. It's not even an official video - some random guy uploaded a recording of himself set to this song and YouTube decided it was peachy keen to include on their service. This album was okay, though I'm not and will never be a punker. Still, this is a lot more tolerable than your average punk outing. For one, the album isn't jam-fucking-packed with one-minute songs. There's some actual meat on the bones of these tunes (albeit not much). The music of this album is incredibly low energy and unvaried, being comprised almost entirely of the same droning guitars and repetitious drum beats. The same can be said for the vocals, which are neither charismatic nor entertaining. Still, I suppose I didn't mind the bassy sound of this album, which was able to just barely hold my attention across the runtime of this album. All in all, this was an adept, if very boring listen. Book time. The frontman of the group was heavily influenced by The Velvet Underground. The drummer from The Cars and the keyboardist from Talking Heads were in the original lineup of this band. John Cale of The Velvet Underground produced one of the band's demo tapes. The lyrics are very contradictory and countercultural. "Pablo Picasso" was covered by John Cale and later David Bowie. "Roadrunner" has been covered by a wide array of punk bands, most notably the Sex Pistols. The band were dropped by their label once they had finished recording the songs for this album. It released three years later on a different label, with the original lineup having imploded long beforehand. Roadrunner was a hit single. According to Wikipedia, this album was met with an absolutely glowing response from critics. The only music publication that didn't give this album a 10/10 was Pitchfork, settling for a meagre 9.2/10. The album is influential in punk rock circles and has received enduring acclaim, though it hasn't charted anywhere. I just hear The Velvet Underground when I listen to this music, though I suppose these guys got in on the ground floor of punk and appear to be well-respected within their niche. I'm content to let this album through. I cosign this inclusion.
Tyckte detta var riktigt bra, får lite Johnny thunders & the heartbreakers-vibbar? Stilen på låten Roadrunner låter som Viagra Boys Slow Learner? Svårt att säga och kanske beror det ner på dagsform, men jag kommer att lyssna på detta album igen och jag har upptäckt ett nytt band jag gillade får bli en 4/5.
is he str**ght tho????? to quote my brother, "a little twee but still great" it's grainy and low key and not concerned with any aspect of the experience of fidelity, which gives it charm. just a guy with an incredibly raspy voice and a band. they're not going at it at a punk level, but you can see how this leads to punk's driving rawness. it's an exploration of longing, for sure. longing for love, for the world as it used to be, for the world as it is, for being old in the world as it will be, but mostly longing for love. y'all do realize that the song is not meant as a statement of fact about picasso, right? like picasso was famously an asshole. i would interpret the song more as an unreliable narrator envious of the romantic success of others, judging them for being assholes, unlike his perfect idol, picasso. ... or something like that? regardless, they are not *Actually Claiming* that picasso was not an asshole. i also got a very different temp from i'm straight than some of y'all. i heard it as a view into a private moment of honesty from a closeted man, yet still cloaked in the denial of the closet (pun intended). we're listening to him leaving a message.. "i see you with hippie johnny and i wish you were with me. i'm straight, but i wish." despite saying "now this call concerns hippie johnny", it's actually not about hippie johnny at all; it's about wanting to be with the unnamed callee, out in the open. i dunno maybe i'm pulling all that outta my tuchas, but i stand by it.
Not as good as I hoped. Richman's voice drones on a bit.
I discovered this album at my local library in the 90s and knew nothing about it when I checked it out. I immediately told my friends about the treasure I found. I love its stripped-down sound, like the quiet nerdy kid in your English class formed a band and shocked everyone.
Odd - the beginning of punk? At various points sounds like The Velvet Underground, The Doors or The New York Dolls. Not really my sort of thing but interesting to discover.
You can hear pop rock bending into punk and alternative all at once
i mean, like, sure, but there's just zero passion here. sounds like they're performing with guns to their heads
Not bad. Didn't mind the singing, as it had some decent stuff there. Not super memorable.
Solid UK punk
The nasal vocals give the otherwise simpler lyrics some authentic character. Instrumentals are intermittent but effective at creating tense or high energy feelings.
Good album, but not really my vibe. Interesting lyrics and musical sound
mid
#207/1001 🇺🇸 I first heard this record 20 years ago in the back of a minibus driving back from Rock Werchter in Belgium and immediately fell in love with it and it sounds just as good now. Perfectly imperfect pre-punk. Best Tracks: Pablo Picasso, Hospital, Astral Plain, Roadrunner.
This is a fun album that strikes a perfect balance between multiple genres. You can hear a strong garage rock influence mixed with proto-punk elements. What I really enjoyed is that it doesn't just hit you with angst and aggression; it also has some fun, pre-new wave vibes, showcasing how ahead of its time this album was. Most of these songs were written and created about five years before the album even came out, highlighting just how far ahead of its time it truly was.
Everything was the same to me. Nothing good.
Decent wee album, catchy tunes. Favourite track: Hospital
Didn’t know this band, but I remember the “Pablo Picasso” song.
This may have been an early step on the road to more interesting music, but unfortunately I didn’t find it very interesting
Interesting early ironic incel proto-punk!
I will not include the bonus tracks from the 2003 Castle reissue in this review. I have listened to The Modern Lovers in passing before. They were a band out of Natick, Massachusetts that had a surprising amount of trouble getting going. In fact, the band broke up before completing their debut album, largely due to disagreements between singer-songwriter Jonathan Richman and his bandmates. Jonathan ended up signing as a solo artist to Beserkley Records, run by producer Matthew Kaufman, with the intent of starting anew. Along the way, though, Kaufman found and compiled the demo recordings from that failed debut album. Thus, the self-titled release of The Modern Lovers finally saw the light of day. For a collection of demos, this record sounds pretty damn good. I think that's what happens when you manage to get John Cale of Velvet Underground fame as your producer, cause he knew how to make Jonathan's punchy guitar riffs pop alongside the tight rhythm section of Ernie Brooks and David Robinson, and the equally beaming keyboard work of Jerry Harrison. The chemistry across all these personnel made for the kind of Velvet Underground-influenced proto-punk sound that emitted such ethereal coolness. That said, even the few tracks co-produced by Allan Mason and Robert Appère have their own weird charm to them, making for such hauntingly spare ballads before ramping back up at the end with "Modern World". Throughout, Jonathan delivered his vocals with such childlike whimsy, running through the relationship matter and observations on his world with such earnestness in dealing with his personal quirks. I genuinely believe it when he looks to painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso as someone to aspire to in his pursuit of romance, or how he embraces the changing of times at the end of "Old World", or how he struggles with women through the likes of "She Cracked", "Hospital" and "Someone I Care About" as he holds out for finding someone to love and not lust over. Plus, I'll admit as someone from Massachusetts, I was enamored by how Boston-coded the lyrics can get, such as cruising down Highway 128 on "Roadrunner", walking through the Museum of Fine Arts and Fenway Park on "Girl Friend", and jokingly calling students to drop out of Boston University on "Modern World". Maybe this album worked its regionalist magic on me in a similar way that the band Boston's self-titled debut did, but I enjoyed The Modern Lovers all the way through. It sucks the band ended prematurely and was later re-envisioned by Jonathan as an easy-listening rock & roll group. Still, this compilation did its job at paving the way for punk rock, new wave, and other such alternative genres; a more "modern world", as it were.
I can't believe the Modern Lovers held on to their debut album for 4 years. "Self-Titled" has plenty of great songs, and I see why it's on many "best albums" lists. My favourite is none other than "Hospital", a nice and slow song. Most of the songs on "Self-Titled" feel like a continuation of '60s garage rock. It's also a prototype for punk. 4 stars for "Self-Titled".
Oh those days of teenage angst! One of my favourite albums back then. Haven’t heard it for a few decades. Why not- I think it’s excellent.
Very much like Iggy Pop & The Stooges, but not as good.
So an act I’m aware of but never really listened to. And it’s a very good album. You can hear the Kings of Leon, maybe The Strokes, 25 years before they recorded. Superb.
Some day we’ll be dignified and old
Nah. Again.
Low key, better than the Velvet Underground if this was their only album. Never really dived deeper since this is really the only album you need by them. This covers all bases succinctly and poignantly. I've been accused of not wanting to rock out but this is my type of rock
Aburrido
225. ok
366/1089 it’s gotten to a point (girlfriend) where it just feels like random rambling, idk it’s losing me a bit 48/100
I'm a sucker for 70s era punk and new wave.
Enjoyed this, I’d only heard road runner and I’m straight before. The rest of the album is on par with them. Good one !
As a parody of Jim Morrison, its pretty good! Pablo Picasso is a great satire of that rambling poetry style The Doors uses, and... wait, this isn't a joke album?
Yep another British punk pop album. Yep has some attitude and a marginal singer. Yep I’m sure Dimery or listened to it as a disaffected British teenager. But I’m deep in the list now and it doesn’t stand out from all the others like it.
I like this. Hard to place this in the mid 1970s. Sounds like it’s from a different era. But does have a bit of Lou Reed mixed with early punk. Not sure how to describe it Surprised I’ve never heard of them before. 3.5
Hospital is an amazing song. The lyrics are incredible and very romantic to me because they describe the feeling of being so deeply in love with someone that you want to see the world through their eyes. For example: “Now your world it is beautiful / I’ll take the subway to your suburb sometime / I’ll seek out the things that must have been magic / To your little girl mind.” Duuuuuddddeeee…. There’s a good mix of punk carelessness and suburban sentimentality in this album and the lyrics do an excellent job tying it all together.
Again, I’m familiar with some of the songs in this album from 6Music. Overall, enjoyable, but there isn’t much variation.
I really enjoyed this. Vocalist don’t have much range but I still liked the vocals.
Hat sich nicht von der Masse abgehoben, aber war okay zum nebenbei laufen lassen
was soll ich sagen?
Hat mir ganz gut gefallen :-)
Jonathan Richman is a literal genius and this album finds him with an edge he would never find again. I love all of his phases but this is his most important, iconic work. Jerry Harrison plays keyboards on it too! Highlights are Hospital, She Cracked, I’m Straight, Old World, Pablo Picasso, Roadrunner, Modern World, Astral Plane.
A fine punk debut album. Had some enjoyable songs, an okay listen. Not my favorite, though.
7/10… psychedelic rock / art rock / *1976
Exceptional album. A very influential record on a lot of great bands from the early 2000s.
Love this, I think Jonathan Richman is so funny, I've got his best of CD that I've always enjoyed so I knew many of these tracks. I'll go with 5 stars, it was a funny and fun listen for sure
I has teenage boy band vibes. I like the vibe.
So friggin good. John Cale knows how to produce sounds I like
Not, as they say, for me. At times, it very nearly stops being annoying and starts being fun, but those times are few and far between, and a long way from being worth it. I don't really get what they're trying to do to be honest - there's no shock factor, no musicality, and not really any sense of joy or anything.
Some good songs I'll definitely find myself listening to again, some very forgettable ones.
A case of the vocals ruining the experience. I hate how nasal Richmans singing is which is a shame because the songwriting is superb.
weird but kept me entertained. 3.5
Me hizo acordar bastante a The Doors. No soy tan fanático de The Doors. Igual estuvo bien.
:(
What if Lou Reed sang about healthy living and Boston instead of heroin and New York? Proto Punk? No Proto Straight Edge. Jonathan was lonely because he liked health food and tried to cock block Hippy Johnny for being stoned. Sounds like an edgeman to me. My favorite Boston record of all time. 5 radios on.
5/10
It was okay, but I doubt I'd listen to it again. Many other bands do the same thing and are better.
I loved this album—it was weird and punky and funny. Funny I’d never heard of the band before.
Pretty boring.
Not bad at all. Pretty enjoyable.
Feels like budget rate The Doors? Which are already a budget rate band? I don't know, I'm having a hard time this time.
Not totally unlistenable since there's definitely some energy here and I found my self bopping along, but the real issue here is the vocals. The dude is barely singing, it's moreso just talking the whole time which I'm honestly just not a fan of. 2/5
Really dug this. Felt very Clash mixed with Velvet Underground to me. Will definitely revisit, so rating might change from initial gut listen.
It's like a cakey velvet underground
'Goin' faster miles an hour.' In a sense, The Modern Lovers took over just where The VU left things with Loaded, indeed improving on Lou's grand & noble love affair with 'rock 'n' roll.' Interestingly enuf, John Cale produced six of these tracks, tho to my knowledge, Cale was nowhere to be seen in the latter years of that first & greatest of alt acts in rock history. Anyhow, I love this album even more than Loaded. Above all else, I love it b/c it has to do with what's happening 'late at night,' when 'it's getting dark,' but not w/ respect to the magic of a metropolitan nighttime. Nope, this sings to the tune of when 'you're alone in your room.' In a strange way then, it's got to be one of the most romantic & heartbreaking records of all time: 'Hospital.'
If I was in a bad mood, I could get really annoyed by the deliberate sloppiness of this record. But I think it's actually great, and the contingencies are fascinating. There's no Modern Lovers without Velvet Underground. And conversely, there's no LCD Soundsystem, Art Brut, Franz Ferdinand, many others without this sound. The right mood = great vibes with this sleazy sweaty sound.
Almost like the missing link between The Doors and Sex Pistols. Cool sound and attitude, but the songs leave a little to be desired.
I liked this a lot. Some cool sounds that remind me a bit of an earlier version of some of the post punk bands I like. Glad this one was on the list.
Maan this is such an amazing album. I fell in love with Hospital so much when i was like 17, and only listened to the whole album years later. This one, is absolutely one of the best 70s records for me. It’s raw, but still sounds amazing. Sounds undeniably very VU, probably bc of John Cale, but this one can stand toe to toe with a few VU records in my opinion. It rocks, it’s funny, the guitars are bangin. This is an easy 5 for me.
Excellent album, contains a lot of a lot. Early pointers to the punk and new wave elements of talking heads and pil.
Why is this here. It’s so middle of the road that it’s incredible that it was even thought about after a year.
omg i listened to this on friday and have zero recollection of what i heard
This reminds me of Galveston. It seems like a nice vacation spot - beaches, fire pits, and a small boardwalk. Then, as you head west, the area slowly reveals rows of cookie-cutter beach homes lining the gulf. The organ brings me back as I drift off during songs, just like the tinge of oil from the area's refineries does while on the beach.
My intro to the Modern Lovers was via a cover of Pablo Picasso by Burning Sensations form the Repo Man soundtrack. That movie/soundtrack was formative for me in high school And that song was a highlight. It took me discover that song was on fact a cover. And a rather raucous cover. So that brought me to Jonathan Richman and the Moder Lovers. And what an album. The fact that it came out in the mid 70s but was recorded on the early 70s but sat on a shelf is hard to comprehend. You can certainly feel VU/Lou Reed and the Doors - and 50s rock n roll - here but the presentation and delivery is all forward looking. Every bit as revolutionary and influential as the first Ramones album and a joy to listen to. I can't imagine how this baffled upon it's release. It felt right at home in the mid 80s, as it did the mid 90s - and the 2000s... I still prefer the BS version of Pablo Picasso but that speaks to the unique talents of Mr Richman.
"The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band", and Jonathan Richman was probably one of them. On the other hand, everyone who bought The Modern Lovers' debut formed great bands like The Feelies, The Pixies and Parquet Courts. Not that far away from 5 stars. Awesome and influential album!
Another I would never have come across without the list. Interesting, historic and listenable and source of Repo Man song Pablo Picasso. +1 for influence in genre.
Album 237. The Modern Lovers (https://open.spotify.com/album/5BPCP7WSGBG4br2o4WRmd8?si=5vlZ-2-QRDi3XlLlrLifMQ) — The Modern Lovers (1976) A decent rock-punk album actually. 3/5 Liked: — Astral Plane — She Cracked
What a great album. And that from 1976!? It sounds so much 90s. But in the end it doesn't matter. Great music. Only negative part (which has nothing to do with the music) ... it isn't on Spotify so I guess I won't be listening again
Crunchy and raw. I enjoyed most of it. The Boston references are pretty cool.
literally me fr. simple but very fun. favorite song is Hospital or Girlfriend. solid 4
Rating: 8/10 Some truly influential stuff. Just so ahead of its time. So proto-Strokes and all the bands they influenced that it's actually surprising the band isn't from NYC. Just incredibly cool in a way that's different from the crass and bad boy kind of shit that this band's punk contemporaries displayed as their image. Instead, front-man Jonathan Richman has this charming, quirky, romantic affectation that really suits the feel of the record. An all around great album, but there are some cuts that are better than others. Roadrunner is a killer opening track, winning me over so quickly with its references to their native Massachusetts. I really enjoyed Pablo Picasso, Hospital, and the closing title track, but it doesn't even end there because there are deluxe tracks on this thing that continue to feel like an essential part of the record, particularly Dignified and Old, and I'm Straight. So good, and even though I'm leaving it at an 8 for now this could possibly be even higher in time.
Good sound. Yes I'm a sucker for Roadrunner, but the rest was pretty good even too even though sometimes like what is bro yappin about 6.4/10
My least favourite genre: stupid white boys speaking over a terrible band. It would have been a 1 but for the gumption to put out a song which in all seriousness rhymed Pablo Picasso to asshole and avocado.
Like a lot of the albums it opens strong but then becomes a bit iffy.
It is ok, enjoyable background listen.
I think I might have enjoyed this more if the best song wasn't track 1
Echoes of the Velvet Underground and the Doors from this seminal proto-punk band, originally recorded in 1971/2 but it didn't see the light of day until a few years later. a simplistic and uncluttered sound, easy to hear how this influenced the early punk movement.
Another cornerstone for the nerds. Sometimes you can feel it owes little too much to its source material, but there’s humour and light and a whole lot of fun.
An absolute favorite of mine. Kind of proto punk but also much more lowkey. I also love Jonathan Richman’s later music which leans even more into being like this kind of kind hearted guy who also loves the Velvet Underground too much
Ok+
Au début j'ai cru que j'allais me faire chier mais j'ai beaucoup aimé certains sons genre Pablo Picasso
*Great start to the album with many proto-punk tracks *The albums slows down on the B-side
20/06/2026 I hate giving 3 stars out, but for something as average as this... Spotify listeners: 306.7k
# Album Name: The Modern Lovers # Artist: The Modern Lovers # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Very enjoyable! Wasnt quite expecting it. Love the offbeat vocals. Some cracking little songs. # Top Tunes: Roadrunner / PP / Straight / Hospital / AP / # Would I listen to it again? Yes
I kind of like it. It did sound way too similar though. 3/5
Perfectly velvets adjacent and a bit stupid. Nuggets like and lovely.
What makes it great is the tension between toughness and naivete. Plenty of proto-punk records sound aggressive. This one sounds alert, awkward, funny, and almost embarrassingly sincere.
I love the proto-art punk vibe. Quirky songs, quirky sound. I’ll take it.
It's not awful, but it's not really something I'd choose to listen to. I made it all the way through the album but that was in no small part due to being preoccupied by something else. I wouldn't want to hear it again.
This is so cool. I don’t know why. But it is. I can’t believe it’s 50 years old! I know “Roadrunner” from the School of Rock film soundtrack and loved that song. This album sounds just as I hoped it would - continuing that sound abut with different songs. Almost like post-punk before punk!? Awesome.
Fairly good
Don't remember don't care enough to relisten to.
Kind of terrible no?
511/1089 - I'm glad that the Talking Heads and the Cars took off instead of this. All the Velvet Underground>Branca>Sonic Youth>Pavement>Swans type of music should be dis-invented. This album included.
et ok proto-punk album. Albummet har ikke helt overvundet mig på mine gennemlytninger. Tror forsangerens stemme og fraseringer irriterer mig lidt, og mange af sangene har ikke lykkes med at skille sig fra de andre for mig. Dog er der et par gode numre på albummet. Standouts: Roadrunner, Astral Plane, Hospital
i can’t stand whiny men doing classic rock sorry i don’t care if it’s from 1976 it pisses me off
4.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/the-modern-lovers/the-modern-lovers/ This is amazing! Coincidentally got this one just after The Cars (which this precedes with its drummer; hoping I continue with Talking Heads via Jerry Harrison). So influential for many of the bands I have ended up listening to years later. This needs to go into my heavy rotation.
I'm a sucker for that Velvet Underground style deadpan delivery. Gets me pumped up far more than high tempo punk rock.
It sounds like the continuation of what the Velvet Underground were doing prior. As such, it contains some great highlights as 'Roadrunner', 'Astral Plane' and 'Pablo Picasso' which make the album be memorable throughout. 8/10 [KEEP]
A mix between the doors and velvet underground that never got laid. 4/10 Top song Roadrunner
Good beat. The lyrics are a bit incely in my opinion
At first i thought this sounds quite good but then everything sounded the same
fav songs: none akward, irritating, quirky 10/100
I was excited when I saw this was the album with Roadrunner, but then heard the rest of it.
i can’t explain why i fuck with this but somehow, i do. was previously very familiar with Road Runner, Pablo Picasso, and Hospital but nothing else. maybe it’s the crisp sound quality w lazy vocals (not derogatory)? expected this to be an early 2000s album tbh but maybe that’s aging me. he just gets it. i do go to bakeries all day long. okay after Modern World i’m getting real sick of the lyrics men write about women. not on this particular album, compared to other albums on this list, just got reminded of it. alright now that i’m through Dance With Me, this is too long. but the alternative ones slap! maybe 3.5. can’t decide how much i enjoy.
This is a super mid album, but not offensive at all. I might put it on again, but I honestly doubt it. It sounds like Lou Reed lost any edge and really wanted to just talk earnestly about everyday observations.
Sounds like the same song for the whole album except for the overdriven guitar of "She Cracked" and the tempo changes of "Hospital". I guess "Dance With Me" is different too, but it's also one of the worst pieces of music I've heard. "Your face says 'sex' " might be a contender for worst lyric OAT. In fairness, one of these songs within a playlist at the pub would not be egregious, but a whole album is just insulting.
I enjoyed this. You can hear the energy and simplicity of sixties rock and roll, mixed with the looseness and attitude of punk.
Так себе любовнички
Хороша енергія у альбомі, подобається цей трохи розхлябаний драйв. Топові клавіші по всьому альбому. Roadrunner - бенгер.
Я загалом не фанат такого прото-панку, тут десь 50 на 50. Є забавні пісні типу Пікассо, а є нудні. Коротше типовий альбом на трієчку.
Very good, a few songs annoyed me, but in general nice
if you hate this album then you hate massachusetts
One of the first known cases where someone bought VU&Nico and started a band... I’d probably find some of this tedious were it not for my Massachusetts roots and sometimes I do, but hearing someone mention Filene’s and Stop and Shop was an easy win. Radio on!
Not udder shite but senseless and meaningless. Just goes on with itself like its doing something special but its not. '76 is pretty early for this sound so I'll give a nod to that. But, I'm not impressed.
It was alright probably wouldn’t listen again but not a horrible experience
So good
what a nice ride...
Decent writing but started getting old towards the end. Can see the influence it had but might need some modernization
Love this album! I love hearing the 60s organ but something about it just sounds so 80s big button shirts. This kinda punk forever and ever
Eh, it was fine but didn't seem like anything special to me.
Oh, well. It was probably provocative at the time, but fifty years later the record Sounds really dated, dusty and desperate.
Good album! Don't know much about these guys but i liked this album!
Thumbs down. Voice not carrying the tune.
Started off somewhat liking it but tapered off from there 3/5
Sounds like shitty karaoke Fave track: Roadrunner
Slightly better than expected. 2.5/5
The poor man’s Lou Reed. Not my bag, baby. 1.5⭐️
Bad
70's but could also pass for 2010's. A bit punky at times. not bad
Another gem on this list. I had never heard of this band and loved everything about it. It was timeless and when my partner walked in the room, she couldn't place when it was made which I think speaks volumes. That the lead singer was the Greek Chorus in "There's Something about Mary" let me re-engage with long lost friends about music and movies. Win and win.
buen añbum muy ochentoso
I hadn’t heard this before. I thought it sounded like an early 80s new wave record, but wasn’t surprised to discover that it was a mid 70s punk album. In my opinion, the two genres shared similar sounds, if not themes and attitudes. Musically, I liked the variety of songs, changing tempos and melodies. It kept it from droning, which some punk bands would tend to do. Overall, I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars
I really hated this. It was too long, the I didn’t like any of the songs and I found the vocals grating. 1/5
For more than half my life, the only knowledge of/exposure to The Modern Lovers I had was the Sex Pistols' cover of "Roadrunner. At some point not that long ago (5-10 years ago, maybe?) I finally heard the original version and it amused me as a novelty - reminding me of my childhood love of the Pistols - but did not make me want to seek out any more of their music. But now it has sought ME out... Having listened... I guess you had to be there? I don't hate this but it is difficult for me to see why it was such a big deal, even in its day. I guess I can kind of hear proto-punk here and understand why the early punks were drawn to it. But listening to it 50 years after its release, with the benefit of hindsight (hindsound?) and all the music that has come since then, it just doesn't sound very remarkable to me.
Liked this, but the vocals wear on you. 3/5
So this phone call today concerns Hippie Johnny…
MEH its a middle of the pack rock album
I really ended up enjoying this one.
The velvet underground, sos vos?
Proto- Everything! Truly an essential album every music lover should hear before buying the farm. Interesting to note that Jonathan Richman would never top this album be it solo or with The Modern Lovers, which isn't to say that great music wasn't released after the debut but not debut album holy grail great.
I remember this being better when I’ve listened in the past. Guy pined on and on about random women
A nice enough album, but one that never really grabbed my attention. There were a few standout tracks though: Roadrunner Hospital Dance With Me
I thought a lot of the lyrics sounded like they were written by a 1 year old. It was funny sometimes and fun. But I couldn't listen to some of songs simple because I was cringing a lot.
“I called this number three times already today, but I, I got scared, I put it back in place.” Poor Hippie Johnny. Love this Massachusetts masterpiece!
This is influential? How?? This is music so generic I could've written it myself, and his voice is so bad he shouldn't even be allowed to call himself a singer. I think y'all are just forcing yourselves to like this. You don't have to, you know. It's okay to admit this is not good. It's what Hippie Johhny would want you to do.
I love Jonathan Richman and his lovers
Stylistically, sounds a lot like the Adam and the Ants album I just listened to. Maybe a little reminiscent of The Clash? Sort of Adam and the Ants meet The Clash...
I couldn't listen to it - I get that this is the "we don't care about vocals" era but surely there's a line.
I liked it, though some songs are boring
idk nothing special
There is a sense of serendipity that I got this record today after having a Lou Reed album yesterday. This record feels like the rest stop on the journey from the Velvet Underground to the punk movement. It was produced by Velvets member John Cale after all. It is not aggressive by any means, but the back to basics approach to the music is simplistic and frontman Jonathan Richman's vocals were clearly a big influence on the upcoming punk bands. Richman's lyrics are honest and raw, even if it makes him look like the bad guy. It is rather refreshing to hear Richman's willingness to be seen as a geek instead of the usual rockstar bravado. Leaving an imprint on everyone from the Pistols to the Pixies, this is an incredible important record, even if Richman's snotty talk-singing may turn off some listeners.
3 stars
Love it. The guitars shine and Richman’s tongue in cheek delivery remains one of the most unique and idiosyncratic vocals in rock and roll.
Really enjoy the vocalist, the stripped down simplicity, the writing and there is some very good guitar work on here. Maybe lacks variety a bit.
I dunno man. Is this really one of the best 1001? It was fine. Nothing special. I listen to it a few hours ago and can hardly remember it. 2/5.
Nahhh, not for me. I already dislike Elvis Costello for borrowing everything from rock and punk except for the spirit. This is even more “nice.” It’s different and I see how that’s fun for some people. Not me, though, this just irked me. It’s got some nice intrumentals and organ playing so it’s better than one star but not by much.
It's not dreadful. I can understand why other people might enjoy this. I just wish the singing didn't sound so lazy.
Was that a straight pride song? Favorite track: Roadrunner 3.5/5
I don't know. This one didn't really do much for me. There were a couple songs that were pretty good, but the rest wasn't for me. 2.5 Stars rounded up
Oof... No. Straight up music critic bait. If this were released today just as it is, the writers at Pitchfork would be pissing themselves with excitement to write a review extolling some bullshit. All the while ultimately telling the readers that if they don't like it, they just don't understand good music. I typically don't mind a bit of pretentiousness, but this is just crap.
3/5
I went through a phase where I got really into these garage rock/"proto-punk" bands like this one, but somehow these guys never crossed my radar. Very similar sound to the Standells, which makes sense both being from Boston, but with more synth. I really dig it. Pablo Picasso is so weird but fun, same with I'm Straight. Dance With Me is less fun but is enjoyingly eerie. Huge fan of this one.
Another band completely new to me. This was ok. You can definitely hear the Velvet Underground influence, particularly in the vocal delivery. I’d rather listen to The Velvet Underground though. The album seemed to plateau after about four songs and I ultimately got pretty bored of it towards the end.
It was fine while I was listening to it but not memorable whatsoever
fun in spots
Þessi þarf amk. eitt rennsli en svo er hún líka svona skemmtlileg. Ég gaf henni þennan séns því Bowie coveraði Pablo Picasso, og gerði það listilega vel, en originalinn er ekki síðri.
uncomfortable and borderline icky to listen to
Decent.
When I saw American Rock band, I was expected Dad Rock but I enjoyed the punkish vibe from the group although I've never heard of them.
I should love this one but I find that it does fall off after Roadrunner. There are some real bummers on this record. I wish it could be a five star record but I don't think it really is.
Not a fan
Had it's ups and downs, overall a fun album and worth listening to at least once.
Not my side of the woods
Not a new album to me, I've listened to The Modern Lovers a few times over the years. Always enjoyed their proto-punk, proto-slacker rock. There is a lazy, swagger to the delivery that I really enjoy. And seeing some of the aggressively low scores and reviews makes me like it just that little bit more. Best line: "I go to bakeries all day long/ Theres a lack of sweetness in my life." 4
Perfectly whelmed.
When I was a teenager, I thought I would be a painter, and then sound overtook me. I made up songs because I had to. I had the need to express how I felt. And that's still how it is. It's just what I do. I do it when there's no audience, I do it when there is an audience. And, when I paint, that's how that is too. — Richman in a 2020 online thread
I don't know how I've never listened to this album. It feels like one of the first "post-punk" albums and I love it. It's not flawless, but I personally recommend it. Best Songs: Roadrunner, Pablo Picasso, She Cracked Worst Songs: Girlfriend
Familiar with Roadrunner and heard some of Richman’s solo stuff. This was all ok without blowing me away. Interesting that the songs were recorded in 71 and 72 - the sound is later than that and seeing it was produced by John Cale also explains the Velvet Underground influences in places. She Cracked is a bit Stooges like. May revisit as would like to focus a bit more on the lyrics. A (maybe harsh) 3.
Hard not to like Richman's enthusiasm, the keyboard/organ sounds fantastic (Jerry Harrison!) and Roadrunner is a great paean to Massachusetts - however it can get more than a little over the top at times, like. feels a little like being hit over the head repeatedly, most likely by old Velvets 33s.
I was not aware of modern lovers before being served this album, which is a great shame because I really enjoyed it. It sounded as if somebody lifted some tracks of The Doors, some of The Stooges, and added a heavy serving of velvet Underground before throwing them in the blender for a quick spin. The original release is the most solid of solid 4’s for me. I was particularly fond of the track “Hospital”, which is interesting because I’m also a big fan of TB sheets and Waterloo Sunset, which are also both songs about hospitals. Maybe that’s my niche area?
If the Doors were New England hipsters instead of LA hippies, if Velvet Underground were a bit more laid back. Earnest and louche vocals with a warm timbre engaging delivery, over lackadaisical slacker rock. Effortless cool. Get yourself someone who'll love you the way Jonathan Richman loves Massachusetts and the Old World.
Excellent album, a really solid level across the album. Would listen to it again
Oui c’est joli et ça reprend bien certains style, rockabillie ou folk et puis un peu d’ethnique de loin … Dancing late at night est cool et the theme from moulin rouge est mignonne … mais je ne réécouterai pas l’album
1 2 3 4 5 6! Roadrunner was the first record I ever bought. It was some years before I caught up with this album along with several others in Richman's discography. From being a VU fanboy, Richman has ploughed a distinctive furrow seemingly without troubling the charts. And long may he continue. This is a brilliant and influential album, though it took several years after recording before it saw release.
Groupe inconnu. Premier constat : le 'chant' est plutôt désagréable. Quand il arrête c'est mieux ! Ceci dit l'accompagnement n'est pas vraiment original, il ne m'a pas vraiment marqué. Rien de remarquable donc, pas de seconde écoute envisagée. Les quelques chorus (sans chant, donc double bonus ...) le sauvent de la note minimale. =>2/5
dije "che que parecido a la velvet" y después me fijé y los produjo john cale, y si
176 songs is just too many...all average at best, kinda boring album.
6/10
good stuff!
uma delícia
Pa que Bowie te haga un cover algo haz de saber
Album #81, The Modern Lovers, The Modern Lovers, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What a great record this is. I was really happy to see it come up. I’m a huge fan of The Velvet Underground,. They completely changed my life. I’ll probably get into that more when one of their albums comes up. But it feels like Jonathan Richman and the band had their lives changed by that sound too. This is such a brilliant take on that style. It’s funny, tender, cool, geeky, and just pure rock and roll. It’s been a while since I’ve given something five stars, and I’d love to give this one five for what it represents. But I’ve never quite loved it in that way. It’s not the aesthetic, it’s simply that some of the songs don’t fully grab me. Tracks like “Astral Plane” don’t really do much for me, so I don’t think it’s flawless front to back. And, As much as I like “Roadrunner,” I actually prefer Joan Jett’s version of it. She does a great cover, if you haven’t heard it. That said, some of the songs here are incredible and I come back to them all the time. “She Cracked” is probably my favourite. I love that motorik, Velvet-style beat. That kind of rhythm genuinely changed how I hear music, and anything with that propulsion always pulls me in. “Girlfriend” is another highlight. The charm of it, even down to spelling the word wrong in the chorus, I’ve always loved that. It’s one of my favourite love songs. So yeah, it’s a great record. Not quite a personal five, but I can completely see why it would be for someone else.
Ok, it seems I’m a bit of a sucker for North East American art rock. This was really up my street and it was apparent from the off. There is a definite Velvet Underground / The Doors vibe to this which is always going to pique my interest. Like Arnie, I’ll be back.
really enjoyed this! i loved all the massachusetts references. i was specifically looking for the velvet underground influences because i know jonathan richman was obsessed with them from watching the Todd Haynes VU doc, and I definitely heard them and just generally the 60s-inspired sound, and loved how they were innovated into this 90s alt rock context. i can totally see myself returning to this album a lot. It kind of made me want to be in love with massachusetts... Fav tracks: Roadrunner; Pablo Picasso; Hospital; Girlfriend; Modern World; Government Center; Someone I Care About (Alternative Version)
pretty cool
It's a less serious, less musically talented version of The Doors. Some funny lyrics, not much else to point out!
Highly regarded proto-punk recorded in 1971 and 1972. The other songs besides the classics Roadrunner and Pablo Picasso are very good. Velvet Underground influenced (and John Cale produced). Jonathan Richman led but includes Richman, Jerry Harrison (later Talking Heads - keyboards), Ernie Brooks (bass) and David Robinson (later The Cars - drums). His voice ("all right") works with the music and lyrics. The keyboards are a big part of the sound. Love the references to Massachusetts and NYC.
One of the best finds on the list for me. Some new favorite songs!
Whack
loved it
I have listened to this album at least a thousand times and it sounds just as fresh today as it did back then. Just as wonderful now as it was the first time I heard it. So raw. So powerful. So honest. Also, If you ever have a chance to see Jonathan Richman live, DO IT! It will be the best show you see all year.
Today, I am in love with this.
i like it idc you people are haters. so 90s i like
now, Pablo Picasso actually was a bit of a bit of asshole, but i can forgive the inaccuracies when the rhythm is that thumping. the lyricism can get real good too, like on Hospital. i do think the songs that go for a more straightforward 70s garage rock sound are a bit myeh but when it gets noisy with feedback, i like that. deserves to be one of the 1001? probably
Wel tof
Top album! Een voor een leuke liedje
Good 3 listens All good Pablo Picasso
Pretty mid
This is a proto-punk album that lioks backward to Velvet Underground and foreshadows the NYC punk scene of the late 70's. It gets off to a great start with "Roadrunner" but nothing that follows comes close to that high point except maybe "Modern World." Two of the Modern Lovers, Jerry Harrison and David Robinson (of Talking Heads and the Cars, respectively) went on to bigger and better things. Richman is a godawful singer but that's part of his charm (?) I really like the outtakes, especially"Straight" and it's ode to Hippie Johnny.
Always loved the song Road Runner, great soundtrack to a nighttime drive around Boston. Other fun songs on here too like Pablo Picasso. I do get kind of bored with it though, Richman's schtick loses its charm for me and my enthusiasm for the first few songs just doesn't carry through.
The sheer amount of bad vocalising here deserves some kind of award. From the very beginning of the record, we're blessed with "Rud runnuh rud runnuh". Everything coming out of this guy's mouth is monotonous drunken nonsense. In terms of melody, delivery, enunciation (every vowel is just "uh" and I challenge you to prove otherwise). It manages to represent both the absolute worst and the absolute average of punk at the same time (because let's be honest, the "punk median" is close to the bottom of the music barrel). At least the synth in the second half is pretty good, and the instruments players manage to conjure a catchy, fun, danceable backbeat. Those factors push Roadrunner up significantly. And by track 2, I'm warming up (marginally) to the terrible singing. The fact that these songs were recorded in 1971/2 cannot be overlooked. Anticipating the punk explosion of '77 by one year is impressive. But by five years? We're talking the height of glam and classic hard rock. It's safe to say there were few artists at the time that dared to be as rough-around-the-edges as The Modern Lovers. Rough-around-the-edges just doesn't impress the listener in quite the same way, though. Pablo Picasso might make for a legendary Cubism artist, but he makes for a pretty mediocre 1-chord song by the Modern Lovers. The word "asshole" is overused here. We get it. You like talking about assholes. Girlfriend is also a weak spot here. The singing continues to be extremely poor, and the addition of piano doesn't quite make the experience worth it. We need something rougher, like a distorted guitar, to "justify" that singing. In contrast, Hospital reminds me of something the Velvet Underground might release – lots of changes in tempo and mood, keeping the listener engaged, and still managing to be pretty catchy on top of that. Many points given for that. (A bonus tack, I'm Straight, also takes clear inspiration from VU.) The bonus track Government Center is passable in isolation but once you see the resemblance with poorly-done Doors karaoke, you can't unhear it. It's listenable. A little better than a 1-star effort, yet much worse than a 5-star. (The sheer number of 5s is pretty crazy. As is the major hyping-up done by critics.) 2/5 Key tracks: Astral Plane, Hospital
Didn't love this. I have found through this process that anything too close to proto-punk or its adjacent genres really isn't up my alley. Could have done without this one honestly.
i’m pretty sure people did think Picasso was an asshole. like if The Doors were less tallented
forgettable Would I listen again: by accident Deserves to be on this list: nope 1.6
Day828 - i love the grittiness of this album. not every album has to have a shiny polish on it.
So for the most part idgaf about legacy (some few exceptions) supposedly this band was super impactful, but I dont care. Im here to listen to music not a history lesson. While that might be a slap in the face for many bands and albums, it dont care if the music before or after this album just happened to be better than this. As I listen to this album now its...... alright? This singer sounds like he performs in basement bars, loses his shirt every show, and fucks hard. The music is good, but not mind blowing to me, like some of these reviews or even the fuckin band biography makes it out to be. Mid Get with the times old man
It took me years to convince Spotify that I don't want to hear Roadrunner. If you don't like this, Television and The Stooges did the same thing but better.
Ah, I finally find out who the Modern Lovers were! I heard them called out in probably my favorite LCD track, “Losing My Edge”, along with other notables like Can who I’ve gotten to know through the Challenge. And damn, the influence on James Murphy is so obvious. He styled himself after Jonathan Richman—the droll delivery, the bored hipster, the louche urbanite dryly cataloguing his life, relationships and existential angst filtered through a benzo haze. Here are the beginnings of post-punk, of indie sleaze, of thrash dance. In short, I loved it.
i didn’t care for it
Some very cool punk grooves. Really tight for a debut album
Pretty cool, interesting vocals, nice enough.
"How to be an asshole, the album"
buen álbum, muy del estilo the doors, pero no lo escucharía mucho
(2.75) not bad!
Was't too bad and it wasn't too good. Bordering between a 4 and 2.
This album is interesting. On one hand, it sounds like an alternative release from the mid 90s, at times. However, there are parts of the vocals that seem rushed and not all the way thought out. This was probably influential to many a college radio band in the decades that followed its release. Not a bad record. 3.2/5.0
the debut album of the modern lovers, another 70s pre-new wave/alternative rock group; these guys coming from massachusetts. these guys were quick to form a band in their young and prime ages. it's another one of those early punk albums, especially a debut that are a dime-a-dozen. songs kinda blend in with each other and the singer sounds bored as hell, like he doesn't wanna be there. it has a decent enough foundation, but there's just not anything that sticks out here. at least to me. like other stuff though, this one of course paved the way for more bands to come... i dunno, i'm just giving my honest opinion.
Two songs I really liked, one I sorta liked, and the rest I thought were dreadful. Singer sounded like a cross between Shane Mcgowan and Julian Casablancas on the 3rd Strokes record... was begging for songs to end at times.
I’ve heard of the band, not sure I’ve ever listened to them. Very heavily influenced by Velvet Underground and other proto punk music. Can’t say it’s very good though. Shouldn’t be on the list and way too long.
Thoughts before listening: Jonathan Richmond led band doing poppy punk songs I believe. An often cited, influential band that I don't know a ton about. Review: So this definitely isn't what you would typically think of as punk, at least not hardcore punk. Theres a bit of the 60s Nuggets-style garage rock going on mixed with some Velvet Underground and Doors vibes. All songs are upbeat without being overly fast and there is an organ adding a bit of a psychedelic feel to the instrumentals. There is a bit of a talk-sing style to the vocals that is reminding me quite a bit of Lou Reed. All in all I rather enjoy this, and will give it 4-stars.
Damn so cool. What a vibe. The lyrics and the lyric tone exude day-to-day hip with a gloss of punk, garage rock, DIY, spoken-word, and the kitchen sink. Mostly new to me--I'd always assumed the band behind that name was synthy britpop schmaltz--now I am hearing everything I love, like Pavement (yes!), Television, Teenage Fanclub,Talking Heads, even The Pretenders. Wow. Yeah I know it gets a little weaker toward the end, but there are still some gems there, pulling my 4.5 up.
Don’t know why but it suited my hazy, crazy, esoteric mood.
This was pretty cool, and maybe better than a 3 (I listened a while ago and failed to post my review). As an avowed Repo Man fan, "Pablo Picasso" always ranked high in my book, and Bowie does a cool cover of the tune, and the "radio on!" earworm appears in another song and it's driving me crazy that I can't figure out where I know it — it's not from this version of this song... that I know.
Yeah, these guys are fun and all, but it's hard for me to get past the "It's fun. For a bit," stage. But I like Ritchman's surrealist fantasies.
Enjoyable enough
Erg leuke verrassing, nog nooit van gehoord, maar deze gaat vaker op.
Dit is gewoon The Velvet Underground met wat orgel. Klink prima verder, maar ik heb alles al eens ergens anders gehoord.
4/5. My introduction to the Modern Lovers was through the song “Losing my Edge” by LCD Soundsystem where they get name-dropped. And they sit in a similar spot to artists like the Velvet Underground or Patti Smith where their music was very predictive of the punk music that would rise later in the decade. And you can sense that all over this self titled album from the energy in the playing to the loose sing-speak vocals. very much enjoyed my time with this one. My favorite song would probably be “Pablo Picasso.”
Peak
war gut. habs aber schon wieder vergessen.
Noch nie gehört - Original Release 34 Minuten bis inklusive "Modern World" fand ich rschdsch geil Bin grundsätzlich kein Fan von extended re-releases - darunter leiden die alben fast immer...
jonathan richmans best work and i say that hatingly
I wanted to like this so bad, but unfortunately, it missed the mark.
little bit boring