Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Hört Jonathan Richman förut men inte det här bandet som tydligen var hans debut!
Jävligt imponerande sound för sin tid, vill gärna ge högre betyg men helheten var inte mer än stabil!
Blir inte mer 3/5 än såhär.
This post-punk band I have heard before but fall into that "oh, that was them?" blanket. I like them and that feels careless, but I am into post-punk music in general so I listen to a lot of it. Nevertheless I am glad to put a name to the music and I was happy with the album overall. I try not to look up the band before I write a review for bias purposes, but I wanted to know why I had not really known them, being a fan of the genre. Turns out they only lasted a couple of years and were released even after they broke up, so it is to do with the lack of exposure overall I would think. Anyhow, they are fun enough to listen to and if you like the genre, they will not disappoint.
Roadrunners a great track. Pablo Piccasso is not. I like the Velvet Underground so ergo I should like Modern Lovers as they are so derivative (even being produced by John Cale) yet for some reason they don't quite connect.
Punk is just so uninteresting to me
The comparison to the Velvet Underground is obvious and not quite on the same level. Pretty raw lyrically. 3/5 Might listen again
i liked this!
Hmmm. It goes up to 3 stars for BU reference and my husband is an alum. Otherwise performative males with mediocre instrumentals, odd accents and annoying lyrics
A shitty version of The Doors. But with The Doors being awesome that’s less of an insult than you’d think
Not my cup of tea. 2.5
This was OK, but nothing special.
Better than expected for a band I did not know. However, not being placed on my play list.
Takie 3/5. Ogółem dobre, ale ze dwa utwory które wywołały niezrozumiałą irytację. Wydaje się, że pixies się mogli na tym wzorować.
Definitely the beginnings of garage rock. Overall the album was meh. Couple of songs were fun
Did not enjoy. Actually couldn't finish it. Life's too short.
eh
Haha! Honestly in my ear, the vocals sound like a pantomime of an American English speaker, so it's hard to take this too seriously. Still, I really liked it. Teetering on four stars, but it wasn't quite something I'd get excited to hear.
A good punky garage rock record. Interesting songwriting, Roadrunner is a banger for sure.
Not as bad as some reviews make out, but nothing great either unfortunately. The only stand out song is ‘Roadrunner’, the rest all sound the same. A classic middle of the road 2.5 album.
the debut album of modern lovers that stripped out the glitz and glam of rock n roll and established the proto punk sound by stripping down rock to driving guitar and awkward angsty teenage confessions, this album was instrumental in forming the modern rock sound we think of today.
Interesting classic rock with a little bit of a punk influence. It suffers a bit from the "trailblazer problem", i.e. that while it might have been really influential back in the day, it sounds a bit "bland" (not the right word, but I can't think of a better one) all those decades later because everything introduced and innovated by that album has been done a thousand times since, sometimes better. But that's not the album's fault at all, which remains a nice listen. It's just not as "gripping" as it maybe used to be back in the day.
The Modern Lovers is one of those albums where its a good listen but it is a case of "What do you expect me to say about it?". It really is your typical 70s punk rock album if i have ever seen one as it has all the quirks that an album like that would have. This band does have a pretty interesting history though seeing as this album came out two years after the band broke up. I do find that fact pretty interesting seeing as not a lot of bands do this very often. There is also the fact that it is their first album meaning that nothing ever got released when this band was together. I may be touching on this a bit too much but i find this more interesting than the actual album. Best Song: Pablo Picasso Worst Song: Roadrunner
Eh whatever?
I was not familiar with the album or the band. Gave it a listen without looking up any info about it first. I immediately thought it sounded too much like a Velvet Underground knockoff with a little Doors thrown in here and there. After listening I looked them up. I was familiar with Jonathan Richman by name but not not by music. And yes indeed, it did say the album was produced by John Cale of the Velvet Underground and that Richman was viewed as a Lou Reed successor of sorts. It was okay. I didn't love it. Maybe if I'd heard it back in the day I would appreciate it more.
Um disco interessante, especialmente se considerarmos que soa bastante diferenciado ao que era feito na época de sua gravação, na primeira metade dos anos 1970.
Some cool instrumentation. Mostly on the beginning of the album though. The singer is a bit low energy.
I'm sure this will be another generally despised album in a string of rough ones for the group but I actually kinda liked it, having heard of Jonathan Richman as an artist before but never this band per se, and was my first listen to this album. I can hear how you can draw a line right from the Velvet Underground through these guys to eventually what punk would become, and enjoyed the relatively lo-fi and straightforward nature of the songwriting and vocal delivery. Roadrunner is a super fun song and I like the self-deprecating and sort of downer lyrics on some of the other tracks. May not get a ton of repeat spins as an album but I can totally see why this was influential and found it a pretty fun listen.
mjeh. jag säger mjeh. gött och kort men det känns lite tunt.
Casually listened to this in the car, didn’t love it and was ready to give it a 2 but Greyson called me out for not finishing it. I said “there’s nothing I could hear that would change my rating.” Then the next day I started it over again and gave it a solid headphone listening, so now I’m rating it a 3. Maybe the singer’s bad voice is better appreciated with headphones versus a casual background soundtrack.
Solid music, Jonathan Richman's voice has never appealed to me. ;)
6/10
Not bad but only 3-4 songs I really like
I heard you have a compilation of every good song ever done by anybody. Every great song by the Beach Boys. All the underground hits. All the Modern Lovers tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Niagara record on German import. I heard that you have a white label of every seminal Detroit techno hit - 1985, '86, '87. I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '70s. Genuinely, went into this with high expectations because of James Murphy, and was rewarded with an album that is fine to moderately good.
drei (plus)
Had a Stooges sort of vibe without being at all the Stooges. This is an interesting find of a band I’d never heard of. Not my favorite, but there were enough good parts to keep me me listening.
this feels like what television would sound like if they were more mainstream, i liked it, some good guitar work and vocals and good energy, good album
The singing is a little annoying. Kinda sounds like if a donkey could sing with the intonation. The songs are repetitive and lowkey hard to tell the difference between sometimes. Had to ask myself if I had just listened to the song that played after. All that being said, the songs themselves are pretty good.
Favorite Track: Astral Plane
Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole. I want to rate this a 4 just for that song, but it’s a solid 3 for me. I feel like this makes for a good companion album to the Violent Femmes debut album. It has similar themes but from a person with a different perspective, more hopeless romantic than bitter. It’s a good album but not one I put on ever, save for Pablo Picasso and a couple other songs.
El primer tema es temón y punchh. Old world me da un poco vibes a lou reed. Esq es muy velvet underground me mola. Hospital al principio he dicho meh pero luego cuando medio rompe con la batería muy guay, diferente, pero extrañamente familiar creo que ya la habia escuchado antes. Siento que la producción tiene mazo dimensión, es decir es como si estuviera en la habitación donde grabaron sobre todo en hospital , ¿tiene sentido? Aunque aveces demasiado casera
Good
3 Stars (8/15)
Hittar inga större fel på denna platta.
неплохо.
OK, reasonable punk album
People call this album really influential but it doesn’t do it for me
Not too bad. Some songs are a little slow.
I really liked this album. I think that the sameness of subject matter and the singer's voice make it fade a little towards the back half of the album. The organ and pace of some of the songs make it sound somewhat like the Doors (who I don't always like) but it is done in a different way. I will listen again.
GREAT instrumentation and variety, the energy is great, and although it often has some rambling and slightly off-key vocals, it somehow kinda works. Good! Standouts: Pablo Picasso • She Cracked • Modern World
Pretty good! I love the instrumentation here. The violins and organ are so lush in contrast to the vocals. The singing and lyrics did not do anything for me and this will not be entering my rotation, but I appreciate the production and variety.
This is an interesting album. While it wasn’t one of my favorites, I could see so many influences. They reminded me a little of the Bleachers and Jack Antonoff. Bumped them up a star for that.
Not for me. Too rough
Highlight: She Cracked Garage-ey feel on the recording, especially the vocals. Doesn't sound too produced, gives it an edge. I admire the more unique tracks more than the straightforward rock n roll.
I kind of liked this one. The vocals are a bit unconventional in sound and style so I think it might take a few listens for it to settle in but I enjoyed it.
Pre-listen notes: I never really spent any time with Jonathan Richman. I know that he’s something of a cult hero, but my only real experience with him was through There’s Something About Mary and a Nerf Herder song about him (“please, God, don’t let me end up like Jonathan Richman…”. I never really understood the reference, though I do love Nerf Herder). So, I’m kind of happy to take the time here. Listening notes: This record reminds me of a Doors-y Velvet Underground. I’ve never been a big fan of either of those bands (though I like a few songs here and there of both). So, this record is probably falling a little flat for me. But it’s not without its merits. I appreciate the groove some of these songs settle into. More importantly, this record gives me a greater appreciation for that aforementioned Nerf Herder song, "Jonathan Richman." I always liked the song pretty good, but I did not understand the lyrics at all, and I guess I could never be bothered to look up the references. Well, they're all here in this record, and that song makes a ton more sense now. And it's actually pretty funny. Parry Gripp is a treasure, and I wish one of his records would crop up in 1001, but I kind of doubt the world sees it that way. Destiny's Child? Sure, the discriminating listener definitely needs to hear that played-out, busted piece of shit. Nerf Herder? Too silly to be taken seriously, I'm sure... Anyway, I probably don’t have loads to say about Modern Lovers. It’s listenable, but I’ll probably never come back and revisit it. It’s probably the definition of a 3/5. There’s nothing really offensive about it, and it’s sort of enjoyable, but not enjoyable enough to invest real time with. I’m not sure why it’s in this list, honestly. But it’s definitely not the worst thing that’s been selected. 3.0/5
Hospital is a great tune
I think if I were in 1976 with only the music available to me in 1976, I'd have liked this a lot more. But with 50 years' worth of available alternatives, I'm afraid it hasn't aged well enough to be competitive with all of the artists it undoubtably influenced. That said, it's very impressive that this was recorded in 1971/1972, and that undeniably gives them proto-punk street cred. That's not to say, however, that they were completely original ('Old World' was clearly inspired by 'L.A. Woman', for example), but if other, more well-known artists deemed this album worthy of a cover or two, that shouldn't be discounted. Hmmm... rating this one is tough. I gave it two playthroughs, but nothing really grabbed me (except 'Hospital' - that was a keeper). But I also can't deny that this feels like a pretty important precursor to music I really do enjoy. So, I guess a 3 it is.
I kept thinking I was going to get bored as I was listening to this. I was surprised when I didn’t. It’s not something I will be jumping back into for a second round, but it did exceed my expectations.
He escuchado todo el álbum y aunque está guay no hay ninguna canción que me llegue a atrapar para guardarla en la lista de reproducción personal, es una pena que las canciones se me hagan tan largas aunque duran poco. La parte instrumental es lo que mas me gusta y lo más memorable para mí. Le daría un 5/10
3/5
Cool, classic rocknroll shit. Favorite song is "Hospital"
Random thoughts: * surprised to learn this is Jonathan Richman. I became aware of Jonathan Richman and his album I, Jonathan a few years ago. I thought maybe it was through 1001 but I can’t find him there. That album has a great track called “I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar” * this music of The Modern Lovers felt familiar and unique at the same time. Weird to feel that way. * I enjoyed this one a lot and can see why it is included in 1001. * this music was clearly way ahead of its time. Still sounds fresh today. * I’ll come back a revisit this one.
POSTPUNK BABY... but as post punk I thought it was kinda middling
A fun and creative debut
I read that this guy involved with / influenced by the Velvet Underground .. not typically my genre but I did genuinely like some of this more than VU (who I think in general are a bit overrated). I liked this more on second listen.
I dunno, man, it's fun but would this noncommital rambling be as popular if Massholes didn't de facto support everything MA?
This was enjoyable. Sounds kind of like The Cure and something British I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe also a little The Smiths.
One of those records that I’ve heard of, but never heard. It was a good listen.
I have a soft spot for "angsty guy in a garage upset about a girl or the absence of any at all" music. Some of the songs on this album scratched that itch, others were the kind of defiant 70s dirtbag music (a genre that I have now learned is called proto-punk) I haven't been a huge fan of in the project. Bucking the system by writing the most simplistic songs possible with radically inane lyrics, doesn't resonate with me. I did like those sadboy songs though, so who am I to judge?
I have mixed feelings about albums that feel closer to slam poetry than music. The lyrics were engaging, requiring that I come back and listen at least one more time. And at first, I really liked the driving rock beats of most of the songs, but eventually the music sort of disappeared because it was so mundane, unnecessary even. It became little more than spoken word poetry after a while...
Proto-emo masshole jams.
In this Modern World, sometimes you need a Roadrunner to show you the way from the Old World.
3.0/5.0: Good
pretty bland, but not bad
Is it my kind of my music? - Yes! Definitely. Did I listened to it entirely? - Of course, no problem at all. Would I listen to it one more time? - Yeah, I could totally. Not sure when, but it could happen. Not sure if it will. ______________________________________ So, I liked it! I won't say it's one of those life changing album either, but I had a great time listening to it. It was pleasant, and I did not skip any songs. I was doing something else and wasn't begging the album to end which is a good start I guess. Maybe I should add I did... not listened to the expanded version, only the original (I don't think I know this band enough to listen to the expanded version). It was nice but I don't have much to say either because this is not... well... surprising? They used a formula that works and it fits it so yeah but there are not a lot of risks? Maybe I should listen again, just in case.
This might have been good if it wasn’t for the vocals and lyrics
Part of me feels this was shit but I really enjoyed it. Having just come back from New England all the Boston & Mass references put a smile on my face.
Gets a bit samey through it, but I can see the appeal. There’s albums like car seat headrest stuff that is clearly inspired by it. Good songwriting but not my cup of tea vocals
***an ok album, easy listening
I like this more than I let on, it feels a little Strokes-y
Pretty fun listen, never heard of The Modern Lovers. Kinda sounded like if the Doors and the Strokes had a lovechild. 6/10
Should rock album
Not very interesting, but no strong dislike either
Pretty solid overall, I enjoyed it.
Started great but didn’t really keep me at it
Has mid-60s rock vibes, but also early punk. Didn't love it; didn't hate it; liked it more than I thought I would.
01) Roadrunner - 7,0 02) Astral Plane - 6,0 03) Old World - 6,5 04) Pablo Picasso - 6,5 05) She Cracked - 6,5 06) Hospital - 6,5 07) Someone I Care About - 6,0 08) Girl Friend - 6,0 09) Modern World - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,33 (63/100) Current ranking: 377/509
This was an interesting listen- I felt that I could sonically hear it travel from the 60's to the 70's track by track. "Astral plane" had a sort of Doors influence in the keyboards, but I could hear the proto-punk as it got to "she cracked" and "someone to care about" and sounded like Velvet Underground influence. Among mentions of so many sound influences, I wish the album sounded more like it's *own thing* and less an amalgamation of other things.
It’s ok, in its way.
Positiv overraskelse, jeg kunne godt lide det
Pretty upbeat and I enjoyed the songs.
Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole
Das 1976 veröffentlichte Album "The Modern Lovers" der gleichnamigen US-amerikanischen Band gilt als einflussreiches Werk des Proto-Punk und Garage Rock. Die Aufnahmen entstanden bereits zwischen 1971 und 1973 in Studios wie Intermedia Sound in Boston und A&M Studios in Los Angeles. Die Band bestand aus Jonathan Richman (Gesang, Gitarre), Jerry Harrison (Keyboard), Ernie Brooks (Bass) und David Robinson (Schlagzeug). Ihre Musik ist geprägt von minimalistischen Arrangements und direkten Texten. Herausragende Stücke des Albums sind "Roadrunner", "Pablo Picasso" und "Hospital". "Roadrunner" wurde später von den Sex Pistols gecovert und gilt als Klassiker des Genres. Insgesamt stellt "The Modern Lovers" ein bedeutendes Album dar, das den Weg für spätere Punk- und New-Wave-Bewegungen ebnete. Es verbindet rohe Energie mit introspektiven Texten und bleibt ein Meilenstein der Rockgeschichte.
Joaa, ganz nett
Great album to illustrate the evolution of music styles; you can hear the vaguely Punk Rock style turn toward a more Alternative-y version of itself. Sometimes there are hints of it being even more ahead of its time. But also many of the songs don't work for me, so from my subjective perspective it gets 3 stars.
Well, some people try to pick up girls And get called assholes This never happened to Pablo Picasso He could walk down your street And girls could not resist his stare and so Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole I can really get behind this message. You don't have to be good looking, you just have to be an artist. And, that can be cultivated. Artists have to have confidence.
Pretty good, reminds me of television but not as interesting guitar playing
Pretty mid
I've always like Jonathan Richmans voice and he's obviously a talented storyteller and songwriter. I mean I can just picture Picasso cruising around in his El Dorado and all the girls swooning over his hard stare and never callling him an asshole. The guy must have been on something really strong! Or maybe he just wanted someone who rhymed with asshole. Fidel Castro got lucky. 3½ for me. Though some of the songs failed to hit the mark so downgraded to 3.
My first thought was how a band could open an album with a cover song. Then I learned they recorded the album long before the 1979 release, and it was the pistols covering them.
5/10
Solid album Standout songs: Roadrunner Pablo Picasso
Tempted to give this a 5 to balance out the 1 star reviews. If you gave this a 1, you haven’t listened to enough on this list.
Liked the one Bowie covered, Pablo Picasso, though his version is far superior.
These songs were fine but forgettable. Totally average for what I imagine the era would get you, which makes sense if it’s true this sat unreleased for several years. 2.5/5
.-.
Fun little rocker. Kept me interested through out
The main vocalist has a very distinctive voice which I think could be divisive but I found it was enjoyable. I was surprised at how modern it sounded for an album from 1972. Some songs sounded like Pulp, which I enjoyed.
naja, nicht wirklich. dann aber via Roadrunner und das (miserable!) cover der Sex Pistols doch noch irgendwie verstanden, weshalb das album für die rockgeschichte wichtig ist. und vielleicht besser als beim ersten durchhören.
Maybe a 4, trying to review things retroactively
what's good is good, what's bad is bad, sorry paz.
Another introduction to me. Sounds like a worse copy of "The Doors". I prefer the David Bowie version of "Pablo Picasso" but having the original version here plus a few more o.k. tracks ("She Cracked", "Modern World", "Dignified An Old") sums up to a weak three stars vote. 2,5
Buen disco, admiradores de la Velvet
As the book blurb says - very Lou Reed inspired. It was Just ok.
Very average, but average is not bad
Some mid 70s rock that delivers about what you'd expect it to. It's good, probably somebody's favorite, but just ok to me.
Decent grooves but gets a bit tedious with Jonathan's singing. I liked Dignified as a stand out. 2.5/3
The singing was not the best part of the album. The music was all right, but the talking/singing was not something I am a fan of, but I know it's appealing to some. It is great music for just chilling with a 70s vibe.
This band and album was completely new to me. Proto-punk apparently. Reminded me a little of Sex Bob-Omb (Scott Pilgrim). A raw, juvenile US garage band. It was ok, but won’t be added to my favourites list.
Really enjoyed the first few songs but it just went on a bit too long. However I have had roadrunner roadrunnaaAAA stuck in my head for a day so well done.
Neat and fun but also kinda annoying to me
this was pretty fun but also a bit boring i thought at points ... but i had a good time
Jonathan Richman is a love or hate kind of guy. I tend to enjoy his goofier, less self serious songs. This record is a bit more traditional when it comes to the songwriting. It’s not a bad listen per se - but not my first choice of Richman albums.
Kojarzyć się może z The Doors albo The Strokes. Wokal momentami jakby niezbyt trzeźwy i czysty. Do przesłuchania i zapomnienia, ale uszy nie krwawią. Mocne 6/10, jedną nogą ponad przeciętnością.
I have a soft spot for things that are somewhat proto-punk like this. The singing is done pretty bland and uninteresting, but it fits the aesthetic pretty well. The relatively simple riffs and playing is done really well and I find the songs to be very engaging, even if the things that are sung about don't always make sense.
Started out pretty cool, but at some point it started to drone on too long. RIP Anthony Bourdain tho. 3/5 Highlights: Roadrunner Astral Plane
Remarkably British sounding album from a non-British band.
I've heard this before. Among the various "lead singers who can't sing" I put Jonathan Richman near the top. But this album is a bit inconsistent. I think the Modern Lovers come into their own a little later on. But this is the only album from the "classic" Modern Lovers lineup, and it turns out to have been pretty influential. I can only give it 3 stars...just too inconsistent to rank higher. Soft 3 stars.
The doors dupe
I didnt know that Jonathan Richmand was the front man. Sounds like a bored velvet underground though
Half the time I can’t tell if they’re being intentionally simplistic or just tired.
This was fine. It sounded very raw. It reminded me a little bit of The Ramones, and a LOT of the Strokes. Or I guess I should say now that The Strokes sound like these guys.
Felt like I'm in the studio with my friend's high school band
Vocals are off putting but grew on me, they were kinda cooking near the end of the album Still pretty good though
Middle of the road. Sounds like a mash-up of several 60s bands. Nothing special to see here, folks.
I wanted to like this album more than I did. That's probably because I've got some friends who speak highly of Jonathan Richman, but I get the feeling I just like his later stuff better. This album feels like a promising starting point, not a blast out of the gate. The suburban take on Velvet Underground was hit-or-miss for me. I think the faster ones worked better for me - Roadrunner and Astral Plane will get into my rotation. The slower ones often felt a little unfocused, slipping past dispassionate right into low energy. Unfortunately I found songs like Pablo Picasso, Someone To Care About, and I'm Straight downright creepy, and not in a good way. Turns out I'm less scared by Lou Reed singing about heroin than a suburban boy trying to be Lou Reed singing about how hard it is being a Nice Guy. These didn't sound like songs about people, they sounded like songs about somebody who wants roles filled in his life. I had trouble shaking the feeling that this album sells a lot of fedoras. Maybe I should take a cue from "Girlfriend", which I think lets us in on the joke a little. You can't make your refrain "G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N" and not have a sense of humor about your Heavy Deep and Real feelings. TL;DR: liked the garage rock, miss me with the art rock.
The Modern Doors, amirite?
I've heard this before. Among the various "lead singers who can't sing" I put Jonathan Richman near the top. But this album is a bit inconsistent. I think the Modern Lovers come into their own a little later on. But this is the only album from the "classic" Modern Lovers lineup, and it turns out to have been pretty influential. I can only give it 3 stars...just too inconsistent to rank higher. Soft 3 stars.
Not too bad.
3.0 2x
Cake’s weird stepbrother. Roadrunner rules.
Big velvet underground vibes on this album, which isn’t a bad thing. Good album can see how it influenced a lot of the punk music that would quickly follow, worthy of this list, will I come back to it, I’m not so sure.
Firmly in the 'warrants further exploration' bracket. Deos lots of interesting things ... possibly some droney boring things too. Lots of influences. Sounds like the Fall, or even something like Parquet Courts. Intriguing.
A good proto-punk album. Shame the band lost a few members (to The Cars and Talking Heads) and could never quite match this effort again.
Listened to the original release first, found it quite good. Thinking "yo, I should check out the bonus tracks then" I listen to Government Center and it's one of the worst songs ever songed Hospital is very nice tho
hudba, ze které jdou cítit drogy. Nic revolučního, ale fajn.
The singer has a unique singing style amd voice. It makes for an interesting listen
My guess is these dudes hung out with Morrison, Bowie...Lou Reed? First listen, and I dig it. Sort of like spoken word.
Decent but unspectacular.
The music was not bad, but I wasn't a fan of the singing. Too moody or something.
Catchy, but it didn’t really stick with me. The highlights were really good but the rest of the album was not very memorable. Highlights: Old World, Pablo Picasso, I’m Straight
3.5
Good
Quirky. “Pablo Picasso” was hilarious. I became aware of this song by David Bowie covering it on his 2003 album REALITY.
Didn’t get much of it listened to but I can hear some things I Ike. Can hear some other bands possibly taking influence from this group
Could tell right away that this was influenced by The Velvet Underground. It's a fine listen. Did not like the Pablo Picasso song. Some of the other song lyrics aren't great. Like 1960s rock creeping towards punk.
Eh
Kinda boring
Roadrunner is the dumbest rock 'n' roll start to an album. I like dumb rock 'n' roll. Elsewhere and the energy can't be matched. The album has its moments. Someone I Care About has a great buzz about it. The Strokes are clearly fans.
groundwork foundation of what would become 80s styled 'laid-back' rock. pretty cool
I've been familiar with the song Roadrunner forever, but I've never actually listened to anything else by the Modern Lovers. There's a cool energy they capture in that opening track that the rest of the album doesn't quite ever rise to again. It made for a decent listen though, and I'd probably put this on again occasionally.
Started strong, dipped in the middle, but then I liked it again by the end. Interesting history too. 3.49/5
If you told me this was a loving parody of this kind of album, made by the Hippos in the late 90s, I'd have never questioned it. Still, there are a couple songs on here that I like unironically.
The Modern Lovers huh? Never heard of them. Reminds me of The Doors. It was okay it definitely had that 60s sounds but mixed in with some newer sounding sounds. I'll give it 3 stars
Early punk that sounds like it’s got some Cali surf influence to it. I liked it. It was goofy but good. Probably a fun band to see live. The singer sounds drunk and the drummer can really play. Otherwise it was pretty straightforward.
Local band. Another group that was heavily influenced by Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. I did enjoy it but I prefer the VU
Much of this sounds, as so many bands do, like a descendant of Lou Reed. So I grew up in Boston where Roadrunner was a bit of an FM (WBCN) anthem. I never listened to the whole album but its quite astounding considering it was produced in 1972 and at the forefront of the Punk movement. While it mostly has the sound and crude vocals and sparse production of Punk, the themes seem anti-Punk in their lack of raw emotion, love of parents, wanting of girlfriend and someone to care for, being straight, and generally loving life. In the end it has some value, especially considering its context, and there are good songs. But it does get tiresome, particularly the vocals.
Seeing a lot of bad reviews for this but I’m enjoying it. It’s a little quirky, obviously in the vein of Velvet Underground and Talking Heads. Not as sophisticated or intricate, but worth a listen.
Best cool, maar pakt me ook niet echt. Paar lekkere nummers.
Alright, but the tunes can get a bit repetitive and lacking in some creativity
Can't believe I never heard this before. Will need to give it another listen. Pretty solid overall.
While nothing really grabbed me, it has some important historical value as a listen and definite influential in context to other groups that came after The Modern Lovers.
++: Old World, Pablo Picasso, She Cracked, Hospital, Modern World +: Road Runner, Astral Plane, Someone I Care About -: Grirlfriend 7,9/10
I’ve listened to this album 3 or 4 times over the past 15 or so years trying to get it. I see it on “best of” lists all the time and it’s constantly praised as this phenomenal rock album. I don’t get it. It just sounds like a band who really wanted to make a Velvet Underground album but forgot to add all the weirdness and experimentation that makes VU so unique. They can all play their instruments well enough and my wife was bobbing her head to it so that’s worth a couple stars I guess
A solid punk album with some pretty cringe lyrics, though some of the slower songs like Hospital provided an eeriness that gave a nice balance and made it a bit less predictable
I need a G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N
whatever
July 4, 2024 HL: "Hospital", "Roadrunner", "Someone I Care About", "Dignified & Old" (bonus) I like the organ, thanks Jerry Context is important; if this was recorded when it was released (1976), it feels like awkward trend-chasing. Knowing that it was actually recorded as early as 1971 makes it surprisingly Modern! Despite its similarities to 90s alternative & its likeability, if we're talking about marble-mouthed proto-punk music, it has stiff competition in this list. Like, if I had a choice between The Modern Lovers, vs Lou Reed, or Iggy Pop, or New York Dolls, or Television...
An era in a bottle.
It's kinda fun.
Surprisingly enjoyable. Echoes of the Doors, Roxy Music etc
Eh, not really anything that special. Not really any songs I like in particular. It wasn’t terrible though.
It was fine. The vocals were a little weird, and some of the songs a bit chaotic. But it was fine.
could i write poetry to this? n
While it's an interesting and influential album, I'm giving it three stars because Jonathan Richman's voice and talk-singing style gets on my nerves after a while. Add a half-star because I didn't know that The Talking Heads' Jerry Harrison was also in The Modern Lovers.
If the songs were all less than 3 minutes I'd give it a five. There's a lot to like about this album, but the songs get repetitive and repetitive.
Solid.
Decently enjoyable
Blind album and artist. Another not so spectacular album that did not pique my interest, but glad I try new things. Cant say I didnt!
I'm a bit of a sucker for Jonathan's 'aw shucks just turned up here at the studio from the middle of nowhere with a guitar after two days on a Greyhound bus vibe' tied to a sunnier version of the VU groove. This is pretty good summary of his style, not for everyone.
Whimsical and laid back at the same time, but when I listened to the lyrics it was kinda silly. Still okay in the background.
Not bad
Ok
As it started, I thought that I would be able to enjoy the album. Then it just started to get really really boring to me. It kind of made me think of a band from my college days...but then when I took a quick listen to some tracks from that college band, it actually sounded nothing like them. I am not sure why they came to mind.
Okay.
Mark VB type beat
I don’t really know where to begin…? This was a unique experience for sure. The songs are sometimes about something and sometimes about…nothing (Picasso wasn’t ever called an asshole, apparently). The singer sounded like a precursor to mumble rap. The instrumentals were generally great. I really liked a few of the songs but on the whole this was just ok. Probably pretty great if you’re into mid-70’s proto-punk or new wave. There’s definitely some Talking Heads in here (though they wouldn’t debut fully until the following year), and even some Doors (mainly the keyboard playing/riffs). The lead singer was probably also the inspiration for the Hold Steady’s lead singer, if I had to guess. Also the song about how a woman was probably “magical as a little girl” or whatever was weird and I didn’t want it. I get that they’re the “Modern” “Lovers” but this and a couple other songs just didn’t age well. Oh and the misspelling of “girlfriend” in the lyrics was probably supposed to be funny but it…wasn’t…? Or it was the first time? Overall this was good. Another three star album to throw onto the pile. Standout tracks: Roadrunner, Astral Plane, She Cackled, Someone I Care About
Some good stuff in here, even some flashes of brilliance, but like most Jonathan Richman the songs are all too long and repetitive. Excellent production but I was antsy by the end. Low 3.
"Girlfriend" was great. It honestly felt like a mix of Television and Bruce Springsteen which was alot of fun. Otherwise the album was fine.
It was alright. I liked the start, but it got kind of slow and lackluster in the middle.
The Modern Lovers is like 2 albums in one. At times it’s very Stooges, indie punk and I like that and at times they sound like a bad Doors cover band. When they are good it sounds quite modern. 5.9/10
slightly whiny, monotone voice. Repetitive rhythms. Some nice shreddy moments. Not bad for punk.
The singer had a very strange cadence which was kind of throwing me off all album. But this wasn't terrible for a punk album. Low 3
Насколько легко меня подкупить на синты doors? Да Но в остальном вокал мне не сильно зашел да и музыка не развивает идею дверей, а больше похоже на копирование Алкоальбом: паленный виски
Какие-то велветы, только всратые... или не всратые. Хз, чёт я не выкупил до конца видимо, как-то нудненько. Почитал про роль перехода от глэма к панку через минимализм... звучит, как оправдание какое-то. I'm Straight, чё сказать. Ну кст есть ещё классная почти блюзовая My Girlfriend. Но так что-то плохо отложилось.
Not great but not bad, my favorites were “Roadrunner” and “Modern World.”
It started off very promising. Ultimately it’s a little too much of the same thing when you listen to the whole album. At its best it does remind me of the velvet underground a bit.
57/100 Some good, some bad, some made me think of OkkRiv
A weird little album. The singer isn't very good but I still find him kinda charming, and the songs range from banal and empty to refreshingly direct. I do think there's a good pop rock band here but they only sometimes manage to emerge. Best song: Astral Plane
If The Doors were proto-punk vampires. 3.5
Sounded just like Velvet Underground. Not a bad thing but just not as original as it's made out to be..
Generally a bit forgettable although also feels forward thinking. Probs would sit with some early 90s stuff to be honest. 2.7
2.5
I was surprised by the recognition of the opening track as I went in blind. A good pop song and rest of the album seemed fun but dated. A 3.5 if there was half marks.
It’s like The Doors and The Velvet Underground made a baby. Most songs sound earlier than 1976. I like it. 3.2
I'm absolutely baffled by the deluge of upvoted 1 star reviews here. This is pretty nice you know. It's got a good energy to much of it and has some nice bopping tunes. Some of the songs are a bit droney and repetitive and those I like less.
Good album. Meanders a lot but quite interesting. Unlikely to listen again
Hadn’t heard of these guys before. Sounds like they have influenced a lot of stuff later on. Not really something I’ll revisit but decent enough.
Some of this is good. But this lead singer does NOT have the pipes to carry a ballad. “Hospital” and “Girl Friend” are both huge momentum killers, and the album would have been so much better if they had both been left off it entirely. And I’m pretty sure it’s well-documented that Pablo Picasso was, in fact, an asshole.
Slightly refreshing actually. Instead of macho postering which was very common in the 70s, we get some vulnerability and angst. Yet it still maintains some abrasiveness. It isn't perfect by any stretch but it's decent.
Spiritual successors to The Doors and Velvet Underground, Spiritual predecessors of Punk and New York Art Rock. I'm sure many people love this band, and fair play to them. To me it sounds like a decent college band. In parts it almost sounds like a parody of the style it helped spawn. They are in the old world. Goodbye old world, here comes the new world. We have iphones now and Netflix, not sure we need Blockbuster video. It was great at the time, but now life is easier, perhaps blander, but being lazy is a valid way of coping.
I'm SO tired of 70s albums, so I had very, very low expectations of this album. I had a bad attitude during the first song, so it was headed for a very low rating. But once I settled in, the album is actually quite good! It sounds less like 70s rock to me, and more like early 2000s the the vein of The Strokes, The Killers, etc. It's not earth shattering, but it's a unique sound for the 70s. Comfortable 3 stars
Liked the Lou Reed vibe. Might listen again.
All new to me but enjoyed it
6.5/10
Lively. Nothing special
I find it very comedic that seminal albums in the proto-punk, punk, and post-punk genres all came out within the same year, as it really shows how loose those titles are. This album, in particular, doesn't feel especially punk-ish, save for its indifferent vocal delivery and some more strange guitar solos. If anything, its just a 70s take on rock 'n' roll with more angst-ridden lyrics, but it can still feel pretty stereotypical. The coolest thing to come out of this band, in my opinion, is the members that went on to be in bigger projects like Talking Heads and the Cars, as you can hear it a little here, and its neat enough as is, but when you start to forget the influences and changes, you start to suspect that perhaps the world of punk would have continued without this album, as its more of a Velvet Underground re-hash at its most out there, and while it certainly had its sway on the music world, as I mentioned it was already competing with punk and post-punk acts at the time of its release. Its more of a cool story tied into an alright album, with a good track or two to keep it in the limelight. Certainly not bad, but outclassed by everyone around them, and its hard to see it another way, personally.
Antecedente del punk, el álbum homónimo de The Modern Lovers concentra la angustia juvenil en su rock & roll sin artificios mezclado con art-rock inspirado en la Velvet Underground. No en vano su origen son las maquetas que el grupo grabó con John Cale tres años antes. Destaca el primer tema del disco, el clásico "Roadrunner". Y me gustan "Old World", "Modern World", "She Cracked" y la emotiva "Someone I Care About". También el sarcasmo de "Pablo Picasso", donde la letra dice algo así como "A Pablo Picasso nunca le llamaron gilipollas... no como a ti".
This album feels pretty damn ahead of it's time, by that I mean the singer is mostly bad. But I gotta say it's sometimes a vibe. A lot of these don't land but then they bring out a cool Doors-style solo and win me back. It's a love hate relationship. The lyrics can be funny and real too. I love the idea of it but it's not the most enjoyable music at times lmao.
Doors ish
decent record!
Not bad
Some of the songs are a little annoying but overall not a bad listen
It was fine, if it came on the radio I would keep it on and sing along. But nothing revolutionary or different. Maybe they one of the first but felt very much like other music of that time.
I mean, I might call Pablo Picasso an asshole if he was being an asshole. But I get the point, lol. This album is fun, I enjoyed the lyrics. Nothing was particularly moving or catchy, but it was likable nonetheless.
was disappointed "She Cracked" wasn't about Fortnite
Fun music, like this type of early 'new wave' music, got energy and nice rhythms. Favorite: "Hospital". Still, not one I would play again and again
It’s a good punk album and makes for an interesting listen. Kinda mellow but still punk. It is a long album, maybe overly long. I can see why it belongs on this list.
Really interisting, somewhere between Stones, Clash and Oasis
I'd give the vocals a D, but that's pretty much par for the course for classic punk. Otherwise this was fine.
Voice varied from great to kinda annoying, I think it suits alot of the songs but not all.
Decent, has me pining for roxy music
The Strokes definitely listened to these guys.
On first listen I just wrote it off as some weird punk record, but there is a lot here that I ignored until really paying attention. This is a very personal and very individual album. It's got an indie feel that I haven't seen in a lot of other punk from this era, and it makes it stand out more than I thought. I'm not the worlds biggest fan of it, but it certainly has some respect from me. Favorites were Roadrunner, Hospital, and Modern World
Weird and punky, I liked this. Very much a predecessor to indie music that would come later. Favorite songs were Roadrunner, Pablo Picasso, and Modern World
Best Songs: (No bangers, but enjoyable overall) Listen Again: Yes
All you 1 and 5 star-ers are overstating your case. Solid 3 star album. Obviously a big influence on what was to come.
This album reminds me of a lot of the things coming out in the mid 60s British invasion period. It's not bad, certainly better than a lot of the offerings that have been given. Not sure I would seek them out, but I'd listen to them if they came on randomly.
That's not my taste in musik. But ok
It played nicely
Of it’s time but I liked it, mostly.
This album reminded me so much if the doors, but generally in a lesser way. Still enjoyed the album, and I really like rhe song Pablo Picasso, but overall, a very average album to me.
I can't say I've heard an album like it before. Really accurately depicts what the punk genre tries to embody in my opinion. It isn't the most pleasant listen but fascinating, unique, and artistic.
Great instrumentals that are fun to listen to, but the vocals on this are bad. The singer is trying too hard to sound like a 70's Britipop singer
Liked this
Loved the music (5/5), hated the lyrics and the singing (1/5). On a song or two it works, but not a whole album. Averages to a 3/5.
Mid 70s rock
Great early proto-punk sound. Clearly a huge influence on many who came after. "Hospital" is a standout to me, different sound with the same raw energy.
The Modern Lovers Lyrics by Lou Reed Vocals by Julian Casablancas Guitars by The Velvet Underground Vibes by Blondie Pleased to hear the original ‘pablo Picasso’ (as covered by Bowie)
Un disco estupendo que voy a volver a escuchar.
Pretty good background music.
(Approx. 62 mins.) Early punk rock. Singular sound, lots of spoken lyrics. (5/10)
It was a different kind of album, interesting, 3 stars
Strong 3
this wasn’t bad. it kind of reminded me of a mashup of iggy pop and the pretenders.
Fíla þetta, næstum því hrátt, samt eitthvað smúþ.
Their style gets kind of annoying after a while but still fine.
I feel like w a lot of these I don’t actively dislike them but I just would never choose to listen to them… this to me was like someone got really into karaoke and popped off a little bit. I think there’s a bit of a disconnect between the music n the singing and the dudes voice is not super compelling 5/10
Didn’t quite get through the whole thing, but pretty solid. Not amazing 6.5/10
There’s definitely some good and some bad on this album. I like the overall sound and most of the songs have a pretty cool vibe, but the song hospital illustrates everything I dislike about the album. Dude’s voice can be annoying as fuck at times, and he tries to do some weird, taylor swift like spoken word rap shit that just doesn’t work at all. Like a really shitty attempt to mimic Lou reed. However, the album is still kinda weirdly charming. I really don’t know how I feel about this. 5/10
Knew I recognized that voice! Once I remembered where, the album got higher rated.
2.5
Not bad, but not my thing. Except for the Pablo Picasso song
The Modern Lovers by The Modern Lovers Monday 5/6/2024, 1:27, office S Tier————————— Roadrunner A Tier————————— Astral Plane Pablo Picasso Modern World B Tier————————— She Cracked Someone I Care About C Tier————————— Old World Hospital Girlfriend
John!
Decent music, but the lyrics were literally cringe. They were painful to listen to.
7/10
80s Pop Punk vibes
Basically Roadrunner is the only good track, but he's having fun, and that makes it far more redeemable in my eyes then a lot of the self indulgent stuff you'll hear on this list.
Odd, interesting. Probably wouldn't listen to again. +1 for G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N 3/5
70s style talk songs, good for road trips imo. First song on the album is most popular. Album has a lot of songs that sound the same. Mostly more of the same kind of 70s riffing, and talk singing...
I have a soft spot for rambling music like this 3
Fun, driving riffs that feel pitched right between rock n roll and punk. Definitely draws influence from The Velvet Underground. There’s a lot of irony and sarcasm baked into the music and vocals but I actually think that’s just a cover for lead singer Jonathan Richman to hide his earnestness. Song after song, he seems to crave love and sincerity. “Old World,” for example, is an open-hearted song about nostalgia for the ‘50s. “Hospital” was a nice change from the faster paced tracks. I liked the vulnerability of the lyrics. It’s a strange, sad song about a bad relationship. It stopped me in my tracks and made an impression. I enjoyed this. A more varied mix of sounds or maybe some surprising lyrical turns would have pushed this into excellent territory. But it’s a strong album.
Sometimes I feel like these apathetic "wah wah" kind of vocal sounds get annoying fast and I don't end up having the patience to listen for very long. I'm really either hot or cold on it, because sometimes I really do actually like them. There's this "round-ness" to them that specifically annoys me though, like in "Astral Plane"'s intro, the words "room" and in"sane", where the singer comes up from under the pitch, then goes over it, and then comes back down in what I imagine is a circular motion. The nice thing though is that I really think it fits in this band, and come to think of it I don't often hear that sort of sound in this type of classic rock too often. So that's nice. Now that I realize it, "Astral Plane" in general is a great song. I love the Doors-like organ parts, and the loose drumming that is nicely in the pocket but also just bopping around. Ok I know why I am start to like this so much. "Hospital" sounds like a song from the band Okkervil River, which is one of my favorite bands of all time. It is uncanny how similar the whole sound of the track sounds like an Okkervil song (even though Okkervil came out like 20 years after this band). I love it! I kind of wish the whole album sounded like this whole. "I go to bakeries all day long there's a lack of sweetness in my life." I love how silly this lyric is.
The lyrics are just weird enough to be interesting but not off-putting. That being said, I wasn’t sold on the vocals. They weren’t irritating, they just bordered on sounding bored/drunk. The instrumentals were fun, but didn’t really stick out to me as anything super unique or hypnotizing. I wouldn’t mind if the songs were on the radio but I’m also probably not going to go out searching for them.
Nice vocals, nice lyrics, awesome balls
I quite liked this
Quite enjoyed this - as people have said, the quality is pretty patchy, but Roadrunner and Modern World are real highlights. It's super simple, stripped back rock music focused around the vocals (which is odd, given his voice isn't that strong). That said, his lyrics are fun, and the attitude comes across in spades. Probably not an album I'll revisit (although I'll save a couple of the best songs) 3/5.
They remind me of Cake.
Sounded very familiar, lead singer looked familiar too. Not something I would buy, probably.
That were alright, weren’t it? A low 3
Not interesting
It reminded me of the episode of Rick and Morty episode where they have to come up with a hit song to save the planet
3.5/5. This was alright. A but different from something that I would listen to, but I kind of liked it. Some parts of it were fun.
Pretty good! Enjoyed the instrumentals especially.
Fine
5/10. Yeah, I just don't get it.
It's crazy after listening to so many Velvet Underground projects that this is so clearly produced John Cale. I had to check that like 2 seconds into the first song. Unfortunately it's pretty slow. 5/10
one of the last proto-punk records before punk debuted. This makes sense where the Modern Lovers' self-titled debt was actually recorded years prior to being released. A lot of Modern Lovers' songs are based around solid hooks with a driving garage rock energy that almost borders on power pop. Jonathan Richman's vocal delivery is what gives the Modern Lovers their proto-punk sheen.