RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of The Velvet Underground and Talking Heads is the Modern Lovers: chronologically, musically, and lyrically. SO FUN. Jonathan Richman apparently loved great music, influenced by the New York music scene of the late 60s, but he was more optimistic than rebellious. He sings about his love for the old world, and for that matter his love for the modern world. On "Old World" he sings: I had a New York girlfriend And she couldn't understand How I could still love my parents And still love the old world All this is taken up another notch on "She Cracked." What a song. Spoiler alert: she cracked but he won’t. Enjoying life is its own kind of rebellion. Five stars for one of the greatest “unknown” albums of all time. *** Best songs: Roadrunner, Pablo Picasso, Old World, Modern World, She Cracked Best cameo: “Pablo Picasso" on the "Repo Man" soundtrack Best memory: Finding my own copy of this rare and collectible, out-of-print record in an Ann Arbor record store circa 1988 Best opportunity: the one you have if you received this album today.