381 - The Modern Lovers - (eponymous)

[csberry]

Alright, I confess! Like many other Americans, my only exposure to The Modern Lovers is via Johnathan Richman and the Modern Lovers' appearance as musical narrators in There's Something About Mary. Shortly after the movie came out, I read about the history of Jonathan and his band...but I only listened to his recent releases.

The Modern Lovers is actually a collection of demo sessions that the band made in 1972-73, but were never officially released until 1976. While I've found several bands that verge the bridge between The Who and The Stooges to the loud, hardcore branch of punk, it wasn't until I heard this album that I got a clearer picture of the evolution from the Velvet Underground into the art-punks of the latter 70's. The Modern Lovers take the sound of early Velvet Underground and replace the gritty New York hipster angst with lyrics of ordinary suburban male angst. This dose of adolescence to the Velvets' sound produced songs that would later be heard from performers like The Minutemen and Cake. Johnathan's emotionally detached, youthful voice singing about emotional situations is tense and yet cathartic.

Songs I knew I liked: None

Songs I didn't know but now like: "Roadrunner," "Astral Plane," "Pablo Picasso," "I'm Straight," and "Modern Love"

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: I don't know that I'm hungry to listen to this album, but I think it is one that I will visit again every few years.