Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers - Jonathan Sings! (Black Friday 2022)

Jonathan Richman formed The Modern Lovers in 1970 with Jerry Harrison, David Robinson & Ernie Brooks. The band would eventually travel to Los Angeles, and score a recording contract. However, while demos and recordings were made, an album was never finished, and the band was dropped (not before appearing on the classic “Troublemakers” compilation.)

Jonathan began recording for Beserkley mid-decade with new versions of The Modern Lovers, focusing on his desire for his band to be more of an acoustic/harmony based endeavor, releasing albums including their eponymous debut (1976), “Rock & Roll With The Modern Lovers” (1977), “Modern Lovers ‘Live” (1977), and “Back In Your Life” (1978), even scoring a Top 5 UK single in the process.

Putting together a new Modern Lovers in 1980, with Greg Keranen (who played on the early records), drummer Micheal Guardabascio, Ken Forfia, Ellie Marshall, and Beth Harrington. The group toured and record through 1981–82, and in 1983 “Jonathan Sings!” (Produced by Peter Bernstein, bassist for the renowned LA power pop band The Cretones) appeared on Sire Records. It was worth the wait.

The album not only became an immediate fan favorite, but placed at #8 in The Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop critics poll, and NME put it at #19 in their Album Of The Year list. The album has all of the hallmarks that would show why he made frequent appearances on Late Night With Conan O’Brien and was tapped by the Farrely Brothers for their smash film “There’s Something About Mary” in the 1990s.

“Jonathan Sings!” marked a new decade, a new band, a new label, and a timeless sound. Available again, as Jonathan originally intended.


Tracklist:
1. Stop This Car
2. That Summer Feeling
3. Not Yet Three
4. This Kind Of Music
5. Give Paris One More Chance
6. The Neighbors
7. Somebody To Hold Me
8. You’re The One For Me
9. Those Conga Drums
10. When I’m Walking