Customer Reviews

Rock N Roll With

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Jonathan at (maybe) his most childlike and at yet at the same time his most rockin, rockin in an acoustic fashion that is. I think he might have called it at the time the first all acoustic rock album. Anyway its him and his band in a room with a nice echo playing together with great empathy. This record is all about room feel and the sound of a band playing live, getting it together in a room, like an early rolling stones recording in mono. Its a great album, just look at the cover, how could you go wrong? Nice mastering on the c.d. as well. Recommended.

I NICKED THIS ALBUM FROM MY COLLEGE RADIO STATION AROUND 1985 OR SO. THIS AND THE FIRST JESUS AND MARY CHAIN LP WERE PRACTICALY THE ONLY THINGS I LISTENED TO SOPHOMORE YEAR. GOD,I WAS DEPRESSED. ANYWAY, THIS RECORD USE TO CHEER ME UP. EVERYONE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO LISTEN TO THIS RECORD BEFORE BEING PRESCRIBED PROZAC. IF 'ROLLERCOASTER BY THE SEA' DOSENT CHEER YOU UP, THEN TAKE THE GAS PIPE.

Definitely one of my favorite Jonathan albums, probably only second to the "Pablo Picasso" era Modern Lovers. I was lucky enough to find a Beserkley copy on cd before it went out of print & got very collectible. Even if you paid alot for it on Ebay you still need to get this though. The bonus track is the full version of "Dodge Veg-o-matic" with Jonathan's ad-libbed spoken word intro which was only available on the "Beserkley Years" compilation in the cd era. The artwork is what really sets these Castle versions apart. Aside from the obligatory essay by someone you may or may not have heard of, the booklet features pictures & clippings, most of which I have never seen before in ten years of collecting cds. The merits of remastering are up for debate as far as I'm concerned, but if it matters to you, at least psychologically you'll notice the difference. As for why it's one of my favorites, I think the sound has alot to do with it, the vocals recorded in the bathroom a la Jim Morrison on "L.A. Woman". Also, his song selection was amazing. He went from the school bus to church to China to South America for good songs, & his originals have all the spirit & energy of a campfire singalong. The atmosphere in that room must have electric, even if the instrumentation was acoustic.

A terrific & fun album. I bought it on vinyl, back in the early 1980s. I knew nothing about the group or the album, except that I'd read in Trouser Press or somewhere that they were a seminal influence on punk rock. If you're familiar with this album, you can guess that I was left feeling very puzzled about the punk connection. But I learned to love the album nonetheless. And years later, I heard the original album by original line-up, and the punk connection became clear. (Indeed, I even recognized Roadrunner on that album from an old Sex Pistols soundtrack, where they attempt to play the song, but abort it because Johnny Rotten doesn't know the words ...beyond a line or two.) Anyway, I even brought this album to college where I played it for friends in the dorm -- many dug the Dodge-Veg-O-Matic song, but I don't think anybody ever quite warmed to The Ice Cream Man. So I do recommend the album, but people should know it sounds nothing like the first Modern Lovers album. It does sound like later Jonathan Richman albums, however. And, you might recognize the instrumentals from public radio music buttons. (Btw, there's also a terrific video of Egyptian Reggae on YouTube -- it's some kind of costume dance done to the song on stage by unknown performers. Check it out.) And check out the album too!

My favorite JR & the MLs album, and one of my desert island essentials. Listening always makes me smile.

Thanks Jonathan!