Search - Jonathan Richman :: Not So Much to Be Loved As to Love

Jonathan gets a bit more serious.

Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 08/08/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jonathan Richman is a bit of an oddity in music-- best known alternately as the mastermind behind post-Velvets proto-new wave band The Modern Lovers (whose members ended up in the Cars and Talking Heads) and as the guy who sung songs in "There's Something About Mary", Jonathan Richman is truthfully difficult to categorize. His music has an innocence to it, a sing-song quality and a memorableness that gets his songs stuck in your head without driving you nuts, be it his early Lou Reed-inspired material or the European-infused acoustic pop of this record, "Not So Much to Love as to Be Loved".



What's perhaps unique about this album is that it feels a lot more serious-- this isn't to imply that Richman's previous records couldn't be looked at as serious, but that's there's a goofiness that permeates them, and its here too, but it seems like this time he's got a bit of a commentary to make.



In the end, Richman's music is something you'll love or hate, and it'll probably happen within 90 seconds of hearing him. But I've noted that many people aren't n the right frame of mind to hear Jonathan Richman. This record is certainly a reasonably good example of his work, and I personally find it to be one of my more listend to by him. My advice-- if you're curious, pick something up, listen to it, then try it again in six months if it doesn't work for you. If you're a fan and don't have this, get ahold of it, its superb."

The idiots guide to eastern philosophy?

Spiros | Thessaloniki, Greece | 09/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Every new Jonathan Richman album is like a letter from an old friend. You get them about once every 1-2 years and get to know a bit about what the friend is going through at the time. And a very honest friend at that. Not just telling you what he's been up to, but more importantly how he's feeling at the time.



Well, I think Jonathan is going through an introspective mood. Am I the only one who sees it that way? He seems to be looking more inside himself for some answers. In a positive way. Not in a self-centred way at all. In 'Cosi Veloce' he's asking his mind to slow down a bit. Trying to focus on the void? Meditating? What's going on? Then, 'Behold the lillies in the field' sounds even more like eastern philosophy to me. And 'Abu Jamal' is not just political, but more importantly it says how the calmness of the man seems to contradict someone being on death row.



There are more bits that make me think of meditation. But I can't remember them at the moment.



A very philosophical piece of work. Brilliant. Thanks Jojo!"

22nd album

alexander laurence | Los Angeles, CA | 09/21/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jonathan Richman is a legend. He has released a million albums and songs. Well, maybe not that many. This is actually his 22nd album in about thirty years. It's eleven more songs. Another chapter in the book. He was pretty obscure during most of his life. Members of the Modern Lovers went on to be in The Cars and the Talking Heads. Some notice came his way when the Sex Pistols covered his songs. Years later a whole new generation would watch him on Sesame Street and in the film "There's Something About Mary." Richman has a few songs about love, but also songs about Vincent Van Gogh and Salvador Dali. It's funny stuff."