Jonathan Richman I, Jonathan LP

TAS Rated 5/5 Music, 3/5 Sonics in the January 2021 Issue of The Absolute Sound!

'I, Jonathan' is Jonathan Richman's 4th studio album, released in 1992. A founding member of influential proto-punk band The Modern Lovers, Richman built a reputation for conveying authentic emotions and storytelling with his music. Stepping out solo in the '80s, he continued this aesthetic with simple and sparse rock and roll arrangements, and straightforward lyrics about mundane topics. Includes fan favorites "I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar", "That Summer Feeling" and "Parties In The U.S.A."

Sloppy and wild, the album is a blast from start to finish

...his defining recorded statement as a solo artist

Richman's music is downright irresistible. These 10 songs are bathed in the nostalgic glow of rock's earliest days and colored by the memories of memorable moments (the charming 'I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar') and places ('Rooming House on Venice Beach') and artists ('Velvet Underground') from his colorful life. Richman's music is a big tent, open to all so long as you bring along a positive spirit and a pair of dancing shoes.

The music here takes us straight back to playful 60s pop with its simple rock 'n' roll arrangements and catchy melodies. 'Velvet Underground' is a straightforward nod to one of Richman's major influences, and elsewhere the VU influence is also detectable. Both the music and the lyrics capture one's heart, whether the songs are happy, nostalgic, or quirky. Performed with minimal accompaniment, these bare bones recordings were made in Richman's own basement, and the first-ever vinyl release has a certain lo-fi charm that carries with it a tinge of nostalgia for the early days of rock 'n' roll - when Jonathan Richman fell in love with music.