Modern Lovers 88

By 1988, Jonathan Richman's band was The Modern Lovers only in name; '88 was the final time he trotted out the illusion. The acoustic-trio format, however, is a strength here, keeping things simple and earnest. The songs evoke a more innocent time than the hairspray-and-spandex atmosphere that dominated the late-'80s commercial music scene. The only audience remaining for Richman at this point, beyond hardcore fans, were college radio listeners, who were sometimes baffled by the rudimentary joys of "Dancin' Late at Night" and "When Harpo Played His Harp." The pure, happy exultations in "Gail Loves Me," "I Love Hot Nights," and "New Kind of Neighborhood" were so without reservation compared to the self-conscious emotions of the era's hip underground rockers that, even to this day, Richman's music is hard to pin down. Where was he coming from with these artless affections? "African Lady" belongs to a genre of its own, but what genre? "I Have Come Out to Play" essentially paved the way for twee-rock of all types in the late '80s and '90s.