Rock 'n' roll with the Modern Lovers

"[Richman] turned down the volume and embraced themes of innocence and joy on 1976 album Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, and he expanded this new approach on 1977's Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers by exploring traditional folk sounds and instrumentals alongside his playground-ready vision of acoustic rock & roll. Minimal instrumentation of upright bass, acoustic guitar, Richman's imperfect but always emphatic voice, and a drum kit that sounds like cardboard boxes makes up most of the songs, and the raw production makes the album feel like the band is casually rehearsing without knowing a microphone or two are active in the room ... Several instrumental tracks break from the toned-down rock & roll approach to sprinkle in generalized takes on the traditional folk sounds of various international cultures, and the record even produced a minor European hit with one of these, "Egyptian Reggae"".

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