Rockin' and Romance

Jonathan's Rockin' and Romance is available as a custom burned cd from Twin Tone Records. There is no booklet or artwork other than what is printed on the face of the cd itself. It sounds great.
 


http://www.twintone.com/projects/8558.html

My Favorite 2015 Christmas Stocking Stuffer for the Jonathan Fan

A split blue-black vinyl of The Modern Lovers.  I like how the designers picked up how key those two colors are. I had been collecting records since I was a kid in the 60s collecting 45s and I'd never seen blue and black done that way. Probably one of the reasons why that album stood out in my teenage mind. In addition to the fact that the music in the grooves was - well - Like No Other.  Don't know the history that album cover but I plan to research it someday. I bet it was some sort of art school joint.

Anyway if you don't have this album, or - gasp - have never heard it, I definitely recommend getting the properly-sequenced eight song original .. sans bonus tracks.  Bonus track reissues are pretty much the scourge of mankind.

On the Rareness of 'It's Time For'

While I wasn't looking, It's Time for Jonathan Richman, has turned into the most rare Jonathan Richman LP.

It is selling for high of $88 on the CD, and $60 on the vinyl. It was released on the British Portobello Road edgy punk label Rough Trade, apparently not very well because they didn't print enough copies.
The CD is supposed to be extremely rare but it was the first CD that I ever bought, before even owning a CD player.  The vinyl was released in nine countries, including Brazil and Greece.  The CD was only released in the USA.

It is certainly one of Jonathan's better albums.  My favorite track is probably "Corner Store".  That, along with "Neon Sign" and "Ancient Long Ago" definitely suggests that Jonathan is in a heavy-duty recherche au temps perdu mode (although that mode is present from "Old World" up through today's "They Showed Me the Door to Bohemia").

Here's all the nerdy details of the release: http://www.discogs.com/master/view/6776

box of rock

FYI:  Erin from Rockerzine lets us know in comments (see below previous post) that they’re offering a premium version of Rockerbox including Jonathan Richman’s single from Blue Arrow Records, ‘Keith’ b/w ‘The Door to Bohemia’

https://www.rockerzine.com/product/the-rockbox/

-rb-