Having a Party with Jonathan Richman

Last updated

Having a Party with Jonathan Richman
Having a Party with Jonathan Richman.jpg
Studio album by
Jonathan Richman
Released1991
Label Rounder [1]
Producer Brennan Totten
Jonathan Richman chronology
Jonathan Goes Country
(1990)		Having a Party with Jonathan Richman
(1991)		 I, Jonathan
(1992)

Having a Party with Jonathan Richman is an album by the American musician Jonathan Richman, released in 1991. [2] [3] Richman supported the album with a North American tour. [4]

Contents

Production

The album contains live and studio tracks, performed by Richman with just his guitar and voice, with occasional percussion. [5] [6] [7] It was produced by Brennan Totten. [6] The songs are mostly about relationships, with Richman writing in the liner notes that his musical style and methods remain unchanged. [8] [9] The cover photo was taken near Richman's home, around Sacramento, California. [10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Robert Christgau Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Entertainment Weekly B [14]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Orlando Sentinel Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The Republican Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [16]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]
The San Diego Union-Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 5/10 [18]

Trouser Press wrote: "In a pensive frame of mind for much of the record, Richman reconsiders past times with new-found gravity." [19] Entertainment Weekly called the album "one of his most clear-eyed and least coy records... It’s chock-full of simplistic—but not simpleminded—songs about puzzling relationships." [14] The Columbus Dispatch praised "My Career as a Homewrecker" and "The Girl Stands Up to Me Now". [20] The Deseret News deemed Richman "the new wave Mister Rogers of folk." [21]

Robert Christgau described the album as the "confessions of a reluctant grownup." [12] The Christian Science Monitor determined that, "as soon as the disc starts spinning and the strings start twanging, Richman delivers enough energy and wit to stop a roomful of conversation." [22] The Republican noted that "he's one very funny guy, with an impressive ability to make the most out of the obvious." [16]

AllMusic wrote that, "without a band to support him, Richman grows more pensive than usual." [11]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."The Girl Stands Up to Me Now" 
2."Cappuccino Bar" 
3."My Career as a Homewrecker" 
4."She Doesn't Laugh at My Jokes" 
5."When She Kisses Me" 
6."They're Not Tryin' on the Dance Floor" 
7."At Night" 
8."When I Say Wife" 
9."1963" 
10."Monologue About Bermuda" 
11."Our Swingin' Pad" 
12."Just for Fun" 

References

  1. ↑ Mendoza, Manual (February 25, 1992). "Jonathan Richman 'Having a Party with Jonathan Richman'". The Milwaukee Journal. p. D6.
  2. ↑ Buckley, Peter (June 29, 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides.
  3. ↑ Wilde, Jon (January 18, 1992). "Albums — Having a Party with ... by Jonathan Richman". Melody Maker. Vol. 68, no. 3. p. 29.
  4. ↑ Righi, Len (June 13, 1992). "Jonathan Richman Does It All at Godfrey's". The Morning Call. p. A72.
  5. ↑ Gettelman, Parry (January 31, 1992). "Jonathan Richman: Have Guitar, Will Travel". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 7.
  6. 1 2 3 Gettelman, Parry (January 31, 1992). "Records Jonathan Richman". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 8.
  7. ↑ Maurstad, Tom (October 31, 1991). "Arts Day". The Dallas Morning News. p. 5C.
  8. ↑ Armstrong, Gene (January 24, 1992). "Man-child Richman—in his prime—is eagerly awaited". Arizona Daily Star.
  9. 1 2 Blue, Buddy (January 17, 1992). "Ellington treasures – unchanging Richman". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C2.
  10. ↑ Washburn, Jim (January 22, 1992). "Richman's Party Open to Everyone". Los Angeles Times. p. F1.
  11. 1 2 "Jonathan Richman Having a Party with Jonathan Richman". AllMusic.
  12. 1 2 "Jonathan Richman". Robert Christgau.
  13. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 15.
  14. 1 2 "Having a Party with Jonathan Richman". Entertainment Weekly.
  15. ↑ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 942.
  16. 1 2 O'Hare, Kevin (November 3, 1991). "Jonathan Richman, 'Having a Party with Jonathan Richman'". The Republican. p. G6.
  17. ↑ (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. p. 690.
  18. ↑ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 257.
  19. ↑ "Jonathan Richman (and the Modern Lovers)". Trouser Press. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  20. ↑ Eichenberger, Bill (November 7, 1991). "All-live folk rock". Weekender. The Columbus Dispatch. p. 8.
  21. ↑ Vice, Jeff (April 23, 1992). "Jonathan Richman; 'Having a Party with Jonathan Richman'". Deseret News. p. C6.
  22. ↑ "CD Review 'Having a Party with; Jonathan Richman'". The Arts. The Christian Science Monitor. October 11, 1991.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.