ver since the mid 1970s, Jonathan Richman has been the ultimate rock-&-roll manchild, his wide-eyed view of the world making him something like the Mr. Rogers of the music scene. BECAUSE HER BEAUTY IS RAW AND WILD presents a slightly different Richman, who in his mid 50s is getting more in touch with the darker, sadder aspects of life. In decades past, it would have been unthinkable for a Richman album to include a cover of a doomy Leonard Cohen song ("Here It Is") or a tune about the singer observing his mother on her deathbed ("As My Mother Lay Lying"). It feels significant too that he offers a revision of "Old World" from his very first Modern Lovers album. There are plenty of considerably lighter moments, of course, but RAW AND WILD still marks an undeniable maturation in Richman's famously innocent worldview.|
Rovi
甲本ヒロトがラヴコールを送ったり、昨年は〈フジロック〉のステージで喝采を浴びたりと、若者の間でも認知度急上昇中の愛すべきへっぽこロックンローラーが、4年ぶりとなる新作をリリース。長年の相棒でドラマーのトミー・ラーキンスとほぼ2人だけで作り上げた、ごくごくシンプルな楽曲が並んでいるわけだが、これが無性に泣けるのだから困ってしまう。きっと屈託なく振りまかれる愛とロマンティシズムと情けなさとユーモアに、〈和む〉を通り越して心底癒されてしまうからなのだろう。真に〈普遍の歌〉ってこういうものなのだと思う。よく〈脱力〉というキーワードで語られる彼だが、本人は至ってマジメ。こんなダサかっこいい大人になりたくて、みんな彼の音楽を聴くのかもしれないな~。
bounce (C)田中 幹也
タワーレコード(2008年07月号掲載 (P100))