Jonathan Richman

by Jason AnkenyAs basic and bare-bones as its title, Jonathan Richman is a solo effort modeled after Richman's live show, spotlighting only his voice, guitar and percussive foot stomping. An eclectic mixture of originals and covers (occasionally sung in either French or Spanish), the record's simplicity is its charm; the high point, "I Eat With Gusto, Damn! You Bet," is a spoken-word paean to the joys of bad table manners.