Streaming services do have their negatives. Unifying music under playlists helps people find music in their comfort zone, but not go out of it. They also remove the power of the album, as it’s mighty tempting to skip onto something else when you’re not that keen on first listen. I often wonder if I would have ever got into some of my favorite albums if streaming services existed when i was younger, because on first listen they didn’t grab me, Only on returning to them multiple times did they grow into works I now consider my favourites of all time. That’s hard to do these days when you can easily listen to something else.

One positive they do offer is quick access to most acts. Their curation methods may not work well for people with eclectic tastes, but they allow you to listen to recommendations from external sources instantly.

That’s what happened for me with this track. I’d heard of the band “The Modern Lovers” from LCD soundsystems track “loosing my edge” but never got around to giving them a listen. However on a recent Adam Buxton podcast, with guest interviewee Mac DeMarco, Jonathan Richmans name came up as a major influence. Instantly I could go into Spotify, look him up and have a listen. I was greeted with this gem of a track.

The sound of this song is iconic of the 70s New York style that became a major influence of punk. Not in its intensity, but in its rawness and honesty. It manages to tell a story simply but with a joyous reverence that puts you in the position of the singer. A great track to start my induction into his catalog. I’m looking forward to hearing more.

Spotify:

TOTW Playlist: