Only Frozen Sky Anyway
Blue Arrow, 2025
8/10
Listen to Only Frozen Sky Anyway
This 18th album from Jonathan Richman recruits Tommy Larkins and Jerry Harrison for 12 diverse songs that don’t stray too far from Richman’s patented weirdness.
“I Was Just A Piece Of Frozen Sky Anyway” opens with Richman’s unmistakable voice alongside Harrison’s warm keys and Larkins’ frisky drums, and “But We Might Try Weird Stuff” follows with Tracy Blackman and Aishlin Harrison helping with vocals in the upbeat moment guided by Richman’s flowing guitar.
Moving along, the frisky “Dogstar” uses talking and singing, as Jake Sprecher and Marty Parker join in on singing amid a jangle, while “That Older Girl” is just Richman’s bright voice and cozy guitar alongside Larkins’ agile drumming in a soft rock sort of way.
“The Wavelet” and “I Am The Sky” exit the listen. The former is an intimate moment of sublime beauty that recruits Nicole Montalbano on tamboura, and the latter follows a similar course of minimal songwriting and strong attention to ambience.
Although he got his start in the proto-punk scene of the ‘70s, these days the 75 year old Richman is enjoying strumming his acoustic guitar with humor with plenty of indie-rock charm.
Travels well with: Jonathan Richman & Modern Lovers- Jonathan Sings!; Modern Lovers- ‘Live’