Richard Lloyd

Richard Lloyd's 1979 solo debut spotlighted his contribution to Television. Though very much of the new wave era (imagine David Byrne or a less zomboid Ric Ocazek leading Tom Petty's band), Lloyd has a poppy rock sound that looks back to the chiming guitars of the Byrds, Rubber Soul-era Beatles and the VU's melodic side. Anyone familiar with Luna or Matthew Sweet (Lloyd is his lead guitarist) will want to take a listen.

Lloyd really has his pop down, and this record never fails to cheer me when it comes on--the songwriting and guitar textures are consistently tuneful and affecting. I don't mind that he always sings off-key, either--part of the charm of his pop is how loose it is. But the voice is so wacked-out that even if you'd never seen Lloyd lurching around a stage or matching magic with Tom Verlaine you'd sense that where for the Shoes or the Beat teen romance is a formal stricture, for him it's an evasion--he's just not telling us what he knows. (Grade - B+)