Jonathan Richman - ¡Jonathan, Te Vas A Emocionar! (1994)

Although Richman's vocals have intermittently slipped into foreign tongues for years, Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar! is still a surprise: entirely sung in Spanish, the record is a charmer, transcending the language barrier with ease. Along with a few new originals and a handful of traditional Mexican tunes, the album primarily consists of loose Spanish reworkings of Richman favorites -- I, Jonathan's "You Can't Talk to the Dude" becomes "No Te Oye," for example, while Having a Party's "Just for Fun" becomes "No Mas por Fun" and Jonathan Goes Country's "Reno" becomes, well, "Reno"; whatever the language, however, Richman remains his earnest, wistful self -- none of his personality gets lost in the translation.~Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar! Review by Jason Ankeny