POP MUSIC REVIEW : An Older, Wiser Richman Rings as True as Ever

For about 20 years, Jonathan Richman has been described as a pop Peter Pan, an eternal innocent. Well, while no one was looking, Richman slipped into Wise Old Man-dom.

Not that he seemed the least bit grizzled on the first of three nights at Bogart’s Bohemian Cafe on Wednesday--in fact, he really hasn’t changed a bit, either in his youthful looks or his unchecked love for “unsophisticated” rock ‘n’ roll. Playing guitar and accompanied by drummer Stephen Hodges, Richman was a cross between Big Bird and Dr. David Viscott, a master at finding both the simple truths in complex matters and the complexities of simple phenomena.

The former came in a series of witty, insightful songs about relationships. The latter was demonstrated--complete with awkward but unashamed shimmying--in songs about his greatest love of all, rock ‘n’ roll. He doesn’t just understand that “Hang on Sloopy” and the Velvet Underground are equals, he can’t believe that anyone could possibly think otherwise.

So universal is the Richman gestalt that Hodges, who had never met the singer before Wednesday, had no trouble at all following the leader. So distinct and individual is he that no matter how many young innocents try to follow his pattern, there will always be just one Jojo.

Richman finishes his stand at Bogart’s tonight, and plays the Palomino on Saturday and the Belly Up in Solana Beach on Monday.