Matthew Sweet,
Matthew Sweet’s career should put that platitude to rest. Sweet began recording in the early 80s working out of Athens, Georgia, with the obscure bands Oh-OK and Buzz of Delight. He launched his solo career in 1986 with the release of Inside, a somewhat catchy but one-dimensional stab at synth pop. That was followed by the languid and equally middling Earth in 1989. Both records demonstrated Sweet’s ability to pen a decent hook, but there was more cuteness and coyness than potency to the music. At the time it seemed that Sweet would amount to little more than a pleasant rock ‘n’ roll footnote.
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But in 1991 Sweet released Girlfriend, a record packed with striking melodies, unexpectedly thoughtful lyrics, and prickly guitar playing. The mild-mannered pop of the first two records had given way to an impressively diverse collection of songs that were often as vigorous and dynamic as they were tuneful. At a time when conventional wisdom suggested that his talent should have been fading, Sweet had blossomed. Altered Beast, released in 1993, generally matched the quality of its predecessor while upping the distortion and power chords.
The band–guitarist Lloyd, bassist Tony Marsico, and perpetually blissed-out Love Jones drummer Stuart Johnson–was tight, energetic, and crisp, and Lloyd’s craggy, often discordant leads provided a welcome edge to the often soaring tunefulness of Sweet’s songs.
