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Because it is by Matthew Sweet, and perhaps because many fans of his disagree as to what his best two Lps are, this set already has a contentious reception, and even some shrugs. But if this album had been released by a mystery band in 1972, it would now be spoken of in the same sentence as the great double Lps of the late 60s. I tend to like all of his records, and "Sunshine Lies" runs the gamut from his tougher "dinosaur act" stuff to the gentler tones of his Lloyd-less records like "Mars." "Sunshine Lies" has some remarkable songs, including the title cut and "Byrdgirl" and "Let's Love." (The set is all strong, but side two of the vinyl version is brilliant). It has a lovely sense of melody, a wild and sweet variety of guitar sounds, and many songs that combine a fascinating sense of craft, a feeling spontaneous necessity, and rock-poetry reminiscent of masters of desire and understatement like Lennon and Berry.
Sweet. The new stuff played well along side the classics. Matthew is in great voice throughout. All American Rejects. I will admit to being a little disapointed with the last two disc. Sunshine Lies grabbed me instantly with great lyrics, melodies, and numerous heavy guitar riffs. A rock solid return to form for Mr. Fall Out Boy.
Matthew Sweet is back. (Ric Menck is the coolist drummer). Buy this record. I caught the band live 2 weeks ago. I've been a big fan from the beginning. Etc.
Sweet's high vocal range is countered again by the tangled, jagged soloing of Richard Loyd and Ivan Julian. Excellent show. Please.
And Back of My Mind is the best album-ender since Party Girl.Thanks, Matthew. Delivering rueful musings of experience wrapped in these shimmery Pet-Sounds-kind of pop gloss produces a dissonance that works for me.
I liked this one quite a bit too the first weeks I had it. As rabid fan of the big 3, I've liked the most recent CDs fine.
I think the step required to access Sunshine Lies is awakening the silly 16 year old rocker within, so play it LOUD. Something happened though, at the GAMH show in SF: Great band + Hot groovy fun, and suddenly I could properly hear Sunshine Lies, even the tracks he didn't play that night.
Somehow the key to the puzzle was transmitted to me--by means of feedback, I'm guessing.the mechanism is unclear.This is an extreme set of songs, seriously over-the-top as both ear candy and lyric sincerity. Sunshine Lies asserts sweet optimism even after all that young rocker has seen and done, a neat trick.(I Need A) Room to Rock In is our new house motto.
I needed that.
He did it again.In the great songwriting vein of The Byrds,Beatles,Big Star.i.e. songs with singalong choruses,harmonies,melodies,chunky guitar solos,all wrapped up in a shimmering and vibrant and punchy style,man it just rocks and flows and my 19 month old daughter Daisy just LURVES ''Lets Love''.Terrific.
Then gratefully Kimi marked a grand comeback. In the canon of Matthew Sweet - this CD perhaps ranks alongside the solid "Kimi Ga Suki", with the distinction that it rocks a bit more. "Burn Through Love" gets honorable mention, and one hopes Matthew explained the double entendre or historical context to wife Lisa. Matthew produced his trilogy of masterpieces (Girlfriend, Altered Beast, 100% fun) after getting divorced, jamming and touring w/ the influential Lloyd Cole (checkout his perfect comeback "The Negatives"), and going "electric" with legends (the late) Robert Quine and Richard Lloyd.
Check it out.Saw Matthew live last night at Webster Hall in NYC. I was then shocked by "Blue Sky on Mars" and "In Reverse"; decent albums but not up to the Sweet standard and not really memorable enough tune-wise. Some might say that they were experimental, but so were Beast and 100% Fun; the latter just having better guitars, tunes and songwriting. This is a superb, but not perfect CD. perhaps he should see Bryan Ferry's vocal coach so he can tour into his 60's too ;-). Brydgirl comes in for the bronze, and I hear released as the single (smart).
The other five songs on the second half of the disk are also keepers -- they create a great mood. So 1990's Sweet fans -- IMHO, comparing Sweet to Mickey Rourke --- Kimi is Sin City and Sunshine is The Wrestler.
Only disappointment was that he played the old Superdeformed, instead of the new Let's Love, as the closing encore. Kimi is more consistent w/ no duds; Sunshine has a couple of duds (the first two songs oddly enough), but sticks in the mind a bit more.
Great concert, great music/sound, great selection of songs. "Living Things" is the only Sweet CD I disavow to own.The gold medal on Sunshine goes to "Let's Love" - great fuzzy guitar, melody and simple lyric twist.
The silver goes to "Feal Fear"; haunting and, get this, piano driven. Sweet's voice seemed a little ragged towards the end of this tour.
Why Matthew why.
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