 2. Matthew Sweet, 100%
Fun (1995)
This album may not have the variety of musical
styles you'll find on Girlfriend (1991), Altered Beast (1993), or Blue
Sky on Mars (1997), but it's my favorite Matthew Sweet disc to date. To me it's
the most immediately accessible of his albums, and the one I recommend when someone's
looking for a first taste of Sweet.
Most of the songs on 100% Fun rock
hard, including "Sick of Myself" and "Super Baby," but when Matthew
Sweet moves away from the guitar- and drum-driven pop sound, he creates some beautiful,
haunting songs, like "Smog Moon," "Everything Changes," and "I
Almost Forgot." The raging guitars and neat pop riffs that fill this CD almost
obscure the fact that the theme of nearly every song is self-loathing. This album is
a valentine to twisted relationships, and although it sounds peppy and upbeat, the lyrics
add a darkness that makes it more complex than it seems. Yet it's great to sing
along with as you drive your car, too. |
