Catspaw
Omnivore, 2021
9/10
The power pop legend Matthew Sweet has done many things in his lengthy career, but, until now that is, he hasn’t given us an entirely solo album. Well, Rick Menck plays drums here, but Catspaw certainly focuses on Sweet’s guitar driven tunes where the now 55 year old channels a lifetime of experience into a varied, thoughtful effort.
Sweet leads with the thick and firm guitar work of “Blown Away”, where his unmistakable vocals guide a darker landscape than were used to from him, and “Give A Little” follows with Sweet’s guitar acrobatics amid a crunchy alt-rocker that points towards his work in the ‘90s.
A record with one fantastic song after another, “Come Home” takes on a calmer tone where Sweet’s guitar dynamics interact playfully with Menck’s drums, while the poetic “Drifting” is a pretty display of dreamy, psychedelic tinted songwriting. “Stars Explode”, one of the album’s best, then recruits no shortage of hooks and harmonies on the FM dial friendly rocker.
Further along, “At A Loss” illustrates Sweet’s always keen attention to melody amid plenty of intricate guitar lines, and “Parade Of Lights” finishes the listen with loud psyche-rock, where nods to much earlier decades aren’t in short supply.
There are few artists who have been consistently great as Sweet, who has released one top notch record after another since the mid ‘80s. If you’re only familiar with his hits of the ‘90s, “Girlfriend” and “Sick Of Myself”, well, there’s a whole lot more to his art, as evidenced by this darkly textured and unassuming 15th album.
Travels well with: Bob Mould- Blue Hearts; Fastball- Step Into Light