Matthew Sweet

With his justifiably acclaimed 1991 album "Girlfriend," Matthew Sweet seemed on the verge
of becoming a hugely popular power pop hero. 1993's "Altered Beast" was a significantly
darker effort that sadly never found as large an audience. "100% Fun" sounds closer to
"Girlfriend," though it's a tad edgier. That's perhaps in part thanks to the production help of
Brendan O'Brien, well known for his work with Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots a... More >

Frustrated because I couldn't grok Bluroraimeemann even after isolating their tunes and turns of phrase, I turned to another pop album I'd never gotten and had a revelation. Not a new idea--what a difference a band makes is old theory by now. Just an experience--this particular band at the moment of this recording, two or three or four guitars layered into densely striated sludge with shiny ribbons of metal sticking out. Perfect for accustoming confused young adults to his sensible truisms about romantic commitment. (Grade: B+)