popwreckoning

Pop rock artist Matthew Sweet wears many hats. From solo to Sid ‘n’ Susie. Though he is busy touring, PopWreckoning’s Thomas Starks caught up to the artist to talk the tour and his projects:

Thomas Starks, PopWreckoning: Hello Mr. Sweet, thank you so much for taking my call. I know we have a short time so I’ll get right into it. Talk to me a little about this Nov. 6th show at Eddie’s Attic. What’s going on with that?
Matthew Sweet: I’ve known Susanna (Susanna Hoffs) since the early 90’s, we had a few friends in common. When I moved here in 93, I just ran into her more and more. I got invited to a charity show with the Bangles, and I brought up that I liked her voice, we really wanted to do something. So we played at McCabe’s in LA. I played rock shows many years ago there. She invited Mike Myers, before the “Austin Powers” movies. He was still getting a hold of that character. So we all teamed up and started a small group called Ming Tea. That led to a song called “BBC” on the first movie, and then later we penned “Daddy Wasn’t There” on the “Gold Member” movie.

TS: It’s amazing how those small meetings turn into great projects. So is this a tour for you both then?
MS: Oh it’s not even a tour, it’s just a small thing we are doing.
TS: Does it allow you to let loose a bit though?
MS: A little scary cause it makes you naked, but also very freeing.

TS: Now you recently released Under The Covers 2, a collection of covers from the 1970’s. What process went into picking the songs and artists you covered?
MS: We get asked this the most. In the 60’s we were sort of too young, so in the 70’s we had a lot of fun. We NEVER make a list, we think of things as we go, and try doing them. The things we thought the best we couldn’t leave off, that’s what we chose. It got difficult at one point and we ended up having 10 more available on iTunes, bonus tracks.
TS: Which ones stand out to you as your favorites?
MS: The YES song “I’ve Seen All Good People.” We liked Yes when we were kids. Oh and “Sugar Magnolia,” a sleeper one we really liked at the end.

TS: You were able to work with Susanna Hoffs and Lindsey Buckingham on this record. What was it like working with these two?
MS: Well with Susanna, it’s like my sister, I know her so well. Lindsey I had known for quite a while, but not as well. We did a song for a movie all together back in the mid nineties. Then one of Sue’s son’s went to school with Lindsey’s kid, and that rekindled a friendship. At Sue’s B-Day last Jan. we cornered him and asked him to make a record with us. It was chance for us to get him on lead a little more.

TS: You semi-recently produced a group that we’ve become pretty good friends with here at Pop Wreckoning, The Bridges. What stood out to you about this band to take them into your home studio?
MS: It seems like a while ago now. It actually came out of thing in a publishing meeting with EMI, someone said you should produce a “Harmony Group.” Russell played something off of Myspace, and it was them. They write REALLY amazing stuff. They came out, we did a few demos, then they got Capital wanting to sign them, then Capital got shut down! I think they are now with Verve.

TS: So do you have anyone else on your plate in the near future in terms of production?
MS: Only the Bangles and I’ve started my own solo record. I’m gonna try to keep up a little more, go out a little more. I recorded a song for “Men of a Certain Age” with Ray Romano.

TS: It’s so rare to see a true musical affinity and professional appreciation for one’s colleagues.
MS: For me I was “Mr. Hide Out.” I always felt weird and never made a lot of friends, I’ve been there. Once the era of the 90’s passed, around 2001 or 2002, I got pulled into singing harmonies for Columbia. I never had good success writing with others, I had to assert myself. Now I feel really free and fun, although I still have to hustle. When you have that better time and a good perspective, you find out what you care about, it helps me enjoy people more.

TS: I really admire that perspective, it’s in our transitions that we see what is missing. Good for noticing that. Ok, Mr. Sweet, last question, if you could point our reader towards any artist in hopes of getting them to listen to them, who would it be?
MS: Wow, what would I TELL someone to listen too? As far as groups now, I don’t know them that well, I think of people in a genre of music I wouldn’t normally listen too. Blonde On Blonde then Pet Sounds. There are amazing things outside my orbit. I like freakbeat, garage rock stuff. Also it was in 1979 or 1980 that I started high school. That’s when I started to listen to all kinds of things. I wish I would have done that when I was 11, instead of 19. Plus nowadays it’s the internet that really helps us get what’s out there, the internet is sooo massive.
TS: Well then is it safe to say that you would recommend to “Listen to anything outside of your orbit?”
MS: That’s exactly it. Go find it.
TS: Mr. Sweet, I truly appreciate you taking my call and I’m truly looking forward to seeing you and Susanna live.
MS: Well, thank you. We just love this stuff. Have a great day!

Matthew Sweet: website | myspace

Welcome back, readers.  Unfortunately, I’ve been sick for the last few days and have had absolutely no energy to write anything.  I feared this nagging cough and fever might stunt any kind of creativity necessary, but then it dawned on me… do a shortened version and find a song with the word ‘sick’ in its title!  Lo and behold, only one awesome song came to mind.  Welcome to Under Cover: Matthew Sweet “Sick Of Myself”.

Matthew Sweet (original, 1995)
You’re sick of not being with him/her, you’re sick of yourself for not being sick of him/her, and all this sickness becomes a self-loathing that turns your insides out… but in a good way.   Has anyone ever been so perfect that they’ve actually made you sick?   Well, you’re not alone since Matthew Sweet wrote the book on this one.  “Sick Of Myself” is probably the prettiest song ever written about a love interest whose out-of-this-worldness reduces you to a nervous and stuttering little schoolboy. And that infectious chorus says it all:  “Sick of myself when I look at you / Something is beautiful and true / In a world that’s ugly and a lie / It’s hard to even want to try / I’m beginning to think, baby you don’t know.” This is the stuff that power pop dreams are made of and it’s never sounded so good.

Bowling for Soup cover (2005)
Mommy, please make it stop!  I should have known better than to research this Bowling For Soup cover but I blame the flu that has taken over my mental capabilities.  This cover is just an example of songs that are better off left alone if you’re not going to bring something new to it or at least do it the justice it deserves.  It’s a pop punk cover that’s really just a failure of the imagination.  The lead vocals are stringy, irritating, and don’t have any of the same sweetness of the original.  I just don’t get any genuine yearning or longing in this version and these are the very emotional states upon which “Sick Of Myself” was built.  Hate to say it but… shame on you!  Stick to bowling.  And about that [chicken] soup… send some of that over here, will ya?

Death Cab For Cutie cover

Awww, this may be one of the cutest covers I’ve heard in a while!  This acoustic rendition actually made me smile from behind this mountain of Kleenex.  Death Cab For Cutie front man Ben Gibbard is almost the perfect agent for the same syrupy sweet vocal innocence as Matthew Sweet.  In fact, it’s almost as if “Sick Of Myself” was meant to be covered by DCFC.  They’re no strangers to putting out rock songs on the love tip that are beautiful, touching and almost always tug at the heartstrings.  Aside from the gentle acoustic strumming that contrasts with the electric guitar interplay of the original, this version is slower paced, features soft background vocals, and Ben Gibbard enunciates his words even more than Sweet when he sings.  All of this just drives the point home that this sickness just may be worth it.