#224: Interview with Matthew Sweet

Joining us this week is Matthew Sweet for a lengthy and wide-ranging discussion. Matthew shares his insights on his latest album project, and what the fulfillment aspect of crowd-funded albums is really like. We talk about his earliest influences, from new wave and punk to 70s power pop like Big Star and The Raspberries, and discuss why power pop bands are almost always critically acclaimed but tend to gain appreciation in retrospect. Matthew explains how his various guitars impact his songwriting (which may involve recording on his iPhone), and his earliest years learning bass to Yes records and Carol Kaye instructional videos (who would later play on his album In Reverse), which got him into a college band while he was still eight grade. We dive into the discography, discuss the leaps between the first two Columbia albums and Girlfriend, to the harsher and dark sound of Altered Beast. There’s so much more, we can’t list it all! Sick of Myself! Drew Carey! 70 Challengers! Brendan O’Brien! Mad Men! Making In Reverse! Touring! Fred Armisen! Susanna Hoffs! The Telecommunications Act of 1996! Mike Myers! Pottery! It’s all in there, and we hope you enjoy.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Girlfriend

38:22 - Dinosaur Act

54:22 - Sick of Myself

1:18:29 - Thunderstorm

1:46:14 - Ivory Tower

1:56:54 - Where You Get Love

Outro - Come to California

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