Monday, December 28, 2015

MATTHEW SWEET "BY HERSELF"


I probably haven't listened to a Matthew Sweet album in ten years.  I certainly haven't listened to Sweet's debut "Inside" in twenty years.  So imagine how surprised I was to find it still in my collection and discover what an enjoyable album this 1986 release was.  Yeah, the '80s production sound hasn't aged well, but most of the songs are great.  And parked in the middle of the album was Sweet's strange collaboration with no-wave starlet Adele Bertei - 'By Herself'.  Geez, I didn't even remember the tune.





I'm still at a loss to figure how Sweet and Bertei managed to come up with a track that was as insidiously catchy as this one is. Strumming acoustic guitars, a hook that won't let go.  Pumping bass ...  Not only that, but Bertei and Valerie Simpson provide backing vocals !!!  The stupid song has been bouncing in my head for three days.  I may have to download it from iTunes.

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