Matthew Sweet: 2003 'Japan-only' studio CD?

[Rooster_Ties]

Anybody ever heard this??? (or even heard of this??)

Matthew Sweet: Kimi Ga Suki * Raifu (2003, Cutting Edge 16050)

AMG review:

Being "Big in Japan" has been a pop music in-joke for years, but few artists have paid as direct a tribute to the country as Matthew Sweet does with his 2003 album, Kimi Ga Suki * Raifu. Released only in Japan, the album is, as Sweet puts in his brief liner notes, dedicated "in gratitude for the many years of love and support you've sent my way." This is no collection of leftovers and B-sides: it is a collection of 12 brand-new songs, written and recorded specifically for this album, with all composition and tracking occurring over one week in January 2002. This makes it unusual in several different ways. First, few artists record an album intended for a specific territory, especially an artist with a cult following as large as Sweet's. Second, Sweet's last two albums — 1997's Blue Sky on Mars and 1999's In Reverse — were both over-thought (the first to its detriment, the second to its benefit), so it's good to hear him throw out the demoing stage and cut it while it's hot. Third, this record is an unofficial reunion of the Girlfriend-era lineup, featuring Velvet Crush drummer Ric Menck, guitarist Richard Lloyd, and guitarist Greg Leisz, which is something Sweet fans have been waiting nearly a decade to hear. While this is by no means the equal of Girlfriend — which, after all, was a special record born form a special set of circumstances — it's still an excellent modern guitar pop album, filled with great hooks and harmonies and irresistible ringing six-strings. What makes it work so well is the constrictions Sweet placed upon himself; by forcing himself to write and record the record in a compressed timespan, he had to rely on his purest skills, letting his music breathe naturally. This doesn't mean that the production is bare-bones, because it's layered with sweet harmonies and guitars, but it does mean that it flows easily and organically, feeling livelier than anything he's done in a decade. That feel, combined with a strong set of songs — songs that are tight, concise, and never over-thought, even when they veer into psychedelia or slow down for a ballad — make this one of his snappiest, sharpest albums. Its craft becomes more apparent after each spin, yet it retains its fresh feel, which is a difficult thing to pull off. There are no plans for a U.S. release of Kimi Ga Suki * Raifu, which is too bad in one sense, since this is Sweet at his best, but it's likely he never would have made a record quite this good if he didn't follow his Japan-only guidelines. As such, it's something that fans will have to see — they'll be very, very glad they did. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Yes, we can turn this into a general discussion thread about Matthew Sweet, if we like. (Later on, I'll probably change the thread-title to reflect this.)

Also, I see there's one on Ebay right now (HERE), which indicates that it is a 'copy-controled' CD. Just how badly do these things suck?? I've never bought one, and don't relish the thought of shelling out $30 for an import that's gonna go south on me in 2-3 years, or that's not gonna play on any stereo I own in 5-10 years. ( bordering on )

Edited October 16, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[Eric]

I got it ... listened to it a few times ... not bad, but not as good as Girlfriend, In Reverse or 100% Fun. Has more of a throw-away feel to it.

BTW, the copy-control stuff sucks - it doesn't always play right.

Eric

[Man with the Golden Arm]

Can't say much about the disc but to add to your proclivity for all things Hello Kitty, the cover is by a very famous for the day Japanese artist. Here's a blip:

 

"Yoshitomo Nara "

Born in 1959 in Hirosaki, Japan, Yoshitomo Nara is one of the most influential artists to emerge from Japan during the Pop art movement of the nineties. Yoshitomo Nara's paintings and sculpture of stylized cartoon children and animals evoke a range of memories from childhood, "both sad and fantastic." Since his initial U.S. solo exhibition at Blum & Poe Gallery he has had one-man shows at the Institut fur Moderne Kunst Nurnberg, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and the Yokohama Museum of Art. His work was recently included in "Super Flat" at the MOCA Gallery at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood and at PS1 Contemporary Art Center in New York. He continues to live and work in Japan.  

Yoshitomo Nara's work is influenced by Japanese comic books (manga) but he is unique in the contemporary art scene here for bedeviling his typically cute and vulnerable figures with a horror like image. Nara's tapping into horror through the medium of the innocent child is particularly poignant in Japan's controlled society of rigid language and social structures, especially considering recent shockingly violent crimes in Japan involving children as the aggressors. Nara's work really instills the viewer with a juxtaposition of the innocence of children and the evil nature of humanity, or the fall from grace. Nara is also a Pop artist, representing works from his generations youth, and mass producing them for your home.

[Eric]

BTW Rooster, you can borrow my copy any time. I also have a couple of Sweet boots that are kind of interesting - among other things, you get to hear him do the Scooby Doo and Speed Racer theme songs. He also does a very cool version of Magnet and Steel (Walter Egan, late 70s).

Eric

[Rooster_Ties]

Speaking more generally about Sweet - I've loved nearly every disc he's released since "Girlfriend" in 1991, and his earlier material is even interesting too. I first discovered him with "100% Fun" in 1995 (that I got a free promo of at some radio station live remote), but I quickly bought up his entire catalog. (Somehow I missed "Girlfriend" when it first came out.)

The only Sweet album I haven't been quite as fond of is "Blue Sky on Mars" - which wasn't nearly up to his usual standards. But with "In Reverse" from 1999, he was back on track.

About 1996-97, I saw Sweet and his band perform 3 times within like 18 months, either here in Kansas City, or in Lawrence, Kansas (about an hour west from here). Great shows!! I'd go see him again, anytime.

[Rooster_Ties]

To my surprise, the AMG has a review of damn near my favorite 'unofficial' Matthew Sweet release. Mine probably isn't an original, but who cares - the music is fantastic. 5-stars in my book.

Goodfriend (circa 1991): This rare promotional disc features alternate versions of most of the tracks from Girlfriend, plus two cover songs (the exception to the album concept being "Someone to Pull the Trigger," which is from the Altered Beast album). A home-recorded acoustic version of the normally crunch-heavy "Divine Intervention" shows up here as an appealing slab of amphetamine folk. Acoustic renditions of "Looking at the Sun" and "Winona" also work amazingly well. In addition, there are several live tracks, the cream of the crop being an appropriately bruised and searing version of Neil Young's "Cortez Killer" that features guest vocals by the Indigo Girls' Amy Ray. There are only a few minor missteps: For one, it's unnecessary to include two versions of "Girlfriend" (a live BBC radio track and a concert rendition), especially when neither comes close to the blistering guitar work by Robert Quine on the studio original. Also, the live version of the normally jangly "I've Been Waiting" is a bit too shaky to merit inclusion. Overall, however, this album stands on its own as an exceptionally strong work, and shouldn't be seen as strictly for Matthew Sweet fanatics. — Erik Hage (AMG)

[DrJ]

Haven't heard any of the obscurities mentioned so far. Personally, I'm a big fan of Ming Tea, another of his many side projects/groups.

Anyone heard this latest project of Sweet's (along with some other prominent names)?

The Thorns

My only exposure so far has been on a listening station at Tower. Nice, melodic, well-crafted, but honestly I think the reviewer hits it dead on. It could have (and should have) been so much more.

[Rooster_Ties]

I'm a big fan of Ming Tea, another of [sweet's] many side projects/groups.

Hmmmm. Never heard of "Ming Tea". Nothing on the AMG about it. Do tell!!

[Eric]

I have that Thorns CD and frankly, it is a snooze. It does not sound like a Sweet record - kind of reminds me of Wilson Phillips. Very lightweight, at least for my tastes.

Is Ming Tea the group that played "Daddy Wasn't There" in Goldmember??

Eric

[Eric]

To answer my own question, yes

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&u...l=Agsz1z83a3yv6

Have they done anything besides this cut? Does Sweet or anyone else sing lead?

Eric

[DrJ]

Ming Tea has been featured in all three of the Austin Powers movies. So in addition to "Daddy Wasn't There," there are other insanely catchy (and often funny) tunes like "BBC" which is played over the end credits of, I believe, the first movie. How could it miss with these minimalist, haiku-perfect spoof lyrics?

Missus,

Will ya

Make me tea?

Make love to me?

Put on the teley?

To the BBC!

To the BBC,

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

BBC 1!

BBC 2!

BBC 3!

BBC 4!

BBC 5!

BBC 6!

BBC 7!

BBC heaven!

(repeat 2 more times)

BBC, peace!

They also do all the little scene-bridging music bits in the movies. Susannah Hoffs (of Bangles fame), Mike Myers, and Sweet are the main players. I hear tell that they occasionally do impromptu live performances at clubs (in LA?), would love to happen across one of those! So far all I've heard has Myers singing.

http://www.seds.org/~michaelk/Ming.html

Hoffs is married to Jay Roach, who directed the Powers movies.

Edited October 18, 2003 by DrJ

[ghost of miles]

I saw the Thorns open for the Jayhawks last summer at Indianapolis' Vogue Theater. Their songs sounded much better live (not unusual, huh?). Something got lost in the studio translation, methinks.