Matthew Sweet

 ((Whisky; 400 capacity; $ 15))

By PHIL GALLO

Presented by Goldenvoice. Reviewed April 20, 1995.
 
Band: Sweet, Tony Marisco, Ivan Julian, Stuart Johnson.
 

With a return to the romantic bubble that made his "Girlfriend" one of the ' 90s first masterpieces, Matthew Sweet's two-hour show was -- like the title of his new album -- 100% fun and full of original spins on delightfully derivative material.

So strong and well-developed are the songs from his new Zoo release that when he performed numbers (such as the infuriatingly half-baked "Devil With the Green Eyes") from his ragged '93 disc "Beast," he muddied the waters, breaking up the continuity of the set and the upbeat appeal of his no-spotlight-please persona.

Starting the show of two dozen songs with the new "Sick of Myself," Sweet immediately asserted himself as Cupid's wounded target, able to start again without wallowing in self-pity or self-conscious reflection.

Sweet has finally found a basic distinguishable sound -- halfway between the Beatles' "Let it Be" album and Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps"-- and a band that can do it as convincingly as the impressive musicians he hires for his albums.

The unit was consistently taut, even in moments of seemingly free-form jamming, keeping each of his gems centered and focused. The sound system helped the effort as his voice was clear and the instruments well mixed all night.