Nearly thirty years back Matthew Sweet formed the short-lived Commuity Trolls with REM’s Michael Stipe. Two decades ago his third album, Girlfriend, set a rarely bettered benchmark for jangly guitar power-pop craftsmanship.
Sweet’s striven in its shadow since, to slowly diminishing returns, like some latter-day Brian Wilson, pursuing phantom pop perfection in a sandpit full of slowly dissolving sugar.
But Modern Art ditches the euphoria for a marked mood change, its tumbling twelve string cascades, baroque piano parts, and summer romance harmonies in uncharacteristically melancholic mode, as Sweet quietly unshackles himself from the chains of expectation.
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Idrie, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Mearecate, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk