8 · Everyone is Here

I’ve already written about the Finn Brothers’ live show, so I’ll keep my powder dry for other instalments of this countdown by just noting that Everyone is Here was every bit as wonderful.

This is as good a place as any to mention another fine power-pop tunesmith, Matthew Sweet. His Japan-only release of a couple of years ago, Kimi ga Suki * Raifu, finally got a North American (and, more importantly, non-copy-protected) release this year. Back when it was still hard to get, some fans hailed it as his best since Girlfriend, but I suspect this may have been a case of overseas-release-only syndrome (listened to Paul McCartney’s Choba b CCCP lately?). It’s good enough, but my favourite Sweet album after Girlfriend is still 1999’s In Reverse. But it looks like there’s a “proper” 2004 release as well (Living Things—thanks, Internet!)—so happily there’s more sweet, sweet Sweet in store.

←@→