Matthew Sweet-Altered Beast (1993)
Artist: Matthew Sweet
Title: Altered Beast
Year of Release: 1993
Country and Year of Edition: US 1993 Blue BMG Club Edition
Sell Price: $3.11
Sell Date: 1/14/25
Condition: VG+/VG+
Discogs Last Sold: 7/7/24 VG+/VG+ $2.45
Low: $0.75
Median: $1.99
Average: $2.17
High: $6.00
Current low price: $1.00
Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 27
Have/Want: 321/14
Where Sold: Annandale, NJ
Time It Took To Sell: 9 years
Where and When Bought: abandoned collection
Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B+
Sad To See It Go: No
Much has happened since the last time I wrote about a release by Matthew Sweet. First off, I went to see him last April at City Winery here in NYC. He was supposed to be back on tour opening for Hanson last Fall, but he had a stroke in Toronto. Now there is a question as to whether he will ever play again, but he seems to be slowly on the mend although as of last month he issued a statement saying he may never play guitar again.
On Altered Beast, he utilized NYC legends, the Voidoids Ivan Julian and Robert Quine as well as Television's Richard Lloyd for track contributions. Keyboardist Nicky Hopkins is also on many of the tracks. Big Star's Jody Stephens and Mick Fleetwood both contribute drumming. One man's group of legends is someone else's "Dinosaur Act" which Sweet notes on the opening track.
This release had 5 different covers incorporating different base colors. The copy here happens to be blue as opposed to yellow, green, orange or purple. The streaming art incorporates these colors in alternating fashion.
This didn't have the commercial legs Girlfriend did, but it did peak at #75 on Billboard in a 7 week chart run (as opposed to Girlfriends #100 peak in a 29 week run). His next couple did a little better, so the Dinosaur Act tag was a bit premature. The two songs here that made it to video, "Time Capsule" and "The Ugly Truth" weren't hits like "Sick Of Myself" from 100% Fun became. "The Ugly Truth" has two versions. The video one called "Ugly Truth Rock" had Richard Lloyd, and the other had Robert Quine. On the album, Caligula being voted to be God by the senate is an added bonus. They ayes have it!
Sweet left out the sheep sounds.
FOR FURTHER REVIEW:
Richard Lloyd Group @ Heaven Can Wait 10/4/24
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