Continue reading » Download, Feature, Live Collection Tagged with: Billy Idol, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Buddy Holly, Dean Martin, Eddie Cochran, Elvis Presley, Ernie K-Doe, Frank Sinatra, J.D.Part Mellencamp, part Tom Petty (with some old-school Neil Young angst thrown in for good measure), singer/songwriter Pete Droge is probably one of the most overlooked of the modern-day Americana/rock/folk music movement. Zevon had some things in common with his laid-back Asylum label contemporaries, but what separated his music from Browne, Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles was his ability to write caustic and satirical songs about unconventional people often in awkward situations. in late 1975, his pal Jackson Browne was there to help him get a record deal. A self-imposed exile in Spain would follow and when Zevon returned to L.A. Then he spent a couple years on the road with the Everly Brothers, both together with Phil and Don and then with each of them solo, like a child of a divorce custody battle, as the brothers were beginning their estrangement. he was a session musician and jingle writer, penned a few songs for the Turtles and released a forgettable solo debut in 1970. Warren Zevon had paid his dues for years before his self-titled 1976 release would finally get him a fair amount of critical attention and a modest amount of airplay. But never before has he received the sort of career-affirming fawning adulation that can only be found in an “In the Spotlight” feature.Ĭontinue reading » Download, Feature, In the Spotlight Tagged with: Big Star, Electric Light Orchestra, ELO, Matthew Sweet, Michael Stipe, Pete Droge, R.E.M., Shawn Mullins, The Carpenters, The Community Trolls, The Jayhawks, The Move, The Thorns, The Velvet Underground

Of course, the music geeks who write for Cover Me are Sweet fans we’ve featured his cover work repeatedly, even giving him a birthday tribute featuring covers of his songs by other artists. In this case, that thing is the musical genre of “power pop.” Sweet is almost universally considered to be a master of the genre (usually defined as being a cross between hard rock and pop, with serious Beatles influences), and his best album, 1991’s Girlfriend, is generally considered to be a masterpiece, even by people who generally look down their noses at “power pop.”Īs a result, Sweet is a cult hero to some critics and fans who appreciate the tight, hook-filled yet intelligent songwriting that typifies the genre, while remaining unknown to the masses who may – may – have heard one of the two or three Sweet songs that occasionally sneak into a radio or streaming playlist.

Matthew Sweet’s career is a textbook example of what happens if you are exceedingly good at something that is not considered to be cool.

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