• Rating:
After the noise and threatening sound of "Melting in the Dark," light and colors return to take center stage in Steve Wynn's next album. Just over a year has passed, and New York has become his new home.
The cover, so shiny and sunny, tells us how the boy from Los Angeles has found in the Big Apple the necessary tranquility to let go and compose a light and subtle album. A work that exudes positive energy in every single track.
There are some interesting novelties starting with John Agnello (ask J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. about his worth) who takes care of the production and particularly the sound of the guitars; a sound that, for once, sets aside the distortion that had accompanied Steve, especially in Dream Syndicate (and here comes my usual reverential bow towards the Syndicate).
But the most important novelty of "Sweetness and Light" is the presence of Linda Pitmon, an incredible metronome on the drums who also becomes Steve's partner; she is the light and sweetness extracted from the title of the work.
The psychedelic rock of the opener "Silver Lining," the pop lightness with an infectious chorus of the following "Black Magic," the sublime title track that owes to the best Tom Petty. The chilling ballad in the conclusive and biographical "If My Life Was an Open Book" cannot be missed; there are also two magnificent covers that at this point you will certainly want to discover on your own.
An album for me just shy of five stars; I prefer Steve in the version where he pushes more on the louder and rock side of his invaluable repertoire.
Ad Maiora.
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