Tomorrow Forever

Tomorrow Forever, Matthew Sweet's fifth album of new material in this century, the first since 2011's Modern Art and 14th overall in a recording career spanning more than three decades, is teeming with his signature sounds and ongoing preoccupations. But the expansive 17-song work takes these familiar elements into previously unexplored territory, reflecting profound changes in his life. Purely in terms of its guitar payload, the new album is a breathtaking Fourth of July fireworks show, with axes trading volleys from the left and right channels in old-school-stereo fashion, as Sweet breaks out a lineup of killer players, each sporting a distinct style, like a modern-day Moby Grape or Buffalo Springfield.