The Trouble with Sweeney

The Trouble with Sweeney was a band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that existed from 1999 to 2004.[1]

The band's songwriter and frontman Joey Sweeney started the band five years after leaving The Barnabys and recording a solo album, Heartache Baseball. They released two full-length albums and two EPs on Burnt Toast Vinyl, as well as a self-titled EP which was released shortly after their formation. They also released an EP on the Basement Life imprint called Play Karen (and Others) in 2002.[2] Many of the band's songs depict life in the city of Philadelphia and the surrounding area, and their final EP, Fishtown Briefcase, is named after a Philadelphia neighborhood.[3][4] "The Counterfeiters" from I Know You Destroy! and "Waiting for Gary" from Play Karen (and Others) directly refer to or quote the writings of André Gide, a French author.[5][6]

Joey Sweeney wrote for alternative weekly newspaper Philadelphia Weekly in the 1990s[7] is now the editor of the website Philebrity. Producer Brian McTear has gone on to mix, engineer, and produce albums for a number of notable artists, such as Marissa Nadler, Espers, Sharon Van Etten, Jens Lekman, Meg Baird, Danielson Famile, Mazarin, and Greg Weeks.[8]

Discography

Full lengths

• Dear Life (Burnt Toast Vinyl, 2001)[9][10][11]
• I Know You Destroy! (Burnt Toast, 2003)[12]

EPs

• The Trouble With Sweeney (Burnt Toast, 1999)[13]
• Play Karen (and Others) (Basement Life Recordings, 2002)[14]
• Fishtown Briefcase (Burnt Toast, 2004)[15]

References

1. The Trouble with Sweeney at AllMusic
2. Review, Pop Matters
3. Review of Fishtown Briefcase, Pitchfork Media
4. Review of Fishtown Briefcase (Google cache). ChartAttack, July 6, 2004
5. Review of Play Karen (and Others) Archived 2002-10-29 at the Wayback Machine, Splendid Magazine, June 12, 2002.
6. Review of Play Karen (and Others), Hybrid Magazine.
7. Interview with Joey Sweeney Archived 2012-07-07 at archive.today. Citypaper, June 19–25, 2003.
8. "Brian McTear: Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
9. Fink, Matt. "Dear Life - The Trouble With Sweeney". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
10. Jones, J.R. (31 May 2001). "The Trouble With Sweeney". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
11. Cavalieri, Nate (11 September 2002). "Waiting for Sweeney". Metro Times. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
12. Steenberg, Andrew (June 2003). "Trouble With Sweeney - (I Know You Destroy)". Exclaim!. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
13. Saraceno, Christina. "The Trouble With Sweeney". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
14. Falk, Renee (6 May 2002). "Trouble with Sweeney: Play Karen and Others". CMJ New Music Report. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
15. Klinge, Steve (2004). "The Trouble with Sweeney: Fishtown Briefcase". CMJ New Music Monthly (125): 42. ISSN 1074-6978. Retrieved 29 April 2012.

External links

• Official Web Site (not updated since 2004)