By the time of 1980's Waters Edge, the Sweet had lost pretty much all of their fan base and had cast aside the experimental edge of their previous record, going back to a more straightforward approach that played to their strength, namely, bashing out memorable pop tunes. They didn't sound much like the Sweet of old, but tracks like "Sixties Man," "At Midnight," "Getting in the Mood for Love," and "Hot Shot Gambler" are hooky, streamlined '80s pop that are surprisingly good. They stack up well next to the artists of the day like ELO (whom they ape convincingly well on "Tell the Truth" here) or Rick Springfield. Fans of the Sweet of "Ballroom Blitz" or "Little Willy" may find this slick, radio-friendly approach somewhat off-putting, but then they always aimed to be radio-friendly. Don't let any preconceived notions let you pass this minor gem by.
© Tim Sendra /TiVo