Desolation Boulevard

Though Sweet enjoyed a momentary popularity in the mid 70s, they never quite got the recognition they deserved. The band was overshadowed by other glam rockers, and viewed as somewhat of a novelty band in the vein of The Archies. Just when they got their big break opening for The Who (Pete Townshend was a very public admirer), lead singer Bryan Connolly was punched in throat, forcing them to back out. Addicted to drugs and alcohol, Connolly left the band in 1979, and Sweet's popularity tapered off until their breakup in 1982. To this day, they are only moderately well known in the UK, and virtually unheard of in the U.S., despite such hits as "Ballroom Blitz" and "Fox On The Run."

Stylistically, Desolation Boulevard marks a turning point for Sweet, as they moved away from bubblegum pop and into the realm of hard rock. The band began to distance them-selves from song writing duo Mark Chapman and Nikki Chinn, and handled more of the composition on their own. Though the more authentic European pressing of Desolation Boulevard contained more songs written by the band, the U.S. version had a counterintuitively superior track listing, with a harder edge, and less radio pandering.

The music on Desolation Boulevard is best described as a mixture of The Who, Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple (Ian Gillan was in fact an original member of Sweet). Certain songs take on a progressive flair, whereas others recall the bands bubblegum pop sound. Sweet are arguably not the most original band, often wearing their influences on their sleeves. The harmonies in "Fox On The Run" are pulled straight out of the Queen songbook, the end solo on "Solid Gold Brass" is a direct rip off of "Heartbreaker". But ultimately, everything is combined in a tasteful manner, with each song a unique, melodic, and memorable statement. Combine that with excellent musicianship and top-notch production, and you have a truly 5 star album.

Ripped from the 2005 European remastered and expanded CD to sugar coated MP3

Sweet; Desolation Boulevard

1.      The Six Teens

2.      Solid Gold Brass

3.      Turn It Down

4.      Medussa

5.      Lady Starlight

6.      Man With The Golden Arm

7.      Fox On The Run

8.      Breakdown

9.      My Generation

10.   Teenage Rampage

11.   Own Up, Take A Look At Your Self

12.   Burn On The Flame

13.   Someone Else Will

14.   Medussa [Home Demo]

15.   Burn On The Flame [Home Demo]

16.   I Wanna Be Committed

17.   Fox On The Run (7” Version)

18.   Miss Demeanor

  You can still find Sweet Fanny Adams here