This new album from guitarist Andy Scott‘s version of Sweet (a bunch of US bozos still tour Stateside under the moniker despite having nothing to do with the band apart from backing former bassist (now deceased) Steve Priest some while ago) is being touted as the band’s recorded swan song, and if that proves to be the case then it sees the band bowing out in fine, if slightly subdued style.

That’s probably not a surprise, as Scott himself is in his mid seventies, but the band he has surrounded himself with on Full Circle are all able to take up any slack left lacking in the vitality stakes, meaning that Full Circle rarely sounds like an exercise in nostalgia, even if it is occasionally stuck in the sort of late-eighties AOR rut bands of a similar vintage such as Uriah Heep have dabbled in in later years.

Only the tribute to Germany, Destination Hannover, employs what might recognisably be described as ‘the Sweet Sound’, with most of the vocal heavy lifting done here by former Cats In Space Man Paul Manzi with help from journeyman AOR throat (and Lionheart frontman) Lee Small, who here plays bass as well. Four part harmonies are in short supply, but you do get a short spoken word performance from Scott himself that fittingly ends the album.

Talking of Cats In Space, the excellent Fire In My Heart wouldn’t sound out of place on any of that band’s albums; Elsewhere best track Defender is out and out AOR and none the worse for that, but for the most part what Sweet v.2024 offers is gentle, relaxed rock performed with slowhanded ease and punctuated by occasional flashes of Scott brilliance. If you’re looking for music to blitz ballrooms or raise hell to, you’ll be sorely disappointed, but it’s hard to deny the likes of Coming Home in terms of songwriting skill and performance.

Full Circle is out Now.