Whatever happened to Fountains of Wayne? (c/d?)

On first listen, I'm impressed with "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart", "A Dip in the Ocean", "A Road Song" (though kind of paint by numbers), "Workingman's Hands" (not quite "Hung Up on You" but nice slide guitar), and "The Summer Place". "Richie and Ruben" is seriously distressing, as is to a lesser extent "Acela". The slice of life vignettes are a key part of FOW's songwriting but they work better with "he" or "she" subjects that allow listeners to filter their own experiences through the story. Desmond and Molly/proper noun tracks about specific people or well-known things just don't work because the music stops doing the talking and the stories tend to be clunky and strange. "Hate to See You Like This" and "Radio Bar" could be growers.

I continue to find it interesting that they have dabbled so enthusiastically in hypercompression and vocal processing. This obviously isn't new ("Maureen" was the first time I noticed the loudness war, before I knew what the term even meant) but still unfortunate when the melodies and vocals don't need any extra help. Brendan Benson did the same thing on his latest album, usually to negative effect. "Radiation Vibe" and "Survival Car" sound so organic and, well, REAL by comparison. "Firelight Waltz" verges on Rascal Flatts territory.

I'm almost hearing more Owsley (circa his self-titled album) than Fountains of Wayne in a lot of these tracks.

I don't think there's any more need to discuss this album: the Jersey Journal has had its say.

http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2011/07/melodic_witty_songs_on_fountai.html

This should perhaps be in the worst music writing thread.

First album classic, second great, third meh, 4th a smarm-fest - this: meh.

Gamemaster1015 July 21, 2011 at 4:46PM

Power pop? Is that really a music genre?

Hawaii 5-0? WTF??

Live perf / interview on WFMU momentarily

http://wfmu.org/upcoming#9934

I want to live in this alternate universe where "Red Dragon Tattoo" is played on the radio.

Richie and Ruben sucks live as well...not sure why they are leading with this track. I Hate to See You Like This is a good second song though.

Halfway in, liking this much better than Traffic and Weather.

Nothing is as bad as Traffic And Weather....

This is is their best since Utopia Parkway, which admittedly isn't saying much, though it's a huge improvement

That's twice you've made this somewhat baffling assertion that Welcome Interstate Managers isn't all that good. I mean I like Utopia Parkway just fine but still surprised that you find it better than WIM...what was it about it you found so "meh"? Honestly curious here.

Me too. Some days, WIM is my favorite. So many great songs.

Mexican Wine / Bright Future in Sales / Stacy's Mom might be the best consecutive run of three songs in their whole catalogue, but after that WiM drops off steeply for me -- but again this may just be becaue their ballads and country pastiches don't do it for me.

I think I prefer "California Sex Lawyer" to anything on Traffic and Weather.

they'll never touch the debut IMO, it's the only one that's not just listenable but great, front-to-back. then again I prefer the comparatively "lo-fi" two-member recording style.

WIM does have four or five great songs though.

That's twice you've made this somewhat baffling assertion that Welcome Interstate Managers isn't all that good. I mean I like Utopia Parkway just fine but still surprised that you find it better than WIM...what was it about it you found so "meh"? Honestly curious here.

Well, I did one of the occasional attempts at a Welcome Interstate Managers reassessment this afternoon and I have to report I remain unconvinced there's a single great song on there. 'Mexican Wine' and 'Halley's Waitress' come closest, though'. For me, the level of uninteresting acoustic cheese songs is way, way too high and the upbeat stuff - well, there's hardly any of it. 'Bright Future In Sales' and 'Mexican Wine' are OK for cheesy, semi-ironic rawk value... 'Hey Julie', 'Valley Winter Song' - I'm guessing a fan favourites here - are just dull. 'Fire Island', 'Peace And Love' and 'Supercollider' are just flat-out dreadful, the latter appearing to be a bewildering homage to 'Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants'-era Oasis. The recurring businessman lyrical theme is uninteresting, these and the other characters don't present themselves as people captivating enough to be cared about, which seems kind of important for what I'm guessing FoW wish to achieve.

I'm yet to revisit what I remember as the appalling Traffic And Weather, but I'm pleased to say the new album has the pre-WIM spark back and sounds more like the logical follow-up to 'Utopia Parkway', which sags towards the end like all of their albums except for the debut, though was otherwise a pretty great album.

Mexican Wine / Bright Future in Sales / Stacy's Mom might be the best consecutive run of three songs in their whole catalogue, but after that WiM drops off steeply for me

B-b-but..."Hey Julie" and "Hackensack!"

"Valley Winter Song" is all time.

The new album is kind of great. Not reallly "meh" until near the end. I'm lovin it!!!!

sorry to come in with the 'prefer the early stuff' but never heard anything as good as Radiation Vibe...just sounds effortless

They are on Letterman tonight (also featuring Louis CK!)

never heard anything as good as Radiation Vibe

to me this is so obviously correct that it doesn't detract from the rest of what they did, it's no more "prefer the early stuff" than saying violent femmes never equalled "blister in the sun"

First time watching Letterman in like ten years but I happen to be in front of the TV and the Louise / FoW doubleshot is too good to pass up for Golden Girls reruns tonight

They were good! They came across a lot more 'stylish' than I expected (even if that style was 'ironic detachment'), and I came away liking that "Dip In The Ocean" song more than I did initially, so, success.

Kirstie Alley is insufferable.

Louie was good.

As far as early FOW goes, "Leave the Biker" > "Radiation Vibe." Just sayin'.

You don't have to fuck anything if you disagree, though.

I'm a "Survival Car" guy, myself.

Just found out that "A Road Song" from their new album has also been covered by America of all bands, on their new covers album. Huh!

"Survival Car" is great! Maybe we should poll the album, there are a ton of little gems on there.

FoW albums ranking
1 Debut
2 WiM
3 The new one
4 Utopia Parkway

5 Traffic and Weather

Can't argue with that too much except to say that 1 and 2 positions are probably changed for me most of the time.

1 Debut
2 Utopia Parkway
3 The new one

enormous drop-off

4 Welcome Interstate Managers
5 Andrew Ridgely's 'Son Of Albert'
6 Traffic And Weather

to me this is so obviously correct that it doesn't detract from the rest of what they did, it's no more "prefer the early stuff" than saying violent femmes never equalled "blister in the sun"

Mudhoney to thread

lol at the Andrew Ridgely

B-b-but..."Hey Julie" and "Hackensack!"

Fer crying out loud people! What about their unquestioned masterpiece, No Better Place? Their best evah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, the WIM hate on here is bananas.

Data point: downloaded the album last night, went to bed, woke up feeling kinda miserable, ate breakfast, started playing new album. Instantly felt less miserable!

Also, WIM is jam-packed with hits.

This new is actually pretty good, I can see myself returning to it a lot more than Traffic and Weather.

All the talk about the mellowness of much of the new one has me hesitant to even listen, even if it supposedly better than the last one. But probably will

It's more of a grower than any of their others (I know that's a weird word to use when describing a power pop band known for instantly likable hits), but worth the effort I think. About a million times better than Traffic and Weather. I'm really enjoying this new one.

They're alternating electronic and acoustic shows on their current US tour (or at least the DC area gigs offer 1 of each)

Electronic?? What have you done with my Fountains of Wayne? (Guessing you mean electric, but if they've gone the full-Mould, it could be...interesting?)

ha

At the time it seemed good, but there's a smarminess to Traffic and Weather that's hard to identify until you hear it alongside the other albums--something in the production is really off and the Desmond & Molly-itis is almost unbearable at times. I think the debut is missing some polish but I can see why people prefer it to their later stuff. IMO the highs aren't as high as on WIM or Utopia.

1. WIM
2. Utopia Parkway
...
3. s/t
....
4. Traffic & Weather

My back of the envelope 1-CD greatest hits would have 4 from FOW and T&W, 5 from Utopia, 8 from WIM, and Maureen. The new one will probably slot in at #4 ahead of T&W. I've listened it to it 9-10 times already and it's holding up. The shirt they give you with the Yep Roc package is also nice.

OK, I take back what I said about "Richie and Ruben". That is some catchy shit.

The Summer Place, Richie & Ruben, Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart and A Drop In The Ocean = great new FoW songs.

I like this more every time I hear it. The only one I'm not sold on right now is "Radio Bar." Think it's the sax.

My wife doesn't understand why I like this band, btw.

I also just realized how much this band reminds me of Grandaddy circa Sumday. "El Caminos In The West" could have been a FoW tune. Anyone ever make this connection?

Gotta say I've never made the connection to Grandaddy, but I have made the connection from both of them to Electric Light Orchestra so there's probably something in that!

I love this record.

Me too. Weirdly, something of a grower, but I find myself passing over, cooler, more recently acquired other things to hear it when I'm driving. I like every song except "Radio Bar" (still not sold on that one).

I chose walking in the sunshine to give this a first listen, and it worked alright, but I'm still not pulled in. I have a feeling that at some point in the future, I'll put it on and it will click, because I can tell that's it pretty solid even if I'm not yet overly-enthused. But the summer season is waning and I feel I need to act right now.

xpost i had the timeline wrong, but that's it - thank you vm

Listened to UP and Traffic and Weather this am as I was making Easter brunch. The latter was a mainstay in my car CD player after it came out. It’s obviously not on the level of its two predecessors and has fewer classics. But it holds up better than I remember and that the circumstances surrounding its recording would suggest.

Yolanda Hayes for the sneaky win here.

https://youtu.be/R3CfvtjZgog

^ Squeeze's Glenn Tilbrook's new cover of Hackensack

Hackensack is the best FoW song.
(also, Glenn Tilbrook is one of my all-time favorite songwriters, but this cover is a bit limp -- dude *is* in his 60's after all)

https://youtu.be/m9p8t4Q_MX4?t=185 him doing Red Dragon Tattoo in 2003

That's more like it -- back in 2003, Glenn still had the juice (I think i saw that solo tour)

Hackensack w/ Sharon Von Etten:
https://streamable.com/ph4a0c?fbclid=IwAR2WBl1GylprtMdOF9WnS_XXax_yX9fVtX_Sz94FYeTE3fo_RfY2Qpzcj_w

Nice.

Watched Josie and the Pussycats with the kids tonight. Of course Adam is all over the soundtrack, but I've always thought this one by him was a career power-pop highpoint:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fzv-dbiJMM

yes!!!

crossposting w/ the emo thread, only up to the Silverman/Ben Lee "Way Back Into Love" but this is really nice so far

https://fatherdaughterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/saving-for-a-custom-van