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Fountains of Wayne - Fountains of Wayne Audio CD

A fair review of the Fountains of Wayne "Fountains of Wayne" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Fountains of Wayne reviews here, or go back to the Fountains of Wayne tabs.

Fountains of Wayne Band: Fountains of Wayne
Title: Fountains of Wayne
Rating:
Release Date: 1996-10-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Radiation Vibe 2: Sink to the Bottom 3: Joe Rey 4: She's Got a Problem 5: Survival Car 6: Barbara H. 7: Sick Day 8: I've Got a Flair 9: Leave the Biker 10: You Curse at Girls 11: Please Don't Rock Me Tonight 12: Everything's Ruined

Deft touch
You can imagine this album being delivered in earnest 60's style, or indeed you might if Weezer hadn't saved you the effort by already giving you that exact mental picture in the amazing "Buddy Holly" video. This is a deftly performed collection of high quality power pop, with a liberal coating of 60's cheese, possibly Monterrey Jack.

Well, see that video, that's what this album makes you see when you listen to it? Or maybe perhaps a sort of Beach Boys tune if they hadn't been so obsessed with writing songs about cars and surfing. Ok, well, if you think of "Be True to Your School", a song which was surely written for an ironic laugh, that's the sort of ironic vibe FOW have pulled off here. Or perhaps I totally misunderstood the entire album.

Bugger.

PS - Now I am thinking about "Be true to your school" and how it might have been written. I suspect the record company went into the Beach Boys one day when they were probably wacked out of their minds on drugs and bouncing around on young ladies in bikinis and said "Hey Guys, you are always writing songs about cars and girls and surfing, the Mayor thinks you are setting a bad example to our young folk". And the Beach Boys probably kicked around some ironic song title ideas such as "Registering to Vote is Cool", "Picking up litter on the beach rocks", "Becoming more politically active gets you more chicks" before settling on "Be true to your school". They then returned to work on "We love fast red cars and girls with big boobies". I would like to think that FOW adopted a similar approach to writing their songs.
.


A solid debut and a good indicator of things to come.
I found pretty much what I expected: incredibly clever wordplay wrapped around solid power pop hooks; this band has been solid since the beginning. As a relatively late arrival to this band, I've been working my way around their catalog finally getting to the debut. "Leave The Biker" alone is worth the price of the CD; a tale that every guy who thought Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" needed an update, will be more than satisfied with. The CD is filled with various takes on life's little mysteries and it's interesting to see how close the band stayed to its roots. If I have any complaint, it is the overwhelmingly mellow music; a little edge occasionally would be appreciated, but as a debut this is a good indicator of how talented this band is. .


Wow
If you like Stacy's Mom, you will love this album. I discovered this in 1997, long before Stacy's mom. It blows away their later stuff. It is a must have if you love catchy, pop, infectious music. You will be tapping your toe almost the entire time. There are a couple of slower songs, but the rest of the album sufficiently makes up for the speed bumps. MUST HAVE.


power pop at its best


FOW is a terrific power pop group. This is a classic work that has yet to be formally recognized. They have 2 other cds out that are good but not as earnest as this one. FOW tends to be tongue in cheek, smarmy, sometimes too cute. Their first cd, this one, is more pure and honest.

What makes the group so good is the lyrics. They are clever yet at the same time done in a unique, conversational manner. Like a close friend telling you a story, in everyday jargon only to music. The music is amped up. . . Ramones style (but more musically sophisticated).

All the songs are great, there is no filler. "Radiation Vibe" kicks off the cd with energy and a very catchy chorus. "Joe Rey" moves fast and employs a Nirvana soft/heavy style. "Shes got a problem" and "Sick Day" epitomizes the unique conversational songcraft. "Barbara H" rocks, rocks rocks! "I've got a problem" and "Leave the Biker" examplifies the wit in their songwriting.

The cd moves at a quick pace.

Interestingly, the very precious cd cover art of a little boy in pajamas acting out some fatasy, "I. m a superhero" thing perfectly reflects the tone and theme of this cd. This was music made, at the time, by and up and coming band that did not care what was in vogue and maintained a very real and honest vibe.

Their other cds are very good but not like this one! .


one of my faves
Each track on here are filled with extremely catchy hooks that will stick in your head for months. One of those rare albums where EVERY song on it is excellent. I still have a hard time getting some of the songs out of my head, after I heard for the first time about 4 months ago.

I came into this album expecting a generic 90's alt rock album, when I heard in actuality a brilliant Beatles/Beach Boys influenced power pop with a modern production filled with references of the tri-state area.

Some of the lyrics struck me as really lame at first, like in "Leave The Biker", but once you realize how awesome the music is, you start to pick out that these are obviously tongue in cheek. "I've Got A Flair", "Joe Rey", "Barbara H". . . it is extremely hard to get these hooks out of your head.

"Everything's Ruined", my favorite song on the album is on here too, which is quite unlike anything else on the album. It is a gentle piano ballad with a beautiful melody and lyrics that are obviously meant to be more serious.

If there's any similar album like this one that came out around the same time, i'd definitely like to hear it. This is an excellent album and has quickly become one of my favorites of all time.


You can see a complete list of all Fountains of Wayne discography, or go back to the Fountains of Wayne tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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