Chances are everyone has heard Jersey power-pop quartet Fountains of Wayne, but not everyone knows it yet. In the band's off time, songwriting duo Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger penned and performed the title song from the motion picture "That Thing You Do!" and wrote the songs performed in "Josie and the Pussycats," as well as the theme from Comedy Central's "Crank Yankers."
Upon the release of its self-titled debut, Fountains quickly struck a chord with listeners with instant favorites like "Sink to the Bottom," "Leave the Biker" and "Survival Car." They also scored a minor rock radio hit with "Radiation Vibe."
Following the release of sophomore effort "Utopia Parkway," the band's label, Atlantic Records, dubbed Fountains a commercial failure despite its cult-fanfare and dropped the band. "Utopia" failed to recreate the start-to-finish glory the band's first LP so clearly had; the first three tracks were memorable in the vein of the first record, but ultimately 80 percent of the album was tedious, repetitive filler.
Sans label, Fountains proceeded in commercial dormancy for four years. In that time the members ascertained the evils of the record industry. Then, in 2003 they wrote and recorded "Welcome Interstate Managers" on their own dime, a record that recounts the lessons they learned.
"Interstate Managers" marks Fountains members' transition to seasoned veterans of power-pop, no longer nave and unaware of the corporate machine of major label music. The record predominantly contains themes of cubicle-indentured servitude, but does so in a charming, not bitter way.
Gone is the upbeat, yet monotonous electric-driven verse-chorus-verse structure that made the suburban themed "Utopia Parkway" a disappointment to both fans and critics. Enter a mature Fountains, willing to explore the uncharted territories of its previous work with an acoustic guitar, piano and the occasional orchestral arrangement.
Fans of the band's previous work will find the same unforgivably charming pop sensibility, only with more creative range, while straightforward pop rock like "Stacy's Mom" and "Mexican Wine" will easily impress new listeners.
Steel guitar virtuoso Robert Randolph lends his skills on country ballad "Hung Up on You," while former Smashing Pumpkin and current S-Curve boss James Iha guests on "All Kinds of Time."
"Hackensack" recounts the memory of a lost acquaintance that leaves town in search of a bigger and better place. Not since Elliott Smith's "Somebody That I Used to Know" has the subject been tackled in such a beautifully forlorn manner.
"Halley's Waitress" employs a wah-wah guitar riff more likely found on a Barry White record.
The uncanny ability of Schlesinger and Collingwood to tell stories and, in the process, create unforgettable characters in only three and a half minutes detaches Fountains from other pop bands.
