There's no denying that Fountains of Wayne
know how to craft a great pop record. They know how to write a hook,
they can pull of mild rockers and sweet ballads with equal aplomb, and
they write melodies that feel like half-forgotten favorites. They have
all the elements of a classic power pop band but they suffer from that
peculiar '90s ailment -- detachment. For all their flair, talent, and
craftsmanship, the band don't really dig deeper than the surface. Of
course, that doesn't mean they make bad records, and their second album,
Utopia Parkway,
is, if anything, every bit as good as their fine debut. All the songs
immediately make a connection and all of their melodic attributes simply
strengthen with repeated listens. However, those repeated listens
reveal that Fountains of Wayne
don't have a lot to say. That's not a cardinal sin in guitar pop, since
most bands simply recycle the same lovelorn themes, but Fountains
choose to have fun with clichés, throwing in goofy asides even in their
ballads.
Throughout the record, they seem like the well-read, pop
culture-saturated kids who sat in the back of the classroom, cracking
jokes that only they can understand. Depending on your view, this either
enhances the fun or keeps the record at a distance, because if you
don't share their disdain for hippies, laser shows, proms, malls, and
bikers, it will be a little hard to sing along with those glorious
melodies.
For some, this may be a minor point, but consider this:
emotional depth is what lifted Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend to classic status and what keeps Utopia Parkway from truly soaring, despite its many virtues(allmusic.com)
It seems that some people write their review of a FOW album after listening to a Swans record. (Don't misunderstand me, i like what M.Gira do). Whatever...
Enjoy
SB1
Flac1
Flac2
...both...
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