Fountains of Wayne

The group's third album (their first in four years) puts them back on top in the clever tunesmith game. With their shamelessly perfect arrangements, Fountains of Wayne create instantly catchy pop songs that feel vaguely familiar, but have lyrics that no one else would write. Summery, post-modern pop fun.

Like Fountains of Wayne's first two excellently hook-y albums, Welcome Interstate
Managers bubbles over with unpretentious power pop. Held together by a narrative thread
about struggling nine-to-fivers, the songs are more laid-back than the band's earlier work,
but they're still catchy enough to rattle around your brain for days. CHRISTIAN HOARD (RS
924, June 12, 2003)

Their tunes have always seemed too facile, but seven years divided by three albums doesn't equal glib, especially with those years deepening their lyricism rather than their cynicism. Failure's been good for them too, putting meat on the failures they imagine--their young drunk with a dark future in sales scares up our pity, and though their young quarterback will complete his pass, they know nobody has "All Kinds of Time." Note that the protagonist in the next song is caught in a traffic jam. If they keep going, they may even feel a few females. (Grade - A-)