ira Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 And it is written in the Rock and Roll Bible that the Beatles begat the Who and the Kinks and the Small Faces who begat The Choir and Cyrus Erie and they begat the Raspberries...the Messiahs of Power Pop... and they begat The Fountains of Wayne who put out great teen angst suburban introspective Power Pop.In summation...Eric and you EC.com family members...What do you think of The Fountains of Wayne in general...and have you heard "Traffic and Weather" in particular?Really great stuff (IMHO)-Ira.I think they are a very special extension of the Raspberries Power Pop tradition.-Ira. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snazz123 Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Aha ira! Another thing we have in common! FOW is probably one of the last of the great power pop groups and a cause to rejoice! "Traffic and Weather" is so much fun with hilarious lyrics, great harmonies, and instrumentation that would make Brian Wilson smile.It'll be interesting to see if Eric is familiar with this group and what he thinks as well as other EC.com folks. SNazz123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollies65 Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 My guess is that most here would be FOW fans...they are one of my favorite current bands. Traffic & Weather is excellent [As is everything the have ever released including the B-sides comp Out Of State Plates. 'Someone To Love' is the new records song to "refuses to leave your brain after on listen" song. The 5th song on there[i think it's the 5th one] reminds me of Dylans 'I Wan't You' while '92 Blue Subaru' borrows the 'Surrender' riff. The disc gets a solid A from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Carmen Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Fountains Of Wayne are clever, witty and cool. I dig 'em big time. They're music that doesn't pander to dummies. Music for smart people. I love that. ec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Anyone that can write an original 60's Beatle-esque tune in the 90's better than most 60's Beatle-esque tunes from the 60's, INCLUDING The Beatles, has to be immortalized as a pop genius ("That Thing You Do!") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ira Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Wow..I'm so glad that you have found this wonderful, intelligent, fun band.-Ira. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Davie Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Yeah, they have been my favorite current band for the last 5 years. Adam is such a great songwriter. He gets the feel for each song almost perfectly. My favorites include:That Thing You Do (not FOW, but he wrote it)Stacey's MomHey JulieLittle Red LightCalifornia Sex LawyerHing Up On You (a GREAT tear in your beer country song)And I absolutely love "Leave The Biker"...it's practically the autobiography of my own senior year in high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Mac Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Halley's Waitress is one of my faves... FOW are a wonderful powerpop band. I enjoy them very much. I especially loved the Beach Boy influences on WIM. But for me, they lack an amazing lead singer like Raspberries had, and they are not capable of putting together a pop masterpiece in league with "Overnight Sensation." They've stopped growing and have been sort of stuck in "Fresh" mode for three albums now. By the way, I live 8 miles from Wayne New Jersey. There's a place on Route 46 selling outdoor statues and fountains called Fountains of Wayne. That's where they swiped their name from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggiesjc Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I guess I'll have to give these guys another try. I have a CD that I've listened to a couple of times, but it just didn't grab me the way it seems to be grabbing everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Agree with Jennifer overall, and Brian Mac, especially regarding their lack of a truly amazing singer (although the harmonies are fab), and "Traffic & Weather," which is a disappointment to me. Too much synthesizer, not nearly enough loud guitars, and the stories/characters on T&W just aren't that interesting to me....at least not as much as on most of their previous releases. I really dig FOW's earlier material, but the new CD....not so much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angloberry Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Been one of my favourite bands for years. They had some success here with the single "Stacy's Mom" last year. They are one of the few bands where I would go straight out and buy their new album knowing that it will be a winner. One recent review summed them up for me as being "masters of the sarky 3 minute pop masterpiece that sticks in your brain." The new album "Traffic and Weather" is just the same - favourite track is "This Better Be Good" - fantastic harmonies. I liken them in lots of ways to Simon and Garfunkel meets power pop! Each song is its own little story, very cleverly written from observation. "Music for smart people" indeed. Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlesteve Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I really enjoy FOW, and think they excel at what they set out to do. You can't be everything, to everyone, although the Raspberries almost were and that was probably a handful for the record execs, who need to have a label/define the acts assigned to their cubicle.FOW are not trying to write the next "Stairway to Heaven", but TTYD and SM are very Carmenesque.I think songs like Stacy's Mom they are actually poking fun at the business. The video starts with an obvious nod to the Cars. The melody and harmonies are strong and infectious, but I think when Adam writes "..you missed a spot over there, er, er, er,er,er) he's basically daring the suits at Clear Channel to play it.I was working on my roof a couple of years ago, listening to an alternative Seattle station, and Stacy's Mom came on for the first time to my ears. Too far away to even understand the lyrics, but it jumped out of the radio like IWTBWY did on my AM radio in my 65 Mustang.I'm afraid music is so fractured now that what we like is being condsidered a cult.My kids are 19, 17, and 11 and though they actually like "Dad's stuff" (Carmen, Springsteen, Eagles, Mellencamp, Macca, etc.) they also like what I call the third grade rhymes to a drum machine music, wasting space on their Ipod.I like FOW, but they don't stand a chance of being big. As EC said Country is really the only place left. Look at how many bands from the 70's and 80's we can still see at the HOB or casinos. Outside of country no one from today will still be touring 20 years from now.In fact my kids readily admit that outside of the acts who are essentially celebs more than musicians, their music is basically 5 year disposable.But I digress... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuke Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I got my balcony tickets at the HOUSE OF BLUES for June 9th.I like THIS BETTER BE GOOD, from the new disc.(They got a little Gilbert O'Sullivan to the sound/eq-ing of the lead vocal.)Zuke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Welcome Interstate Managers is a fantastic listen.Real good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Yeah, I've got that CD...have only listened a couple times but MAN...stunningly good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mannoman Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 When I first heard "Stacey's Mom" I was hooked. When I saw the video I couldn't stop laughing. It was a perfect sendup of a 12 y/o with delusions of his sex appeal. Very well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosskratz Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Another band with a great sense of humor is Bowling for Soup. They were supposed to play the night concert in Waukesha, the day thar Raspberries headlined the day concert. A big thunderstorm hit and the concert was cancelled and people were told they would get their money back. The band decided to play an acoustic set in the auditorium they had there because the fans waited so long. My family stayed because my son wanted to see the band, and I remember that the lead singer had a really cool comment about Raspberries. He told the crowd "those guys really came to sing". He made mention of the harmony and songs. Check out their song 1985 if you really want to feel old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snazz123 Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 "1985" is a hoot hosskratz. Have you ever seen the video? It is quite funny if you can track it down...perhaps on Youtube.SNazz123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cartmill Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Many songs on that BFS CD were produced by my boy Butch Walker... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuke Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 I think they are great too BUT...They obviously have the know how to produce and write a "good" complete song, BUT (again)...Most of their stuff goes on about nothing.Sonically has a potential to make you care about the song but never goes anywhere lyrically.Anyone agree or disagree?Eric? Know what I mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ira Posted May 8, 2007 Author Share Posted May 8, 2007 I get NO credit for this...JohnO sent me this video...But I think this is so cool...Neal Sedaka and part of Fountains of Wayne doin' "Calendar Girl" at "Joe's Pub" in Manhattan.Enjoy.-Ira. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNY3E3gNMtA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollies65 Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 That's top notch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ira Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 I just watched "Words and Music"...the film where Drew Barrymore helps Hugh Grant make a comeback by writing a hit record for the current "Britney"-type star.In so many movies where the plot involves a supposed mythical hit...the song that is germaine to the plot just is not hooky enough to be a hit...and this steals from the believability of the story.In this film...the song that was supposedly Hugh Grant's hit in the 80's...and the "hit" Hugh and Drew supposedly write for "Shakira" junior in 2007 DO sound like hits...WHY?...You may ask.'Cause they were written by Adam Schlesinger of "Fountains of Wayne" who also made "That Thing You Do" into a movie that worked...'cause he wrote that theme too...and it REALLY sounded like a 60's hit.Eric's right...he writes smart music for smart people.P.S. in the closing credits of "Words and Music" you can hear "America" sing a new Schlesinger tune and it's good too.-Ira. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollies65 Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Fountains Of Wayne rule...pure and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ira Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 Correction!..The name of this film...new to DVD... is "Music and Lyrics" Ira. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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