Utopia Parkway

Performer: Fountains of Wayne
Artist: Ron Sexsmith
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Fountains Of Wayne: Adam Schlesinger (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass); Chris Collingwood (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Jody Porter (vocals, guitar); Brian Young (drums, percussion). Additional personnel: Garo Yellin, Conway Kuo (strings); Kris Woolsey (handclaps); Ron Sexsmith (background vocals). Producers: Adam Schlesinger, Chris Collingwood. Engineers: Gary Maurer, John Siket, Adam Schlesinger. Recorded at Stratosphere Sound, The Big House and Room With A Jew, New York, New York; Destructopuss, Northampton, Massacheusetts. Personnel: Chris Collingwood, Adam Schlesinger (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Jody Porter (vocals, guitar); Garo Yellin, Ralph Farris, Conway Kuo (strings); Brian Young (drums, percussion); Kris Woolsey (hand claps); Ron Sexsmith (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Adam Schlesinger; Mike Denneen. Recording information: Big House, New York, NY; Destructopuss, Northampton, MA; Room With A Jew, New York, NY; Stratosphere Sound, Myc, NY. Photographers: Chris Collingwood; Joseph Cultice; Adam Schlesinger. Fountains of Wayne turn self-conscious alt-rock geekdom into an unassailable art form on their second album UTOPIA PARKWAY. They combine classic power-pop song structure with a knack for the killer hook and an endless supply of self-referential lyrics detailing the lives of East Coast hipsters growing up in the postmodern age. Perfect pop harmonies, ringing guitars and the occasional synth sweep (for retro new wave credibility) match lyrics about "playing in a cover band" and taking "the N train down to Coney Island." It quickly becomes plain that the outsider edge of the songs comes from the fact that the songs' characters are kids from the 'burbs who enter the city in search of deliverance, or at least relief from boredom. This scenario's apex is reached on "Laser Show," about driving into New York City's Hayden Planetarium to see Pink Floyd and Metallica laser shows. God bless those who write about what they know.

Spin (5/99, pp.152-154) - 8 (out of 10) - "...Fountains Of Wayne are a '90s version of the one-hit-wonders in That Thing You Do, whose theme Schlesinger wrote. They're modern-rock nebbishes, as intimidated by all the pop that's come before them as their protagonists are by TriBeCa..." Spin (p.119) - "[A] masterpiece of acutely detailed ennui." Entertainment Weekly (4/23/99, p.62) - "...If distance equals comedy, these guys aren't so far removed from their own youth that the narrative teen focus comes off as unduly ironic sociology. And Oasis would give up a week's worth of pints for any one of these pop hooks, though they'd never manage the humor or warmth." - Rating: A Q (6/99, pp.104-105) - 3 out of 5) - Good - "...[UTOPIA PARKWAY] blends Beach Boys harmonies with mildly discordant guitar feedback reminiscent of Jesus & Mary Chain at their most restrained....endearing..." Alternative Press (6/99, p.94) - 4 (out of 5) - "...a collection of influences and styles spanning the history of pop - from surf music to psychedelia to punk to new wave....Each of UTOPIA PARKWAY's songs sound both instantly familiar and uniquely unforgettable..." CMJ (4/19/99, p.5) - "...an album with an unerring focus on three-minute pop songs and timeless melodies. You'll hum a handful of tunes to yourself in idle moments hours after first hearing them, and there are plenty of witty lyrics to tickle your funny bone when you go back for more listens..." Melody Maker (5/22/99, p.38) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...From pensive love songs to odes for childhoods brought up in housing projects...it's all really rather wonderful..." Mojo (Publisher) (1/00, p.30) - Ranked #2 in Mojo Magazine's "Best of 1999" Mojo (Publisher) (5/99, pp.94-95) - "...The beauty of these songs, quite apart from the apt, insidious melodies are that they're witty without being clever-clever..."

Fountains of Wayne, built around singer/songwriters Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood, appeared in the mid-1990s with a hook-filled power-pop sound that acknowledged '60s and '70s influences but was unmistakably informed by a contemporary alt-rock sensibility. While their first two albums were well received (and they scored a minor hit in 1996 with "Radiation Vibe"), it wasn't until their third, 2003's WELCOME INTERSTATE MANAGERS, that they finally achieved major stardom with the single "Stacy's Mom." Along the way, they also garnered an Oscar nomination for the incredibly catchy theme song they wrote for the 1996 rock-fable film THAT THING YOU DO.

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