# Fountains of Wayne's New CD - Buy It! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 8, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090 "2003-07-08T21:21:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/1 "2003-07-08T21:21:11Z")
Have you heard _Welcome Interstate Managers_ their new CD? I cannot recommend it strongly enough. Here’s a link to the Amazon listing: [link](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009QGF2/qid=1057699278/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-4036053-2128836?v=glance&s=music) If you like music - it has great pop music - melt-in-your-mouth pop music that is instantly accessible and familiar, yet bears up to repeated listenings as you hear the complexity. Some are hard-rockers - like Day Tripper or Paperback Writer by the Beatles - others are more strummy. If you like lyrics - the lyrics are complex, funny and thoughtful. Each can be listened to in the background or its own short story. Fountains of Wayne tend to live by the Police Songwriting Law - write upbeat-sounding tunes that have heavy lyrics. Great, great stuff. Easily the best pop album I have heard in years. Check it out. P.S.: Oh, and in case you haven’t heard of them, Fountains of Wayne were the ones that wrote the title song to the Tom Hanks-directed movie “That Thing You Do!” ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/2 "2003-07-08T21:49:55Z")
They did an excellent cover of Baby One More Time. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/3 "2003-07-09T01:15:51Z")
How does it compare to Utopia Parkway? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/4 "2003-07-09T02:14:44Z")
I don’t think I’ll buy this one. I pulled out their self-titled after hearing “Stacy’s mom” on the radio and gave it as listen. Then I remembered why it’d been years since I’d listened to the cd. They tend to have a few songs I like, and more that I don’t care for. Oh well. \*\* Mockingbird\*\*, have you ever heard **Travis** ’s version of that song? It’s the best 😃 I like it much better than Britney’s or FOW’s versions. ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/5 "2003-07-09T06:27:24Z")
_fingers crossed that my friend comes through with the extra ticket so I can see them on Thursday, since my stupid ass waited too long to buy a ticket and it got sold out_ ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/6 "2003-07-09T12:01:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by saramamlana \* > \*\*_fingers crossed that my friend comes through with the extra ticket so I can see them on Thursday, since my stupid ass waited too long to buy a ticket and it got sold out_ \*\* I hope you get your ticket. I saw them last week in Milwaukee and it was a really good show. Not that I judge a live performance by this, but I’ve never heard a band that sounded so much like their recordings. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/7 "2003-07-09T12:08:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SmackFu \* > \*\*How does it compare to Utopia Parkway? \*\* I think it is better than Utopia Parkway and I love that album. ---
**Author:** ![initech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/439d5e/32.png) [@initech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/initech)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/8 "2003-07-09T13:59:01Z")
I’m with WordMan, get the damn album. It’s really outstanding. I’ve been listening to it nonstop for weeks; easily the best album I’ve heard in years. I saw them at a very small venue several months ago, and found the show to be very lackluster–no energy or enthusiasm, poor audio quality. I thought maybe they just weren’t much of a live band. Was that a bad night perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/9 "2003-07-09T14:15:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SmackFu \* > \*\*How does it compare to Utopia Parkway? \*\* A slight hijack here, a question about fountains of wayne. My high school (in fresh meadows, ny) was on utopia pkwy. On the album cover there is a picture of an actual utopia pkwy street sign from queens. The art in the album liner notes, cover, etc is all pictures of queens and other parts of nyc. Several of the songs pertain to nyc. Are they from queens? And if now, why would they pick such an obscure region (utopia pkwy is mostly residental, or lined with little neighborhood stores) to sing about? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/10 "2003-07-09T18:44:36Z")
Yep - these guys are local New Yorkers. I am sure the specifics are find-able, but the write about all the boroughs, Long Island, etc. A lot of Welcome Interstate Managers is about New Jersey. I seem to remember one of them stating that they used to drive by the Utopia Parkway ramp off the L.I.E. or something, on the way to gigs - he always thought it would be a cool album name… ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/11 "2003-07-10T04:11:24Z")
I stopped and bought the album today after reading this thread. It’s pretty good. There are a couple of absolute gems on the album. But I can’t call it “The best in years”. One thing I don’t like is that some of the songs seem to have fairly pedestrian subjects. Great melodies, good hooks, but not very deep. A better new album in the same genre would be The Jayhawks’ “Rainy Day Music”. Or Wilco’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” ---
**Author:** ![initech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/439d5e/32.png) [@initech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/initech)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/12 "2003-07-10T05:47:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*I stopped and bought the album today after reading this thread. > > It’s pretty good. There are a couple of absolute gems on the album. But I can’t call it “The best in years”. One thing I don’t like is that some of the songs seem to have fairly pedestrian subjects. Great melodies, good hooks, but not very deep. > > A better new album in the same genre would be The Jayhawks’ “Rainy Day Music”. Or Wilco’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” \*\* Keep listening; it’ll grow on you. Once you realize that many of those “fairly pedestrian” subjects are actually _extremely_ pedestrian subjects, then you’ll fully appreciate the genius that is FOW. Your other suggestions are also great albums, particularly YHF. Anyone who can listen to “Jesus, etc.” and not be impressed has ice water in their veins. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/13 "2003-07-10T08:04:43Z")
I don’t know Fountains of Wayne at all, apart from hearing the song _Hackensack_ on the radio the other day and being totally captivated. Is that track on the new album? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/14 "2003-07-10T08:09:16Z")
Yep. Listened to it again tonight. It’s one of those albums that gets better with repeated listenings. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/15 "2003-07-10T08:20:19Z")
I’m getting it this lunchtime, then. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/16 "2003-07-10T11:26:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by initech \* > \*\*Keep listening; it’ll grow on you. Once you realize that many of those “fairly pedestrian” subjects are actually _extremely_ pedestrian subjects, then you’ll fully appreciate the genius that is FOW. > > Your other suggestions are also great albums, particularly YHF. Anyone who can listen to “Jesus, etc.” and not be impressed has ice water in their veins. \*\* **initech** - I couldn’t agree more. On the surface, Fountains of Wayne write incredibly catchy pop tunes, the kind that sound deceptively easy, but are more complex when you peel the layers. As for the lyrics, they tend to go after “slice of life” portrayals of ourselves and people we know. Listeners don’t have to focus on them at all - do we really want to focus on “Every Breath you Take” as a stalker’s anthem every time we listen to it? - but if you choose to focus on the lyrics, you get stories of big dreams, false hopes, dealing with the day to day and the harsh reality of life. All in a neat, well-produced, incredibly accessible pop package. The music adds a layer of complexity because of its pop sensibilities - it makes the lyrics that much more…poignant, I guess. **jjim** - keep us posted on the purchase. ---
**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/17 "2003-07-10T13:57:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WordMan \* > \*\* > I seem to remember one of them stating that they used to drive by the Utopia Parkway ramp off the L.I.E. or something, on the way to gigs - he always thought it would be a cool album name… \*\* Interestingly, this is exactly the location of the high school I went to. Well, at least the place influenced somebody. \* \*It sort of influenced me too, seeing as how my aol im name is UtopiaSeas. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/18 "2003-07-10T16:09:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WordMan \* > \*\ ***jjim** - keep us posted on the purchase. \*\* Bah, not released in Europe until Monday. ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/19 "2003-07-10T18:07:51Z")
I’m going to see them tonight! Wheeee!! Bless the lord for friend’s friend having an extra ticket. I will report back later on the concert. 🙂 [slight hijack]Do any of you FOW fans also listen to The Odds? I love them both and think they’re kinda similar. [/slight hijack] ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090/20 "2003-07-10T18:55:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by acrossthesea \* > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by Wordman_ > > I seem to remember one of them stating that they used to drive by the Utopia Parkway ramp off the L.I.E. or something, on the way to gigs - he always thought it would be a cool album name… > > **Interestingly, this is exactly the location of the high school I went to. Well, at least the place influenced somebody.** Okay, now I have a question: On Route 46 in Wayne, NJ there’s place that sells fountains. The name of this place is “Fountains of Wayne”. Is that where the band got their name? I was aware of the fountain store before I was aware of the band, and I always wondered if they took their name from the store. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fountains-of-waynes-new-cd-buy-it/187090.md?page=2)