Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger is the hardest-working and most underrated pop tunesmith working today. When he’s not co-writing all of Fountains of Wayne’s songs (with Chris Collingwood), producing their albums, or playing keys, bass, guitar and singing backup, he’s doing the same thing for his other hugely successful indie-rock band, Ivy. And in his free time, he exercises his profoundly adept producing touch on such albums as America’s comeback, Here & Now.
Most Fountains of Wayne albums are a clever pastiche of balls-out, power-pop rockers and quirky, novel love songs. On Traffic and Weather, Schlesinger’s impressive production is the glue that holds the 14 tracks together. Even when the songs are merely average, (and there are more of those on Traffic and Weather than on previous Fountains of Wayne albums), the sound is always incredibly textured and remarkably likeable.
Fountains of Wayne is the poster band for intelligent, catchy nerd-rock, and this album does nothing to jeopardize that standing. The opening track, “Someone to Love,” apes disco with its synthesizers and bright drum beats while the subject matter is almost cinematic, telling the story of two lonely people who may or may not be intended to meet. “’92 Subaru” is straight-up power-pop, similar in style to their previous hit single “Stacy’s Mom.” “Yolanda Hayes” benefits immensely from a sunny horn arrangement, and “Traffic and Weather” reveals Fountains of Wayne’s New Wave influences (both Collingwood and Schlesinger are self-professed Ric Ocasek fanatics.) “Fire in the Canyon” is a simple, acoustic, country-tinged song that is rescued from mediocrity by Schlesinger’s heavenly background “ahhhs.”
The chorus of “This Better Be Good” is highlighted by vocal harmonies that rival the Beach Boys. “Revolving Dora” is a cheerful-sounding, ironic play-on-words about an alcoholic paramour named Dora. “Michael and Heather at the Baggage Claim” is an excellent example of the subversive sweetness that can always be found on a Fountains of Wayne album – this one is a love song about a long, hard day of traveling. (With Schlesinger’s expert production, it sounds as sweet musically as it is lyrically, despite the fact that they are singing about lost baggage.)
The album starts to sound a little repetitive around “Strapped for Cash,” which doesn’t work hard enough to distinguish itself from the previous songs, except for an inspired Billy Joel reference that sounds like it was added almost as an aside. (The Billy Joel shout-out is getting to be a tradition for Fountains of Wayne, who also employed it on their previous album, Welcome Interstate Managers.)
“I-95” is a love song about an interstate, a sort of anthem for long-distance love. “The Hotel Majestic” is pleasant but unremarkable, saved again by a few well-placed hand claps, an interesting guitar solo, and Schlesinger’s peerless production. “Planet of Weed” borrows from Jimmy Buffet’s meandering vocal style and simple guitar strumming. “New Routine” adopts a cinematic style similar to the opening track, narrating the lives of multiple characters over the span of several years, no small feat for an unabashedly catchy, three-minute song. And on “Seatbacks and Tray Tables,” Fountains of Wayne gets in touch with their inner Dylan, replete with harmonica and ballad-style 6/8 time.
Overall, the album is clever, catchy and pleasant, but fails to live up to their previous two albums. The catchy songs are still catchy, but less inspired and addictive than, say, “Bright Future in Sales” or “Bought for a Song” from Welcome Interstate Managers. And the novelty songs feel a little more forced, which quickly undermines the power of their quirkiness.
But thanks to Schlesinger’s paramount production, Fountains of Wayne again delivers infinitely likeable nerd rock that, while falling short of their previous efforts, is still exceptional compared to the rest of the genre.
"Traffic and Weather" is on sale April 3, 2007 from Virgin.
