Dave's Den

Fountains of Wayne: Traffic and Weather Review

For my money, the best band going these days is Fountains of Wayne. Ever since I first heard Utopia Parkway a few years back, I was hooked by their great pop songwriting and sense of humor. I've just heard their new release, Traffic and Weather, and not only is it the best thing they've done, but it's an early candidate for my record of the year. The CD is overflowing with great grooves, sing-along choruses, chiming guitars, and of course their trademark sense of humor.

"Someone to Love" is the first single, an incredibly catchy tale of two single folks pining for companionship, with a nice little twist at the end. "92 Subaru" is a roll-down-the-windows rocker about a guy who thinks he owns the world now that he has aquired his new "baby blue" '92 Subaru. "Yolanda Hayes" tells the story of a guy who falls for someone working the counter at the DMV. The title track is probably my favorite thing on the record. It's got a fantastic, down-and-dirty groove underneath lyrics that fantasize about TV news anchors lusting after each other. "Fire in the Canyon" has the same vibe as R.E.M.'s "Don't Go Back to Rockville". "This Better Be Good" is a jealous tale that breaks into a wonderful Beach Boys, harmony-laden chorus. "Revolving Dora" sounds like a long-lost track from the Beatles' Revolver, complete with backwards guitars. I haven't been able to get the "Strapped for Cash" melody out of my head for days. It's the story of someone who has no money, sits around the house watching the women on Spanish television as he tries to fend off all the people to whom he owes money. It seems that every FOW disc has a track refrencing hippes and/or druggies, and this one is no exception. "Planet of Weed" is a tale of someone perfectly content to drop out of the modern world and enjoy a peaceful life of smoking pot while enjoying a bag of Doritos on the couch.

Traffic and Weather is consistently outstanding from start to finish- there's not a clunker in the bunch. This one is going to be hard to beat when it comes to the best of 2007. Extremely highly recommended.