Fountains of Wayne (album)

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Fountains of Wayne
Studio album by Fountains of Wayne
Released	October 1, 1996
Recorded	The Place, New York, NY
Genre	Rock
Length	36:17
Label	Atlantic Records/TAG Recordings/Scratchie Records 92725-2
Producer	Adam Schlesinger
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Pitchfork Media (8.9/10) link
Fountains of Wayne chronology
Fountains of Wayne (1996) Utopia Parkway (1999)

Fountains of Wayne is the self-titled debut album of power pop group Fountains of Wayne, released in 1996 through TAG Recordings, Scratchie Records, and Atlantic Records. The album is a collection of short, catchy, hook-centered pop songs, recorded when the band was just a duo.

Critics lauded the tight immediacy of the songs, a probable consequence of the five days it took to record, and the funny, friendly relationship of songwriters Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger was the most prominent feature of the album. The songs were written over a period of years as outlets to make each other laugh through inside jokes and references to suburban life in New York and New Jersey.

The twelve songs on this album are all concert-ready by design. "Radiation Vibe," a hook-centered song with near-meaningless lyrics, is the opening track of the album. It received moderate college-radio airplay in late 1996, including video plays on MTV's 120 Minutes program. "Leave the Biker" details the heartbreak of a boy who's in love with a biker's girlfriend. "Sink to the Bottom," "Joe Rey," "Survival Car," "Barbara H.," and "Please Don't Rock Me Tonight" all elicit enthusiastic concert responses, although mainstream success eluded Fountains of Wayne for a few more years.

Interestingly, the cover photo of the little boy was also used for the album Plastic Jewels by The Flamingos. The Flamingos' album came out two weeks before Fountains of Wayne.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Radiation Vibe"
2. "Sink to the Bottom"
3. "Joe Rey"
4. "She's Got a Problem"
5. "Survival Car"
6. "Barbara H."
7. "Sick Day"
8. "I've Got a Flair"
9. "Leave the Biker"
10. "You Curse at Girls"
11. "Please Don't Rock Me Tonight"
12. "Everything's Ruined"

v • d • e Fountains of Wayne Adam Schlesinger | Chris Collingwood | Brian Young | Jody Porter Albums Fountains of Wayne (1996) | Utopia Parkway (1999) | Welcome Interstate Managers (2003) | Traffic and Weather (2007) Compilation Out-of-State Plates (2005) Singles "Radiation Vibe" | "Sink to the Bottom" | "Survival Car" | "Barbara H." | "I Want an Alien For Christmas" | "Leave the Biker" | "Denise" | "Red Dragon Tattoo" | "Troubled Times" | "Stacy's Mom" | "Mexican Wine" | "Hey Julie" | "Maureen" | "Someone to Love" | "'92 Subaru"