| Utopia Parkway | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Fountains of Wayne | ||||
| Released | April 6, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | Stratosphere Sound | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, power pop | |||
| Length | 45:35 | |||
| Label | Atlantic 83177-2 |
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| Producer | Adam Schlesinger, Chris Collingwood | |||
| Fountains of Wayne chronology | ||||
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Utopia Parkway is a 1999 album by Fountains of Wayne, released through Atlantic Records. It was the follow-up to the band's 1996 self-titled debut; like its predecessor, it showcases upbeat, power pop music.
Following this album, Fountains of Wayne was dropped by their label, Atlantic Records, after sales failed to meet expectations. As well, the band had a growing dispute with the company after it put no effort into promoting the single for "Troubled Times".[1]
The album is named after a major street that connects the neighborhoods of Utopia, Beechhurst and several other neighborhoods in the Queens borough of New York City. The street sign on the album cover is from this street.
Contents |
All songs written by Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger.
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [2] |
| Pitchfork Media | (5.1/10) [3] |
| Robert Christgau | [4] |
Utopia Parkway was named an "Album of the Week" by People Magazine in 1999 upon its release, and got very good reviews in major media outlets.
The album contains two fan favorite songs from the Fountains' live performances: "Red Dragon Tattoo," about a boy who gets a tattoo to impress a girl, and "Denise," a faux-grunge power-pop confection where the songwriters show their intentionally bad and comic writing with "She works at Liberty Travel/ She's got a heart made of gravel." "Troubled Times," originally written by Collingwood when he and Schlesinger were in a previous incarnation of Fountains of Wayne called Pinnwheel, is also a fan favorite.
"Red Dragon Tattoo" was featured prominently throughout the Stephen King mini-series Kingdom Hospital.
The 2008 Dar Williams album Promised Land includes a cover of "Troubled Times".
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