Fountains of Wayne was best known for their 2003 hit “Stacy’s Mom” which was basically everywhere (and I mean everywhere) when I was first starting high school. The band was fronted by Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger and basically was more of a creative side project than a career-defining pursuit for its members, which is somewhat ironic considering how much money they probably made off that lone single. Neither Collingwood nor Schlesinger had much desire to ride the wave of fleeting fame either, which makes sense considering how much of a right-place-right-time thing “Stacy’s Mom” was.
But despite not reaching massive levels of fame, Fountains of Wayne maintains a loyal fanbase and a reputation for clever, heartfelt songwriting. Welcome Interstate Managers is a low-key banger of an album, with sharp witty lyrics and tight power pop ambitions. It’s easy to think of them as one-hit wonders but listening to this full album for the first time really kind of crystallized how damn good these guys are front to back.
Standout Songs: “Bright Future in Sales”, “Stacy’s Mom”, “No Better Place”, “Hey Julie”
