Traffic and Weather

Fountains Of Wayne’s ups and downs

According to a factual evidence years virtually can’t affect the musical favors of Fountains Of Wayne. During 10 years of the band’s existence they’ve come through almost all possible trails that could fall to a certain band but didn’t turn from their initial course. A history of this electro pop rock group, which derives its inspiration from music of 60’s and 70’s, may be separated into two parts – before 2000 and after. During a first period the band was engaged in a desperate struggle on the fields of show business, supporting their albums with tours and numerous concerts, but despite all efforts it failed to achieve a serious commercial success. The inner conflicts led Fountains Of Wayne to artistic stagnation at that and finally the band was dropped by its label. In fact, Fountains Of Wayne disbanded for a period of time but by the year of 2001 the musicians gathered little by little again. Finding themselves on their starting point, with no money and any contract, Fountains Of Wayne took part in a number of commercial projects and earned funds to record their third album Welcome Intricate Managers, which became an unexpected success all over the world. Then Fountains Of Wayne took another four years break and finally recorded their fourth and highly anticipated album Traffic And Weather in 2007 on which they sing about life of a common urban person against the background of poppy rhythms and slightly distorted guitars.

Traffic And Weather is easy to understand

Traffic And Weather is a collection of thumbnail sketches from everyday life of made-up characters: common people living simple life. Lightness and simplicity as usual are the basics of Fountains Of Wayne’s music but a positive mood of harmonies at times can hide something wistful and dark behind it. This feature was always lurking in their songs sometimes openly and sometimes almost invisibly. Most of the time this feeling is backed up with lyrics. For example Someone To Love is dedicated to two lonely characters that accidentally come across in the pouring rain when She leads a taxi away from under His nose. Apt chose for a first track: disco rock beat, simple guitars and excellent vocals. Everything is just the way it should be. A listener is delivered from a necessity to stretch his brains, the songs penetrates into your head without any difficulty. Such a quality is characteristic for 90 percents of the album’s material. Listen to Yolanda Hayes – a song with a peculiar air of late 60’s or splendid electro retro rock track Traffic And Weather. There is a couple of songs made up in the vein of American country style: Fire In The Canyon and Seatbacks And Traytables. And a couple of songs, which were evidently inspired by The Beatles: Revolving Dora and I-95.

Traffic And Weather is an all-purpose album

Besides its purely musical advantages the album has a well-developed part responsible for underlying message. The album managed to hold and mix themes of love, happiness, life routine, indifference and so on, one may find a really wide range here. Adam Schlesenger is simply drawing short life scenes; a listener is left to make his own conclusions. Sometimes it seems like these sketches were taken from real situations but not from the author’s imagination. A rare band nowadays can speak so honestly and sincerely. Traffic And Weather could be released at any moment of time during two last decades. The album refers to that type that people listen for years. If you like such one than you like it indeed. Exclusively for individual listening. It’s not a thing that is worth popularizing among all your friends, such an activity may be absolutely pointless; those who need it will find it independently. Traffic And Weather is worth estimating without assistance, its inner side deserves special attention. But if you would like to play Fountains Of Wayne on a party than its positive musical cheerfulness will suit just fine, a double nature of this album makes it all-purpose.