Henry Olsen <toadhjo@yahoo.com> (17.02.2004)

Just thought I'd mention that these guys are finally getting their due in the U.S. (Not sure about the rest of the world, though). While their most recent album Welcome Interstate Managers only got to #115 on the Billboard 200, it spawned the hit single 'Stacy's Mom', a song about...Stacy's mom, who "has got it going on". The single hit #3 on Top 40 radio, and most likely their success will continue with their next release. I'm actually not a huge fan, but it's better than most of the stuff on the radio today, so I'm not going to complain.

Steve Potocin <epoggi@cox.net> (05.12.2002)

Where are these guys when you need them? Sure wish they would come out with another record, oh well. Every SONG is very good or great. Great songs #1 'Radiation Vibe' #2 'Survival Car' #3 'Barbara H.' Every one of those songs has a chorus that you will be humming for days! The singer wrote the title song for the Tom Hanks That Thing You Do movie, which is almost as good as the bands follow up to this record, Utopia Parkway, highly recommended!

Thomas McKeown <aaywtm@nottingham.ac.uk> (18.05.2004)

I've just been listening to this album over the past few days, and I have to say I like it very much - good, clever, high-energy pop is the kind of music I like best. Your review, therefore, gives me no problems, save for your one, almost throw-away comment, about how these guys are 'too smart' to be truly sincere. This seems to be a view that's quite widely by rock's critical community (both mainstream and web), but surely its false: just because the lyrics are smart and clever, dosen't mean there's not real emotion behind them. Personally, I think FOW are pretty unique amongst modern bands in the way they've accompanied a musical progression over their three albums with lyrical progression - by which I mean they've actually become better craftsmen, not just altered their subject matter (though they've done that as well). Some of the lyrics on Welcome Interstate Managers are better than anything that's been produced in rock for well over a decade. In my humble opinion.

Lindsey Eck <music@corneroak.com> (29.09.2005)

Kudos for picking up on what a good power-pop band this is. One comment: "Sick Day" isn't about a sick girl; the idea of the song (as I read it) is that the girl is waiting till she feels secure enough in her job to be able to call in sick even though she's just playing hooky. Fountains of Wayne are one of the few bands that write about the kind of office work that most people in the U.S. actually do for a living.