Welcome Indeed! It's been a protracted wait for us fans of New Jersey's favorite step-sons. With Utopia Parkway they paved themselves a happy little beltway, not far from the Interstate mainstream--but after what seemed like about a decade we had to wonder if perhaps the Fountains had run dry. Happily the Garden State Gang are back on the motorway with 16 Track record that is firing on all cylinders.

There's no question that the overdue-one's have given us one of the year's best. Their brand of mellow-groove, hook-heavy, not-so-power-pop, is the soundtrack for the summer 2003. Everything good about FOW is back on display--their ironic tales of fading youth and waking up from the American Dream, all fleshed-out winningly with their vocal mastery, winning harmonies and tunesmanship. Their trademark nods to the Cars, is joined by a spot-on tribute to Prefab Sprout on the lovely and lush "Hailey's Waitress--what a great album it is.

My wife loves it, my five year old daughters have their favorites--there's no shortage of things to love, Welcome, welcome, welcome!