music monday: tinted windows

Vocabulary lesson of the day. According to the Miriam-Webster dictionary, a supergroup is "a rock group made up of prominent former members of other rock groups;" also "an extremely successful rock group."

Tinted Windows doesn't qualify for the second definition of a supergroup (...yet?), but definitely the first. Put James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins, Taylor Hanson from Hanson, bassist Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne (dunno this guy) and Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick together, and you get the supergroup that is Tinted Windows.

I first heard about them on NPR with this review and I was intrigued by the reviewer's description of their self-titled album as "a collection of songs that would sound great blasting out of a tinny car radio any time in the past 40 years." And it's true - the songs have a certain Beatles-esque, messy hi-hat retro-ness to them, and a pop-rocky feel that's easy to listen to. I can almost imagine the songs in this album as a soundtrack to a coming-of-age movie that took place in the 70s.

I'm a little ashamed to admit that I really like Taylor Hanson, and that I still listen to "Mmmbop" every so often (is there any other song that's more fun??). His vocals in the album match the simple and playful lyrics and instrumentation perfectly, and it makes you stick out your lower lip a little, raise your eyebrows, nod and say, "Hmm!" (Do it and you'll know exactly what I mean.)



Some notable tracks: "Kind of a Girl" is an upbeat, "I love this girl but she's driving me crazy" kind of song.  "Back With You" has a sweeter, slower, more longing tone to it - one of my favorites. The chorus of "Nothing To Me" is exactly the song that you'd want to scream in the car with your single girlfriends. Great road trip song. I also love the last song, "Take Me Back." It's fun, it's got a slam-dunk chorus, great background vocals and guitar riffs.

So much fun!

Check them out on Amazon and iTunes.