Tinted Windows Releases First Album

By Broadside Correspondent Anthony Cusumano

Collaborations between established musicians are, to say the least, a mixed bag: for every winning combination like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, there is a Velvet Revolver, a black mark in the careers of those involved.

However, few super groups are quite as peculiar as Tinted Windows, with vocalist Taylor Hanson, ex-Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, Fountains of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger and Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos.

The project was announced in late February, at which point the band already had a covertly recorded self-titled debut album under its belt.

Promising and delivering a set of catchy power pop pieces the quartet definitely has chemistry together, but whether they are greater than the sum of their parts remains up for debate.

The obvious question for any group of this nature is if the novelty of the pairing outweighs the musical output. Indeed, the idea of an ex-guitarist from the often-pretentious Smashing Pumpkins playing with former teenybopper Taylor Hanson naturally invites curiosity (although those familiar with Iha’s delicate 1998 solo effort, Let it Come Down, know he is far less bombastic than Pumpkins ringleader Billy Corgan).

Tinted Windows’ sound, though, shares more in common with Cheap Trick’s and Fountains of Wayne’s catalogs than the Pumpkins or Hanson, with basic yet charming hooks sure to stick in the listeners’ heads.

Therein lies a bit of a problem—the songs themselves are endearing, but not exactly distinct. So while there are no weak tracks on the CD, only a few stand out as particularly great.

One of those highlights is opener “Kind of a Girl,” an ode to “the kind of a girl you can’t get enough of” who is simultaneously “the kind of a girl you can't take too much of.”

A wise choice to start the album, it sucks the listener in instantly with its fuzzy guitar and powerful drumming, as well as the irresistible “Uh oh, whoa, whoa” chorus.

Next up is “Messing with My Head,” boasting perhaps the greatest hook on the entire album within its first verse, as Hanson stresses, “I don’t know what you need / I don’t know what you want me to be.”

They may also be the deepest lyrics the album has to offer, but to be fair, poetic substance was never much of a selling point for power pop.

The genre is all about pure and exciting tunes—although listeners seeking both would be wise to seek out Schlesinger’s Fountains of Wayne releases.

The heavy, biting “Can’t Get a Read on You” features sharp guitar work and a crunchy middle eight that feels rockier than the rest of the album.

Vocally, Hanson shines, partly because of the song’s lower range—his voice tends to falter a bit when reaching for higher notes.

That problem pops up on “Back with You” but otherwise, the wistful track offers little to complain about.

The similarly-themed “Take Me Back” benefits from its placement as the final song on the album; it lacks the magic that “Kind of a Girl” kick started the record with—despite the catchy chorus, it feels as though it could have fit in anywhere on the record, ending the disc on a pleasant but predictable note.

Ultimately, Tinted Windows is the effort of an especially fun side project for these four collaborators, and it shows.

Still, the album is not without its merits, and its enjoyable, retro sound should appeal to the many disenfranchised with the current state of popular music.
Listeners expecting clever lyrics and a mixture of the styles each member is famous for may not care for the results.

But those looking for catchy, entertaining power pop are likely to find Tinted Windows the kind of a band they can’t get enough of.

To learn more about supergroup Tinted Windows and to watch the video for thei new single, “Kind of a Girl,” visit the bands MySpace at myspace.com/tintedwindows.

To find out where you can catch the band performing live and to view additonal information on the band, including a biography, photos and how to buy merchandise visit their official website, tintedwindowsmusic.com.