The problem with this record isn’t necessarily that the songs are bad. They’re all easy on the ears, but too often there isn’t many points that catch your ear by surprise. It’s meat-and-potatoes power pop. For much of it, Iha and company play it safe, so-to-speak.
Perhaps one notable exception is the almost bluesy pop of "Cha Cha," with some surprisingly bluesy guitar licks by Iha, the song’s author, and glistening acoustic guitar tracks underneath to round out the sound.
Last track "Take Me Back," a Hanson/Schlesinger collaboration has Hanson singing in David Bowie fashion with his "Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes"-like refrain "T-T-T-Take Me Back" and some simple yet memorable guitar work to end the album.
As a frontman, Taylor Hanson may give his new group the kind of rock star sex appeal Cheap Trick thrived on but on this record, he lacks lyrical depth and charismatic skills of the likes of Robin Zander. That said, Tinted Windows as a band have created an easy-to-swallow record, but one that’s lacking in truly unforgettable material.
Thus, they need to raise the bar a little for power pop in order to separate themselves from the hundreds of other (much younger) similar acts. Star power alone won’t be enough for them to be mainstays in the mainstream and indie rock circuit like the members’ full-time acts have been.
For more info on Tinted Windows, visit its Myspace page.
Article comments
1 - Laura Faeth
As a Cheap Trick fan, I bought the Tinted Windows CD out of curiosity. I wanted to see what this unusual group of guys would create. They created an earworm of a CD. The songs kept repeating in my head. I didn't listen for several days in an attempt to stop the catchy tunes from incessantly cycling through my mind.
There is nothing in this music that is revolutionary or unique, but it's fun. And my 8 and 10 yr old girls and their friends are diggin' it too. Hanson may not have the pipes of Robin Zander, but he doesn't need to for this material.
If it weren't for Bun E. Carlos playing drums, I probably wouldn't have given TW a try, but now I'm glad I did (despite the earworms). :)