>>The question is: If Tinted Windows didn't, either, would we still be 
>>talking about this album?

Probably yes, if someone came across it. We might even be more enthusiastic 
because the expectations wouldn't be at "supergroup" levels. I think we're 
judging it on a different scale *because* it is who it is, fair or not. If 
this was a Hanson album, would we not be enthusiastically talking it 
up...and differently than if it was the new Cheap Trick or FOW album? (In 
fact, I think Hanson's "MmmmBop" single is a good litmus test - did you 
disown it because it was adolescent, or did you like it because the hook was 
irresistible? That might be your take on TW)

But we're a group of people whose radar is tuned to this type of stuff in 
the first place. The better question might be "even with the name factor, 
will the general public climb on board?", and I suspect that answer is no, 
even with the pedigree. Let's face it - even FOW only got attention with 
"Stacy's Mom", and many of the albums we had at the top of the pile over the 
past several years didn't even blip on the big radar. Cheap Trick doesn't 
even resonate on that radar anymore.

I respect both Greg and Mike's opinion, but we're not lined up on the 
hummability factor. "Kind of a Girl", "Messing with My Head", "Dead 
Serious", "We Got Something" have been burrowed into my skull since the 
first spin. Looking at the track list right now, the only two tracks I can't 
hum the melody to off the top of my head are "Without Love" and "Nothing To 
Me"...not saying I'd pass that test a year from now or ten years from now, 
but that's a lot better ratio than most albums lately.

I also hope many meatier pop albums surface over the next eight months and 
that this isn't the bellwether mark for the year. I just think it's the 
catchiest album so far (of course I haven't heard everything); so if there 
are albums that are better candidates...what are they? I'm a willing convert 
in waiting.

Hey, I'm just happy we're actually discussing *music* on Audities.

b