Who says humor doesn't belong in music?Certainly not the slick popsters in the Fountains of Wayne, whose new album, "Utopia Parkway," crackles with the same sort of witty wordplay and clever choruses that characterized the band's 1996 self-titled debut and its luminous single, "Radiation Vibe."Fronted by Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood, the Fountains' first record was pretty much the product of a two-man workshop, but the band drew additional attention when Schlesinger was nominated for a 1996 Academy Award for writing the song "That Thing You Do!"Even though Schlesinger eventually lost out to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, his band got an additional boost thanks to his business partnership in Scratchie Records, the label co-owned by James Iha and D'Arcy of Smashing Pumpkins, who helped the Fountains land an opening spot on their tour.After dabbling in various side projects, Collingwood and Schlesinger have returned with "Utopia Parkway," a collection of smartly written songs that evoke everything from the Steve Miller Band and Devo to Cheap Trick and Weezer.MTV News' David Basham recently sat down with Schlesinger and Collingwood during a visit to the band's label, Atlantic Records. They talked about the group's new lineup, cheesy Whitesnake videos, the sensibilities of Walt Whitman, and Britney Spears' power pop.So, buckle up, kick back, and crank up the radio, 'cause now you're cruising with the Fountains of Wayne...
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