strange alchemy

Tinted Windows is not your typical indie band. When I first read about them, I thought it was a prank. The lineup confounded me. The band is a strange amalgamation of pop stars including Taylor Hanson from Hanson, James Iha from the Smashing Pumpkins, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick, and Adam Schlesinger, from Fountains of Wayne and writer of some of the catchiest songs of the last couple decades (he wrote That Thing You Do!). While part of me is still shocked just by the existence of this super-group, in the month-or-so since their name starting popping up on music blogs after announcing their debut at SXSW, all evidence points to seriousness.

Their first song, “Kind of a Girl” surprised me–it’s highly constructed power-pop that sounds like something out of a late 90’s teen movie. Adam Schlesinger may be a mostly-unknown god of pop songs, but with a guitarist like James Iha thrown in the mix, having played in not only the Smashing Pumpkins but also the darker rock band, A Perfect Circle, I expected a more obscured vivacity, something a little more interesting or odd. The song is a little over sugared, even for Taylor Hanson, who is perhaps best known for woo-ing his 13 year old peers in 1997 with “Mmmbop,” (present company, admittedly, included.) But perhaps part of the gimmick in getting such a diverse group of musicians together is to exceed people’s expectations.

Regardless of expectations, “Kind of a Girl” is undeniably catchy and presents three minutes of sunny playfulness and fun during a time when many people could use a fun distraction. I haven't quite made up my mind about them yet, but I’m interested to hear what they put out next and hope to catch them when they play Mercury Lounge next month.