The Fairlanes

Welcome to Nowhere (Suburban Home)
by Scott Hefflon

I’ve always liked The Fairlanes just a bit more than most interchangable late-’90s punkpop. Perhaps it has something to do with their living in Colorado, not Southern California. Not that their sound conjures up images of mountain ranges, shoveling snow, breathtaking scenery, dirty hippies, and inbred hicks (how should I know?, I just watch South Park), but there’s a certain distinctiveness here, and while the singer misses a lot of notes, his vocal tone is as distinctive as the rest of band. Something about the production is very immediate, very honest and upfront, and I’m sure that helps.
(PO Box 40757 Denver, CO 80204)