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Although it's tempting to lump the Austin, Texas trio Fastball (Miles Zuniga on guitar and vocals, Tony Scalzo on bass and vocals, and Joe Shuffield on drums) in with all the bands that sound similar to the Wallflowers, they're an exception. The trio originally called themselves Magneto U.S.A. and became popular in the Texas region. After signing with Hollywood Records, they changed their name to Fastball, and soon after released their 1996 debut Make Your Mama Proud. The album wasn't the huge breakthrough they hoped for, but showed they were a band with potential. By the time their second album, All the Pain Money Can Buy, was released in early '98, the group had improved their sound by incorporating more pop hooks into their songs, with more varied (and serious) subject matter and lyrics. The Harsh Light of Day arrived in fall 2000. After four years, a best of retrospective (2002's Painting the Corners: The Best of Fastball) and a label switch, Fastball returned with their strongest record to date, 2004's Keep Your Wig On, for Rykodisc. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide |
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