Fans all over the world were pained when Adam Schlesinger died a year and a day ago - one of pop music's first major casualties of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Dozens of musicians turned that pain into celebration over the summer with Saving for a Custom Van, a lengthy tribute album from Father/Daughter Records and Wax Nine that raised money for MusiCares' ongoing COVID relief efforts. Now vinyl lovers can add the set to their collection, thanks to a 3LP release coming from Vinyl Me, Please.
Saving for a Custom Van featured Schlesinger's fans and friends coming together to cover 31 tracks by Fountains of Wayne, Ivy and other projects that the prolific power-pop writer contributed to over some 25 years of writing. Highlights include actress Rachel Bloom (who created the musical comedy series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, for which Adam was a constant writing presence) with a unique rendition of Fountain's of Wayne's biggest hit "Stacy's Mom," Fountains of Wayne guitarist Jody Porter's rendition of Ivy's "Four in the Morning," Ben Lee and comedian Sarah Silverman taking on "Way Back Into Love" from the cult classic film Music & Lyrics, indie rockers Cheekface with the greatest '60s pop tune that never was, the title track to That Thing You Do!; plus covers by Kay Hanley, Ted Leo, Charly Bliss, Jeff Rosenstock, Motion City Soundtrack, Mikey Erg, Sad13 (whose Wax Nine label co-released the album), Alex Dezen (The Damnwells, Broken Baby) and Julian Velard (a regular fixture at Sid Gold's Request Room, the Manhattan piano bar that Schlesinger co-founded), and many more.
VMP's triple-vinyl edition, pressed on pink wax, will come in a triple gatefold, foil-stamped sleeve with an eight-page booklet in memoriam of Schlesinger's life and career. Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone mastered the release at Sterling Sound, with GZ Vinyl handling the pressing. It's set to ship in September and will set you back only $40, with all proceeds now, as then, going to MusiCares COVID-19 Relief.
Another lovely tribute to Schlesinger came this week courtesy of Rhino Records, who of course employed Schlesinger as a co-producer on The Monkees' Good Times! and Christmas Party albums. (As the catalog arm of Warner Music Group, Rhino also oversees Fountains of Wayne and Ivy's early albums as well as the Schlesinger-produced project Fever High.) This near hour-long tribute to Adam's life and career is worth a watch this weekend.
Pre-order at the link below and check out the full track list.
Saving for a Custom Van (Father/Daughter/Wax Nine, 2021 - originally released digitally in 2020)
LP 1
- Utopia Parkway - Apex Manor
- Undertow - Tanya Donnelly and Gail Greenwood
- Please Don't Rock Me Tonight - Jeff Rosenstock
- Radiation Vibe - Kay Hanley
- Way Back Into Love - Ben Lee and Sarah Silverman
- Just the Girl - Remember Sports
- Stacy's Mom - Rachel Bloom
- Red Dragon Tattoo - Christian Lee Hutson
- A Fine Day for a Parade - Sad13
- What'll It Be - Jack Dolgan
LP 2
- A Dip in the Ocean - Motion City Soundtrack
- Valley Winter Song - Field Mouse
- That Thing You Do! - Cheekface
- I've Got a Flair - Lucy Stone
- Sick Day - Nada Surf
- Four in the Morning - Jody Porter
- All Kinds of Time - Ted Leo
- I've Got a Feeling - Potty Mouth
- Sink to the Bottom - Cocktails
LP 3
- Our Twisted Fate - Bree McKenna
- Troubled Times - Ethan Eubanks
- Hackensack - Ali Koehler
- Pretend to Be Nice - Charly Bliss
- Michael and Heather At the Baggage Claim - Julian Velard and Alex Dezen
- Tess Don't Tell - HUNNY
- Hey Julie - Mikey Erg
- Come On - Off Book and The Family Band
- Mexican Wine - Prince Daddy & The Hyena and Just Friends
- Little Red Light - Lisa Prank
- Survival Car - Joshua Stoddard
Peter Rustin says
No cd or digital??? Cmon.
MW says
It was released on digital first, actually. As mentioned and linked in the article.
https://fatherdaughterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/saving-for-a-custom-van
Peter Rustin says
NM. Found on Bandcamp 🙂
Steve C says
I can't find anything on the Rhino tribute video, only a podcast from last year. More info, please?
Jackson Burnett says
It was apparently a that-weekend-only deal. And it just sounds wrong to remove it willy-nilly in the first place.
Steve C says
Thanks. (Sheesh!)