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Concerning the band's body of work, Utopia Parkway is only slightly more mature than their debut, but the speedy production and recording still belie a band more interested in creating catchy songs whose primary focus is to entertain rather than the precise production values of Welcome Interstate Managers. It still aims at Beach Boys-like melodies and immediate hooks, which is why the three-minute ditties overshadow the few ballads. This middle album, however, does display the band's move from immediacy towards professionalist musicianship. Utopia Parkway contains the two all-time fan favorite songs, "Red Dragon Tattoo," about a boy who gets a tattoo to impress a girl, and "Denise," a faux- grunge power-pop confection where the songwriters show their intentionally bad and comic writing with "She works at Liberty Travel//She's got a heart made of gravel." "Troubled Times" is also the fan-favorite ballad. The rest of the album, excepting "Utopia Parkway," was less popular than the seven or eight concert-ready pop songs from their debut.

Track Listing

1. "Utopia Parkway"
2. "Red Dragon Tattoo"
3. "Denise"
4. "Hat and Feet"
5. "The Valley of Malls"
6. "Troubled Times"
7. "Go, Hippie"
8. "A Fine Day For a Parade"
9. "Amity Gardens"
10. "Laser Show"
11. "Lost in Space"
12. "Prom Theme"
13. "It Must Be Summer"
14. "The Senator's Daughter"

Album Length: 46:00