"They left before the sun came up that day
They just drove off and left it all behind 'em
But where were they going without ever
Knowing the way?"

One of the finest pop songs to hit big in 1998 was "The Way", a mid-tempo tune whose dreamy melody made a lovely disguise for witty, noir-ish lyrics about the mysterious disappearance of an elderly couple. It stood out from the teen-pop and alterna-angst cluttering the airwaves by putting an emphasis on rich harmony vocals, a lush and full-bodied sound that harkened back to 1970's rock, and a good old-fashioned sense of pop songcraft. This delicious hit was the product of Fastball, a Texas trio that has combined alternative hipness and roots-rock tradition to come up with a winning, post-modern pop style.

Fastball began its life as Magneto U.S.A., a trio that started performing on the Texas concert circuit during the mid-1990's. Although they showed a punish energy worthy of Green Day in their live shows, they were able to temper it with a melodic sense that would soon flower in their recorded work. A series of top-notch performance won them a series of rave reviews in The Austin Chronicle that culminated in an award as the Best Pop Band of 1995/1996. As a result of these accolades, the group soon found themselves in possession of a record contract. They changed their name to Fastball and made their recording debut in 1996 with Make Your Mama Proud. It proved their punk-pop mixture had great promise.

In 1998, Fastball moved into the big time with All The Pain Money Can Buy. On this album, the group broadening their sound by experimenting with piano, organ, cello, and a full horn section on various songs. More importantly, they sharpened up the songwriting to a level that emphasized their gift for pop melodies graced with smart lyrics. The result was a chart smash with "The Way", a keyboard and guitar-driven tune with a serpentine melody worthy of Elvis Costello. They compounded this newfound success with another hit in "Out Of My Head", a love lament with a soulful organ sound. It harkened back to the moody, sardonic singer/songwriter style of artists like Randy Newman and helped the band win more fans.

Most recently, Fastball have released The Harsh Light Of Day. It's another well-crafted popfest made all the more rich by guest appearances from musical luminaries like Billy Preston and Brian Setzer. They also continue to experiment with new sounds, the best example being the use of the Jose Hernandez Orchestra on the mariachi-styled "Love Is Expensive and Free". With this album, Fastball proves that they are no one-hit wonder. In fact, their combination of melodic hooks and postmodern wit could keep them in the pop charts for a long, long time.