PRESS

The Oregonian:
"Podcast Interview with Tommy Harrington", by Lynne Terry.

Las Vegas City Life - "Pick of the Week":

Thank God for indie rock. It’s pretentious, yet down to earth. Emotional, yet frigid. Cool, yet lame. Ultimately, indie rock stands as a sign of our times, a descriptor of the strange world of contrasts we live in the post-9/11 age. Portland’s The Wanteds are no different than most indie groups, but with one major difference: They aren’t afraid to be complete downers about it all. But if that isn’t enough to whet your palate, the live performance of lo-fi drum-and-synth ballad “Confess” is something to be seen. Don’t miss this one, indiephiles! (Aaron Thompson)

Ink 19 - Review of "Failure Looks So Good":

Raw and unapologetic. That's what Failure Looks So Good by The Wanteds sounds like. It is rock untamed with lyrics that are, for the most part, soul-baring.

Tracks like "Oblivion" chronicle lead singer Tommy Harrington's struggle with drugs as he sings, "I'll quit you again, I will / I miss you again, I will / I'll quit you again / Again, again, again I fell."

"Ladysmith" is blisteringly addictive as Harrington screams "You lose/ Cuz failure looks so good on you." "365" is another barn-burner that, despite lyrics that don't make any sense (or could have been written by Gavin Rossdale) is a great track for straight-ahead rock fans.

It took a lot for Harrington to get here. After their last record Let Go Afterglow (which was essentially a solo project) Harrington toured extensively, but sporadically as he struggled with drugs and trying to keep his family together. After his son was born, he took a long look at himself, sobered up and, after his son started the toddler years decided to get The Wanteds back together again. The band is now a trio and Harrington is launching himself headfirst into his band and parenthood.

Failure Looks So Good is an intense and emotional record. Harrington lays himself out and exorcises his demons through his lyrics, but his voice is something that takes a few listens to get used to. If you can do that, you will be pleasantly rewarded. (Tim Wardyn)

Yakima Herald - Feature Story:

Portland band The Wanteds knows the route from the Rose City to Yakima well.

When frontman Tommy Harrington and bassist Ryan Mullen answered a drummer's Craigslist ad last spring, it came with a caveat: They'd have to be a long-distance band until Yakima's Adam Mack could move to Portland.

"I've done that drive a great many times -- all spring and summer," Harrington says about the bi-state commute.

And The Wanteds, all three of them, will be doing it again when the band plays the Yakima Sports Center on Saturday in support of "Failure Looks So Good," a guitar-driven record built out of rain and relationships, drug addiction, self-doubt, fatherhood and, perhaps, a bit of redemption.

"The whole record is about me trying to do something by myself and figuring out I can't do it by myself," says the 39-year-old Harrington. "In the process of making it, I didn't feel like I answered any of these questions, but instead uncovered all these questions."

After releasing The Wanteds' first album, "Let Go Afterglow," as a solo record in 2004, Harrington teamed with Mullen and temporary drummer Beau Kuther of the Portland band Kaddisfly to record "Failure Looks So Good."

It's a deeply personal, angry album with serious nods to '90s alt luminaries such as The Smashing Pumpkins, Jane's Addiction and Nirvana -- Harrington's "musical roots," he explains.

It's a record Harrington's extremely proud of. "But I can speak with certainty that the next record will be completely different," he adds. "I'm not nearly as angry." (Kim Nowacki)

Portland Mercury - "Up and Coming":

Tommy Harrington first absolves, then annihilates, the contemporary rock and roll mold on The Wanted's latest album, Failure Looks So Good—which is to say, the sassy edge he employs serves less to catapult The Wanteds' sound into retro-rock rehash, and more into a sonically superior modern rock epic. In the same way Retisonic or Abandon Pools cut the cord of cookie-cutter composing, The Wanteds' easy-bake foundation can sometimes be a bit dough-y ("Heart-Shaped"), but with the driving atmospheric buzz of "Ladysmith," or the jangly rock nugget "Too Soon for Always," the Portland band's overall resonance commands your patronage for this week's album release. (Ryan J. Prado)

Fresh Organic - Review of "Failure Looks So Good":

Like a glimpse back into the indie scene that built the Grunge sound, this Portland trio’s new album had me from track one. Combining gritty yet catchy hooks, loud guitars, dissonant solos and driving drum lines, The Wanteds remind me of the music from my teenage years that inspired me to get out and pick up the guitar. With a sound reminiscent of more well known bands like Mudhoney and Superchunk to West Coast indie bands such as Overwhelming Colorfast and American Sensei, The Wanteds’ sound is huge.

Having overcome a drug addiction and been reborn through the birth of his son, frontman Tommy Harrington has been through a lot in his tumultuous career. And having started The Wanteds as a one-man band, I think he’s finally found the right group of people to help him get his voice heard. Perhaps his entire journey can be summed up in the band’s name: “On some level” Harrington says, “we all walk through life with a basic desire to be wanted.”

Willamette Week:
"The unapologetically unhip Wanteds can make it here, anywhere. ",
by Mark Stock.

Tri-City Herald - "Paper Cuts":

In what is probably the most straightforward rock show the Red Room has put on in quite a while, Portland trio The Wanteds are set to play the venue Dec. 15. The band is touring under their sophomore album Failure Looks so Good. You can check them out at myspace.com/ thewanteds. The group employs much of the same layered guitar attack that propelled the Silversun Pickups to rave reviews over the past couple of years. And lead singer Tommy Harrington’s voice cuts through the band’s sonic wall much like Billy Corgan’s did in the Smashing Pumpkins, but Harrington’s lacks Corgan’s whine. It’ll be worth checking out. (Jeremy Dutton)

Local Cut - Cut of the Day:

“Ladysmith,” the first track and single off of the Wanteds’ upcoming sophomore full-length Failure Looks So Good showcases a new direction—The Wanteds want you to want them. Fronted by Tommy Harrington and rounded out by bassist Ryan Mullen and drummer Adam Mack, The Wanteds are a band now, not just the indie-pop solo project of Harrington, with a louder, more bombastic sound that’s equal parts mid-90s guitar assault, radio-friendly hooks, and a sleek, shiny coat of indie-rock charisma. With lines like, “You lose, ’cause failure looks so good on you,” Harrington spins a generational lament into a melodic burst of crunchy, pounding guitar-rock sing-along. (Jay Horton)

Adequacy.Net - Review of "Failure Looks So Good":

Do you want the Wanteds? It’s tough to say. I can’t give Failure Looks So Good a stunning endorsement, but I can’t totally denounce it either. It’s the textbook definition of an alright record, with signs of potential buried underneath a layer of droning, static melodies. The opener, “Ladysmith”, kicks off with a killer, squealing guitar lick that cranks into the fourth gear immediately, and stays there for an explosive finale. “Too Soon For Always” falters a bit after starting off dreamy with heavily delayed guitars and trippy vocals - it drops off into this derivative, simplistic chorus. Unfortunately, the same kind of watery rhythms plague a good portion of the rest of the record, save the slanted, driving “Oblivion” and the punchy, up tempo crunch that opens up “Blacksheep Energy”. The closer, “Something Boring”, is the only real departure from the formula, and its bluesy influences really lend to and accentuate the throaty screechings of singer/guitarist Tommy Harrington. The biggest problem with this record is the repetition. The same, buzzy, hollow tone echos throughout the album, and refuses to let go, save for a cool, droning comedown with “Heart Shaped”. Overall, its less heavy and razor-sharp than Nirvana, and less melodic and intricate than Silversun Pickups, but it has the same bite and edge to it, if slightly diluted. This is nothing to kill yourself over, but it’s a worthwhile effort from a band that only needs to tighten their musicianship to achieve success. (Matt Cohen)

Music Spectator - Review of "Failure Looks So Good":

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Tommy Harrington has anger issues. It drips from every line of his music, his angst and frustration steaming off of him in the form of frantic energy, and yet – this isn’t one of those types of albums. Instead, he channels his demons in sometimes clever and inventive ways to sort it all out.

‘Failure’ is not what Harrington and his Wanteds, well, wanted. Nevermind. Point is, this album works because of the rawness and natural rigor he gives his emotions, whereas with someone else it may come off as simply aggressive. Case in point, there are times in this record where he almost pulls off emotional sentimentality, like in the closing track ‘Something Boring’. Almost, because he does it with a snarly rasp and gravely voice, but enough emoting within all that to sense that he is trying to connect with his audience.

He gives the rest of his band, Ryan Mullen and Adam Mack plenty to do, and they do it well. The music never quite crescendos over the vocals, whereas the opposite isn’t always true. As if to simply succumb to Harrington’s vocal pleadings, the band doesn’t ramp up into traditional rock blares, despite the open invitation for it in the songs. No, it is a formative effort to send the message of the songs and let them be heard.

It does get messy sometimes, even in the first track ‘Ladysmith’. Instead of picking a direction and sticking with it, they go into a vamp on occasion – and never with good results. Harrington also shows at various points that he is capable of a clean and smoother voice, so the rasps and sometimes cringe-worthy squeaks are for affect, which is unfortunate.

This is a solid sophomore effort, with a band who still has some work to do. Unlike the recommendation for the other reviewed record in this issue, The Wanteds could afford to spend less time on the road and more in the studio to hone their sound and clean up the messy spots. Although, they do seem like they would be a hell of a lot of fun to see live.

MusicReviewer.Com - Review of "Failure Looks So Good":

It was barely more than a month ago that I heard The Wanteds on local radio here in Portland, and now here I am reviewing the upcoming album, Failure Looks so Good, by the Oregonian band. For followers of the Northwest music scene, past and present, the album should be both fresh and familiar, with a modern indie attitude and 90s alt-rock guitar riffs that are a real blast from the past. The Wanteds have taken the best parts of Portland's rock heritage and created a sincere, heartfelt homage to the music that brought the whole region into the spotlight of the greater music scene.

The album exudes quality and complexity, showcasing the band's powerful songwriting skills and the kind of chemistry that only comes from people who truly enjoy playing together. The album opener and first radio single, Ladysmith, is a fast hitting rock song that exemplifies everything this album is about. Distorted riffs and delicious hooks lay a solid foundation for the whole experience, taking musical themes and growing them into explosive crescendos of emotive music. Solos are memorable and sound like they were taken straight out of the mid-90s. Likewise, frontman Tommy Harrington's evocative voice is reminiscent of vocalists such as Billy Corgan juxtaposed against a rougher indie vibe. The two styles complement each other, creating vocal melodies which are never musically perfect, but are well suited for emotional music that maintains edginess.

The rhythm section is equally engaging, with tight drumming and a variety of fills which give the album a snappy pace befitting this style of music. Ryan Mullen rounds out the trio with bass lines that manage to back up the rest of the band while remaining independent enough to create their own intertwining harmonies. The songwriting is well structured and leaves little room for sloppiness. That includes songwriting which is emotionally charged and honest, an obvious result of the band drawing from their own experiences.

Aside from pacing which stumbles slightly towards the middle of the album, The Wanteds have struck gold with Failure Looks so Good. Combining a potent formula with broad appeal, The Wanteds are set to do anything but fail with this record which is set to release in September.

Your Music Magazine - Review of "Failure Looks So Good":

When I think of the Indie-Rock scene, no one really exceptional comes to mind for me. That being said, when I first found out about this band I just remember thinking to myself, “oh, an Indie-Rock band from Portland, Oregon? That’s never been done before!” However, when I actually sat down and listened to their new album, “Failure Looks So Good” I was pleasantly surprised with what The Wanteds had created. I dissected the entire record in one sitting, all the while trying to place my finger on what exactly makes these guys so different from every other Rock driven Indie band out there right now. Oddly enough, I came up empty-handed. However, even more oddly enough, there is something about this band that makes them unique and gives them a very interesting sound in a very good way. There is just something about them that I honestly enjoy. Over all, the album, comprised of songs like “Ladysmith,” “Too Soon For Always,” and “Oblivion,” proves to be very solid and pretty well-rounded. Tommy Harrington’s voice comes together very well with the poppy melodic guitar and thoughtfully wandering bass-lines of his two other band mates, Ryan Mullen and Adam Mack. One of the most noteworthy things about this album is that not one song sounds like another, which is an issue that the music industry has been trying to cope with a lot lately. Some musicians are just good enough to get together and compose music and make it sound O.K. However, it takes heart and soul to make a song speak to people and that’s something that this band pulls off well. I pulled out a beer and braced myself for the worst with this band. But after listening to the first song, “Ladysmith” I smirked and put the beer back in the fridge and moved on with the album. Now THAT’S saying something. (Maxwell Barna)

Wonka Vision - Review of "Failure Looks So Good":

Throwing out the one-man band formula after 2004’s “Let Go Afterglow, Tommy Harrington decided to make The Wanteds into a trio. What this Portland group came up with is something their mid-90s forebears up the road would’ve appreciated: thick and recognizable alternative riffs tending towards the punk over the metal. Tracks like “Oblivion” reek Soundgarden and it all sounds like an experiment towards Foo Fighters. All those are positive, however, because like those bands and any other number of the successful alternative-grunge bands, The Wanteds pull off the hooks where necessary. “365" debates a dating relationship with one of the best choruses that trumps whatever the semi-major indie labels are pushing out the door and onto the radio these days.

If honesty without being overbearing is an admirable quality, then Tommy Harrington is its chief promoter. He shares his stack of problems with drugs, dating relationships, and alcohol via his songs and his blogs, and none of it comes out as whining or pitiful, just straight up. (Be sure and read “The Gossip” section of their website for Harrington’s confrontation with his artistic nature and his addictions). Out of nine songs, there is only one to skip–”Heart-Shaped”–its ambient repeats are poorly executed and doesn’t fit Harrington’s style. The rest is crammed with impressive rocks songs that have found a way to twist the not so distant past into modern again. ( Josh Spilker)

30music - Review of "Failure Looks So Good":

Portland, Oregon-based trio The Wanteds explode back onto the scene, four years after the release of frontman Tommy Harrington's popular solo debut album, Let Go Afterglow. With nine tracks born from an assortment of the band's strong inner emotions, Failure Looks So Good is sincere in its approach to music.

The album opens with "Ladysmith", a powerful rock song with a real sense of motion. A soaring guitar solo toward the end complements the heavy, distorted chords throughout, and the lyric "failure looks so good on you" pokes initial hints at the album-wide theme of the struggle between persevering through a hardship and giving up in overwhelmed exhaustion.

Musically, the album largely assumes an organized form and a steadily quick rock pace. It excels at using repetition and crescendo to create that perfect buildup of intensity that teems with energy. The guitar sometimes creates melodies that sing and whine out over the chords, and other times is simply content drawing on the progression. The bass can be similarly independent in its roles, switching between backing up guitar chords and constructing its own intertwining riffs; it blends gracefully in the former case and projects proudly in the latter. And the drum set hits each subdivision of the beat with measured precision while still adding musical flair through variation and drum fills. It's apparent right from track one that serious attention has gone into the creation of every composition on this album.

But care in creation doesn't stop at the well-developed music. Failure Looks So Good is full of quality lyrical poetry that originates from the depths of the band's personal side. The vocals are sometimes energetic, sometimes sobering, and always heartfelt. Themes of the songs range from feeling out of place in your own environment to fearing serious commitment to a person or concept. "Exploding heart, don't fall apart from yesterday", Harrington sings in "Blacksheep Energy", a restless track that faces the serious problem of addiction. And the album isn't without its lighter side, as the moving piano ballad "Heart Shaped" proves.

The Wanteds have put together something truly impressive here. The album is meaningful in both music and lyrics, and in such a way that most could relate. Failure may look so good, but it's not what The Wanteds are likely to find with this gem. (Kevin Coss)

30music:
"Failure, the Interview", by Kevin Coss.

Portland Tribune:
"Maverick Rocker Walks Fine Line", by Jacob Quinn Sanders.

Willamette Week:
"Positive Exposure ", by Mark Baumgarten.

Portland Mercury - "Up and Coming":

Portland's Tommy Harrington doesn't like to do anything the easy way. Instead of using Photoshop, he took more than 500 pictures to capture the eerie, shadow-strewn cover shot of his debut disc Let Go Afterglow. Rather than attaching his own name to an album that he alone wrote, performed, and recorded, he selected the misleading moniker The Wanteds. And instead of penning simple songs, Harrington composes complicated pop pieces, making massive melodies out of densely programmed electronic elements, sharp guitar tones and mild-mannered vocals. It's immediately apparent how much work went into every track, but these contagiously catchy tunes are more inviting than intimidating. (Andrew Miller)

Cincinnati City Beat - "Sound Advice" Feature:

Come see the man, then wait for the movie. If everything goes as planned, Tommy Harrington, the sole member of The Wanteds, is going to be the subject of a documentary released later this year. Dave Kopilak, a Portland lawyer-turned-filmmaker, hired a director and camera crew to follow Harrington on The Wanteds' fall tour, a seat-of-the-pants affair where he would sometimes show up unannounced at a venue, drum machine in one hand and guitar in the other, and ask to open for whoever was playing. This footage will be the core of the film, alongside interviews with Harrington's past girlfriends, former associates and family. Kopilak chose his subject wisely: The enigmatic and talkative songwriter is not shy about his past foibles or present conundrums. From interviews, he gives the impression he is half-Jackson Pollock and half-Narcissus. But Harrington is 100 percent entertainer. His plurally-titled solo project is kind of a one-man Postal Service with more emphasis on the songs and less on the beats. Let Go Afterglow, his debut disc, offers sugary, strummed songs of confession, love and loss set to simple two-four rhythms and rolled in simple keyboard creations. Some tunes forego the Electronica and go straight for a stripped-down Doug Martsch vibe. Both flavors of Wanteds song are as likely to explode into full-on Rock mode as they are to fade out peacefully. Of course, the lyrics are full of introspection and his voice is ripe with honesty. But there is another facet that comes through in his recorded work and his performances. There's something inspirational about a 35-year-old artist who, after years of trying to make it as a part of various bands, walks out onto the tightrope and bares his soul with more youthful exuberance than Emo and angst-rockers half his age. Free of the alliances and addictions that limited him in the past, he projects himself unabridged. It's this heroic ingredient that guarantees an exhilarating show and, someday, a moving film. (Ezra Waller)

University of Wisconsin Specator:
"One Man Rockumentary", by Chris Henson.

Omaha Pulp Feature:

I’ve often found that people who’ve been through struggles have a lot to say. Whether heartfelt and sincere or poignant and with a purpose, the story is theirs and it is genuine. The Wanteds 'Let Go Afterglow' is a spiritual release for singer/songwriter Tommy Harrington. With a feeling of unabashed honesty and sincerity Tommy recounts his hardships and loss, his triumphs and rejoicing. Harrington, the creative force behind The Wanteds, is a one man show; he was in town last week at O’Leaver’s and took the stage alone with a drum machine and guitar in hand. It was a trip to see him perform. If you missed it, I’m sorry. He brought a youthful exuberance to the plate that I haven’t come across before. It was pretty amazing considering that he’s 35 and struggling just to put food on his table. The beauty of Let Go Afterglow is in its simplicity. All the tracks on the album, either purposefully bare or carefully hand crafted, have a loveable low-fi quality about them. It gives Let Go Afterglow a very personal quality. The album is rife with catchy hooks and lyrically memorable songs. The lucid guitars and the distant yet compelling drum machine paint the backdrop as Tommy sings his sorrows in such an intimate manner that you feel like you know the man after giving the album a spin. His voice has a whispery quality that lends a soothing element to his music. From the forerunner “You Can’t Say No” through out “Confess” and to its finale “What I Want” Let Go Afterglow is one virile album. On 'Let Go Afterglow' Tommy Harrington is going for broke. This album is a struggling mans attempt to make things right. He is an indie music hero if there ever was. There will always remain some truths too ephemeral to be captured, but The Wanteds sure try. Grade: A. (Kyle Koliha)