Pickin Up The Pieces

Fritz and The Tantrums is a six piece band out of Los Angeles that has been heralded by Rolling Stone as one of the bands to watch in 2001. Their debut, Pickin Up The Pieces, is an homage to the modern soul with its lush brass section, classic grooves and silky harmonies. The polished execution across the range of tracks instantly transports you back to 1970s Northern England. In recent years there has been a revival of Soul and Motown music in commercial and alternative markets, with the latter staying as true to the origins as possible. Fitz and The Tantrums try to balance themselves somewhere in between Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson, Adele, and Aloe Blacc. The songs on Pickin Up The Pieces carry stories of love, loss and messages for social and political change. The solid tenor of Michael Fitzpatrick is confident and full of swagger. It sits perfectly amongst the rich timbres of brass and clean guitar tones as gospel organs and a range of keyboards highlight delightful song writing. All but two songs run over 4 minutes in length, making this a very radio friendly album. There’s a point at the end of L.O.V where a flute solo begins as the song is slowly turned down leaving the listener wanting more. This is the epitome of Pickin Up The Pieces. With all the awesome musicianship and production delivered, unfortunately, there isn’t anything fresh.