Pickin' Up the Pieces | ||||
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Studio album by Fitz and The Tantrums | ||||
Released | August 24, 2010 | |||
Recorded | Early 2010 at Dillon Street Studios in Los Angeles, California | |||
Genre | Indie pop, neo soul | |||
Length | 36:13 | |||
Label | Dangerbird | |||
Producer | Chris Seefried | |||
Fitz and The Tantrums chronology | ||||
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Pickin' Up the Pieces is the debut studio album by American soul group Fitz and The Tantrums. Produced by Chris Seefried and vocalist Michael Fitzpatrick, the album was first released on August 24, 2010 in the United States on independent label Dangerbird Records. After the success of their home-recorded debut EP, Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1 and touring, Dangerbird signed the group, who immediately began work on Pieces.
The group drew inspiration from various musical tastes, among those Motown records and soul music. Instead of recording a "carbon copy" of their influences, the group pushed the music further, incorporating elements of funk and hip hop. Fitzpatrick created a juxtaposition between the angry, biting lyricism of the album with the fun, carefree sound of its music. The musicians recorded the album at Fitzpatrick's living room, which Fitzpatrick dubbed Dillon Street Studios.
The album has reached the number 1 position on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart and received positive reviews from music critics.
Contents |
Michael Fitzpatrick, vocalist, founded the group shortly after a break-up.[1] Having a hard time after the breakup, Fitzpatrick came to the conclusion that he needed to release the energy through creativity and get a focus and direction, for the sole purpose of distracting him from the discomfort.[2] In late 2008, he received a call from the same ex-girlfriend, who demanded a rigid "no-talking" policy to tell him about a neighbor who needed to unload a church organ for $50.[1][2] Thanks to some "shady Russian piano movers," Fitzpatrick had the organ installed in his apartment that night.[1] By morning, he had already written "Breakin' the Chains of Love". "I immediately knew it was the best song I'd written," said Fitzpatrick in 2011. "I could astral plane out and hear myself, like, 'wow!' Not bad!"[1] Fitzpatrick knew he wanted a horn section, and he called college friend and saxophonist James King, and the two immediately began working on early versions of the songs.[3] Fitzpatrick envisioned a full band, in suits, with a female vocalist.[1] King recommended vocalist Noelle Scaggs.[4] Five phone calls later, the Tantrums were assembled, out of college contacts of Fitzpatrick and King.[1][2] They played their first rehearsal a week later, and instantly clicked.[3] "We could have played a show that same night," recalled Fitzpatrick.[1]
They performed their first show at Hollywood's Hotel Café in December 2008, which Fitzpatrick booked one week after their first rehearsal.[4] The group recorded their debut EP, Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1, at Fitzpatrick's home in Los Angeles, which he dubbed Dillon Street Studios.[1] Fitzpatrick used his technical skills he honed to engineer the EP himself.[2] Formerly a studio engineer, Fitzpatrick spent the bulk of his professional career behind the scenes, working with producer Mickey Petralia, who produced Beck, Ladytron, Flight of the Conchords, and The Dandy Warhols.[4] The band began to constant airplay on Los Angeles public radio station KCRW.[3] The group had many notable early promoters. "Adam Levine from Maroon 5 was in New York to get a tattoo and his favorite tattoo artist had downloaded the record after hearing us on KCRW," explained Fitzpatrick. "He told Adam, 'you gotta hear this band.'" A week and a half later, Fitz & The Tantrums were opening for Maroon 5 on their college tour.[1] Daryl Hall, of Hall & Oates fame, invited the band to perform on his popular web-series Live from Daryl's House. "I walked back into the kitchen of his big old house in upstate New York and his mother was there," recalled Fitzpatrick. "She said, 'Fitz, come over here. You sound just like my son!'"[1]
The entire foundation of the band from the start was a do it yourself approach. "Nobody was really giving us the time of day in any shape or form," recalled Fitzpatrick. "We just honed our own road, started playing before we even had songs to play, and developed our own fan base organically."[5] The ethic was running out of steam by the time they became one of the major buzz bands at 2010's SXSW, where they ran out of money and resources amid congratulations from fans. However, their last SXSW gig was a show for Dangerbird Records. The following morning, the label's president called a meeting.[5] In April 2010, Dangerbird signed the group, who immediately announced the album title, Pickin' Up the Pieces, and a promise that it would deliver "a burst of effervescent swingers."[6] “The label is literally around the block from my house,” Fitzpatrick said.[7]
The band recorded the entire debut in Fitzpatrick's living room, as they couldn't afford to go into a studio. The band did not soundproof the room, instead desiring to "just go with it," which produced a sense of familiarity. "It let us have this more family, laid-back approach, and to be able to really take the time to do what we wanted in the way that we wanted," said Fitzpatrick.[8]
The music of the album is Motown and soul-influenced indie pop.[3] Focusing on strong songwriting as his influences did, Fitzpatrick desired to achieve a collective energy with the new group, and set a goal to capture "even just a little bit" of the magic of Motown and Stax recordings.[3] He also credits the organ's esoteric properties for the band's sound.[7] Fitzpatrick has described Motown as "the greatest period of songwriting in music ever," but used it as a jumping off point.[3] The band's eclectic musical tastes are reflected in the music of the album. Fitzpatrick, also a fan of Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, desired not to make a "carbon copy" of the soul sound, but instead give it their own spin.[8] "We wanted to see if we could capture the way those records sounded and at the same time push it forward," said Fitzpatrick. Many of the arrangements and instrument choices are "possibly out of the norm," and the group wanted to give some tracks hip hop feel.[8] Also weaved into the music are 1980s influences, from The Jam to Talking Heads to The Style Council.[4]
Fitzpatrick wanted to create a juxtaposition between the fun sound of the music and angry, biting lyrics.[2] In place of guitar, the saxophone takes the place as lead instrument.[8]
All songs written and composed by Michael Fitzpatrick, Chris Seefried unless noted.
Pickin' Up the Pieces | |||||||||
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No. | Title | Length | |||||||
1. | "Breakin' the Chains of Love" (Fitzpatrick) | 2:51 | |||||||
2. | "Dear Mr. President" | 2:59 | |||||||
3. | "Pickin' Up the Pieces" (Fitzpatrick, Noelle Scaggs) | 2:45 | |||||||
4. | "MoneyGrabber" | 3:09 | |||||||
5. | "L.O.V." | 3:40 | |||||||
6. | "News 4 You" (Fitzpatrick, Seefried, Jeremy Ruzumna) | 3:57 | |||||||
7. | "Don't Gotta Work It Out" | 4:09 | |||||||
8. | "Rich Girls" | 3:14 | |||||||
9. | "Winds of Change" | 4:09 | |||||||
10. | "Tighter" (Fitzpatrick, Seefried, Ruzumna, James King, John Wicks, Ethan Philips) | 4:56 | |||||||
Total length:
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36:16 |
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Chart (2010) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Top Heatseekers[9] | 1 |
Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | Ref. |
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United States | August 24, 2010 | Dangerbird | CD | DGB051 | [10] |
LP | DGB051V |
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