A month ago, I went to the public library with a couple of my friends and began randomly selecting indie music to download on my MP3 player. A few weeks later, I was alone at home, watching television when this new show came on. I had been channel surfing for the last couple of minutes, so I decided I would give any show a shot. It was called Beta Records Television and being a music lover, I was amused. The artists they featured on that episode were My Lady Peace and some band called Fitz and the Tantrums.
I used to listen to Our Lady Peace’s music when I first became a fan of the rock genre, so I was anxious to hear about any new material they may have conjured up. But I was surprised to find that it wasn’t Our Lady Peace that made a profound impression on me that day. It was actually the California based Fitz and the Tantrums.
Two of the bands vocalists sat side by side across from an interviewer, discussing their new full length album, Songs for a Break up. The lead vocalist was a middle aged man with a two toned hairdo that popped out of the television. The women beside him was equally fascinating, sporting a raven black bob. Their names are Noelle Scaggs and Dave King, and I was enthralled when I learned that their band had opened for famous acts like Flogging Molly, Hepcat, and Maroon 5. Normally this would not have interested me, but when Dave King mentioned that they had managed to do all of it without a record deal; I just knew I had come across something awesome.
A week later, while I was searching through all the indie music I had downloaded in the past, I came across “Winds of Change.” It was a tune carrying catchy lyrics and a blues/R&B style. Composed in a living room with one microphone, it sounded like something off a studio album. In the middle of the song, I was sure I had heard this band sing before. That was when I realized that it was Fitz and the Tantrums. They had sung a different song at the end of the television show but their sound was still distinct. As soon as I could, I started looking up everything I could about the band. I recommend following the link to their official site http://fitzandthetantrums.com. On the website, you can listen to their entire cd, the newly released Songs for a Break Up. What is so incredible about the album is that it is not a collection of sapping, miserable tunes that most people identify with as a break up record. It is predominately upbeat. If you like what you hear, you could also download their free EP and some bonus material.