find pop not a dirty word
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Fitz and The Tantrums

Find pop not a 'dirty word'

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleFind pop not a 'dirty word'

Noelle Scaggs(L) and Michael Fitzpatrick of Fitz and the Tantrums
New York - Arab Today

Fitz and The Tantrums won acclaim with its brand of infectious retro soul but when it came time to write new material frontman Michael Fitzpatrick was at a loss.

Tasting mainstream success for the first time yet exhausted by years of incessant touring, Fitzpatrick -- who had also become a father -- suffered four to five months of debilitating writer's block.

"I was literally going to bed on the verge of tears with my wife trying to prop me up and console me," the singer, known to all as Fitz, told AFP.

Then he had an epiphany -- go pop. One day at 11:00 am, the band wrote "HandClap," a lusty track with pulsating electronica, and finished in 15 minutes. Fitz and The Tantrums quickly recorded it and left Fitz's original vocal take.

"I was feeling this massive wave of relief after so many months of hitting a wall. Every time I tried to recut the vocals, they never had that kind of raw excitement," he said.

"HandClap," which has been streamed more than 11 million times on Spotify, became the kernel for the band's third album, the self-titled "Fitz and The Tantrums" which came out in June.

Fitz -- whose voice called to mind 1980s New Wave on the band's 2013 hit "Out of My League" -- on the latest album goes into hip-hop delivery with touches of reggae in the music.

But mostly it is smooth-around-the-edges pop -- and Fitz makes no apologies for it.

"I love pop music and I don't know why so many people choose to think of it as a dirty word," Fitz said.

The band for the first time turned to outside producers including Sam Hollander, who co-wrote One Direction's hit "Rock Me," and Joel Little, the New Zealander best known for his work with Lorde.

Fitz hailed the quality of DJs, producers and songwriters who increasingly work in studios with artists.

"I think there has never been a more exciting time in music in recent history than today," he said.

- Always in love with pop -

Not everyone shares Fitz's joy about the pop world. Some reviews of the album have been scathing, calling the sound overproduced; Rolling Stone wrote that Fitz and The Tantrums "have lost their soul -- literally."

Fitz takes the criticism in stride, saying that the band -- known for its energetic concerts -- was heartened by fans' reception.
Fitz said it was a mistake to pigeon-hole the band as Motown revival or indie soul, some of the more common descriptions of its early work.

"For me, pop has always been a huge part of our vocabulary, and pop to me just means a real eye and focus on great melodies that are infectious," he said.

Fitz, 46, himself worked for years in music in the low-key role of a sound engineer. His breakthrough came when, while distraught over a romantic breakup, he finagled a discarded church organ into his apartment for $50.

In one of his life's other "lightning in a bottle" moments, as he calls them, he immediately wrote on his organ "Breakin' the Chains of Love," a soulful track with a psychedelic edge.

The song opened the 2010 debut album by Fitz and The Tantrums, "Pickin' Up the Pieces."

- Lessons from mixed background -

Fitz traces his artistic sensibilities to his upbringing. While raised in Los Angeles, he was born in France to a French mother and went back every summer as a child to live with his grandparents.
From a very early age, I never felt completely American. And Lord knows when I went to France they reminded me that my accent was not good enough and busted my chops about it day in and day out," he said.

"So it was this weird thing where I felt partially French and partially American and not fully accepted by either one," he said.

Fitz recorded a French-language version of "Out of My League." But the bigger influence on Fitz was not so much French music itself but a desire to merge cultures.

"The biggest dream I've ever had as Fitz and The Tantrums is to make something that is truly cross-genre, that mixes so many influences," he said.

"I think as a musician that is one of the harder things to achieve -- in a way that feels authentic and organic and truthful."

Source: AFP

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

GMT 08:15 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Indian states seek last-ditch film ban

GMT 08:55 2018 Monday ,22 January

South Korea in a swoon as megastar

GMT 07:15 2018 Sunday ,21 January

Will Smith hooked after Kyrgios classic

GMT 09:14 2018 Saturday ,20 January

#MeToo is 'tipping point' for Hollywood

GMT 05:50 2018 Thursday ,18 January

Lebanon reverses ban on Spielberg film

GMT 06:41 2018 Wednesday ,17 January

Actress Kruger says Hollywood changing

GMT 07:05 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Lebanon bans Spielberg film and adventurer biopic

GMT 07:14 2018 Monday ,15 January

Famed photographer Mario Testino accused
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

find pop not a dirty word find pop not a dirty word

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 21:49 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Trump to tell Erdogan of concern over Syria offensive

GMT 08:26 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Five things to know about Davos

GMT 16:13 2018 Sunday ,14 January

Netanyahu urges Macron to 'fix' Iran nuclear deal

GMT 10:17 2016 Thursday ,21 January

WHO confirms second new Ebola case in Sierra Leone

GMT 13:33 2011 Wednesday ,06 July

Russia bids to expand Arctic border to seek gas

GMT 09:06 2011 Wednesday ,21 September

Powerful typhoon hits Japan

GMT 11:15 2011 Wednesday ,03 August

2 glaciers in Nepal to disappear

GMT 19:01 2017 Saturday ,19 August

Finland suspect an asylum seeker, targeted women

GMT 02:45 2017 Wednesday ,08 February

Coup defeat a matter of time, says Yemeni VP

GMT 17:38 2017 Friday ,14 July

Saad Lamjarred denied issuance of new song

GMT 16:02 2011 Thursday ,21 April

Chelsea squad not good enough

GMT 11:29 2011 Tuesday ,19 July

Etihad Towers on track for delivery

GMT 02:05 2017 Wednesday ,22 February

UAE takes keen interest in supporting higher education

GMT 07:17 2017 Saturday ,01 July

Key US inflation measure declines in May
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle