Pickin' Up the Pieces (album)
Encyclopedia
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
Top Heatseekers
chart and received positive reviews from music critics.
. Five phone calls later, the Tantrums were assembled, out of college contacts of Fitzpatrick and King. They played their first rehearsal a week later, and instantly clicked. "We could have played a show that same night," recalled Fitzpatrick.
They performed their first show at Hollywood's Hotel Café
in December 2008, which Fitzpatrick booked one week after their first rehearsal. 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. Fitzpatrick used his technical skills he honed to engineer the EP himself. 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
. The band began to constant airplay on Los Angeles public radio station KCRW
. 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. 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!'"
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." 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. 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." “The label is literally around the block from my house,” Fitzpatrick said.
The music of the album is Motown and soul-influenced indie pop. 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. He also credits the organ's esoteric properties for the band's sound. Fitzpatrick has described Motown as "the greatest period of songwriting in music ever," but used it as a jumping off point. 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. "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. Also weaved into the music are 1980s influences, from The Jam
to Talking Heads
to The Style Council
.
Fitzpatrick wanted to create a juxtaposition between the fun sound of the music and angry, biting lyrics. In place of guitar, the saxophone takes the place as lead instrument.
Additional musicians/touring musicians
Production
Artwork
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
group Fitz and The Tantrums. Produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Chris Seefried
Chris Seefried
Chris Seefried is an American record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of bands Gods Child, Joe 90, Low Stars and producer co-writer for the neo soul band Fitz and the Tantrums....
and vocalist Michael Fitzpatrick
Michael Fitzpatrick (musician)
Michael Sean "Fitz" Fitzpatrick is a Los Angeles musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the soul indie pop band Fitz and The Tantrums....
, the album was first released on August 24, 2010 in the United States on independent label Dangerbird Records
Dangerbird Records
Dangerbird Records is an independent record label located in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Jeff Castelaz and Peter Walker in 2004, the label is home to artists across the globe, as well as part of the burgeoning Silver Lake music scene. Their small roster of artists has enjoyed international...
. After the success of their home-recorded debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1
Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1
Songs for a Breakup: Vol. 1 is the debut studio EP by the American indie rock band Fitz and The Tantrums, released on August 11, 2009 through Canyon Productions...
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
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
. Instead of recording a "carbon copy" of their influences, the group pushed the music further, incorporating elements of funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
. 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
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart and received positive reviews from music critics.
Background
Michael Fitzpatrick, vocalist, founded the group shortly after a break-up. 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. 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. Thanks to some "shady Russian piano movers," Fitzpatrick had the organ installed in his apartment that night. 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!" 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. Fitzpatrick envisioned a full band, in suits, with a female vocalist. King recommended vocalist Noelle ScaggsNoelle Scaggs
Noelle Scaggs is a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles. As a singer for soul band Fitz and The Tantrums, she has toured extensively in the United States and abroad, and has performed on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, on TBS' Conan and on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.- Biography :She was the lead...
. Five phone calls later, the Tantrums were assembled, out of college contacts of Fitzpatrick and King. They played their first rehearsal a week later, and instantly clicked. "We could have played a show that same night," recalled Fitzpatrick.
They performed their first show at Hollywood's Hotel Café
Hotel Café
The Hotel Café is a live music venue located off an alley on the Cahuenga Boulevard strip in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California that has become known for helping to establish the careers of new singer-songwriters in the 2000s...
in December 2008, which Fitzpatrick booked one week after their first rehearsal. The group recorded their debut EP, Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1
Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1
Songs for a Breakup: Vol. 1 is the debut studio EP by the American indie rock band Fitz and The Tantrums, released on August 11, 2009 through Canyon Productions...
, at Fitzpatrick's home in Los Angeles, which he dubbed Dillon Street Studios. Fitzpatrick used his technical skills he honed to engineer the EP himself. Formerly a studio engineer, Fitzpatrick spent the bulk of his professional career behind the scenes, working with producer Mickey Petralia, who produced Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
, Ladytron
Ladytron
Ladytron are an English electronic band formed in 1999 in Liverpool, Merseyside. The group consists of Helen Marnie , Mira Aroyo , Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu .Their sound blends electropop with New Wave and shoegazing elements. Ladytron described their sound as "electronic pop"...
, Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
, and The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are an American alternative rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994. The band was founded by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström, with keyboardist Zia McCabe and drummer Eric Hedford later joining. Hedford left in 1998 and was replaced by...
. The band began to constant airplay on Los Angeles public radio station KCRW
KCRW
KCRW is a public radio station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, carrying a mix of National Public Radio news, talk radio and freeform music format. The general manager of KCRW is Jennifer Ferro...
. The group had many notable early promoters. "Adam Levine
Adam Levine
Adam Noah Levine is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the front man and guitarist for the pop rock band Maroon 5. He is also a coach on the American talent show The Voice.-Early life:...
from Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
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. Daryl Hall
Daryl Hall
Daryl Hall is an American rock, R&B and soul singer, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer, best known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of Hall & Oates . Hall scored several Billboard chart hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, and is regarded as one of the best blue eyed soul singers...
, of Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
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!'"
The entire foundation of the band from the start was a do it yourself
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
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." 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
Dangerbird Records
Dangerbird Records is an independent record label located in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Jeff Castelaz and Peter Walker in 2004, the label is home to artists across the globe, as well as part of the burgeoning Silver Lake music scene. Their small roster of artists has enjoyed international...
. The following morning, the label's president called a meeting. 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." “The label is literally around the block from my house,” Fitzpatrick said.
Recording and production
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.The music of the album is Motown and soul-influenced indie pop. 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
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
recordings. He also credits the organ's esoteric properties for the band's sound. Fitzpatrick has described Motown as "the greatest period of songwriting in music ever," but used it as a jumping off point. The band's eclectic musical tastes are reflected in the music of the album. Fitzpatrick, also a fan of Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
and Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
, desired not to make a "carbon copy" of the soul sound, but instead give it their own spin. "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
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
feel. Also weaved into the music are 1980s influences, from The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
to Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
to The Style Council
The Style Council
The Style Council were an English band, formed in 1983 by the ex-The Jam singer and guitarist Paul Weller, with keyboardist Mick Talbot. The permanent line-up grew to include drummer Steve White and Weller's then-wife, vocalist Dee C. Lee. Other artists such as Tracie Young and Tracey Thorn also...
.
Fitzpatrick wanted to create a juxtaposition between the fun sound of the music and angry, biting lyrics. In place of guitar, the saxophone takes the place as lead instrument.
Track listing
Personnel
Fitz and The Tantrums- Michael Fitzpatrick – vocals, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, productionSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Noelle ScaggsNoelle ScaggsNoelle Scaggs is a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles. As a singer for soul band Fitz and The Tantrums, she has toured extensively in the United States and abroad, and has performed on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, on TBS' Conan and on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.- Biography :She was the lead...
– vocals, percussion - James KingJames King- Politics :*James G. King , American businessman and United States Representative from New Jersey*James King King , British MP for Herefordshire*James A...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening... - Ethan Philips – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Jeremy Ruzumna – keyboards
- John Wicks – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion
Additional musicians/touring musicians
- Maya AzucenaMaya AzucenaMaya Azucena is an American singer-songwriter and cultural ambassador from Brooklyn, NY. She attended the LaGuardia School of Performing Arts. She independently released her debut CD "Maya Who?!" at shows and from her website.-Solo Work:...
– backing vocals - Sebastian SteinbergSebastian SteinbergSebastian Steinberg is an American bass player, best known for his work in the band Soul Coughing.- Biography :Steinberg played with Soul Coughing throughout the band's entire history, from 1992–2000. He also recorded and performed with guitarist Marc Ribot and appeared on William Shatner's 2004...
– bass guitar - Matt Cooker – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Miguel Atwood-Ferguson – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Stewart Cole – TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Josh Brauchhausen – drums
- Scott Ellis – drums
- Jen Kuhn – cello
- Maya Sykes – backing vocals
- Tay Strathairn – pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
Production
- Chris SeefriedChris SeefriedChris Seefried is an American record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of bands Gods Child, Joe 90, Low Stars and producer co-writer for the neo soul band Fitz and the Tantrums....
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Stephen Kaye – mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- David Benitez – Additional engineering on "Rich Girls" and "Tighter"
- Lisa Nupoff – management
- Brian Klein – management
- Bernie GrundmanBernie Grundman-Biography:He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1983 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chris Bellman, Patricia Sullivan and Brian Gardner, mastered 37 projects which received Grammy Award nominations in 2005.Grundman...
– masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
Artwork
- Piper Ferguson – photography
- Simon McLaughlin – design, layout
- Jeff Nicholas – design, layout
Chart history
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
1 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
August 24, 2010 | Dangerbird Dangerbird Records Dangerbird Records is an independent record label located in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Jeff Castelaz and Peter Walker in 2004, the label is home to artists across the globe, as well as part of the burgeoning Silver Lake music scene. Their small roster of artists has enjoyed international... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
DGB051 | |
| LP LP record The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry... |
DGB051V |