On their sophomore release ‘More Than Just a Dream’, LA-based Fitz and the Tantrums aim to recapture some of the energy that made their debut such a fun ride. Teaming up with producer Tony Hoffer, known for his work with Beck and Depeche Mode, the band polishes their sound and ventures into poppier territory, with mixed results. The retro soul and R&B vibe remains, but the more organic elements that made 2010’s ‘Pickin’ Up the Pieces’ such a solid album are harder to find here and the songwriting suffers as a result.
Lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick and vocalist Noelle Scaggs continue to meld their voices in interesting ways, and when it works, like on the anthemic “Break the Walls”, there’s little room for improvement. The track lays a nice piano riff and 80’s-style synths underneath upbeat vocals by the beguiling duo. “Cut me loose/ I seek the truth/ I bet the freedom/…will carry me”, Scaggs pleads, and her vocals are the main reason this track works so well.
Fitzpatrick can hold his own as well, and he knocks the lead single “Out of My League” out of the park and then some. The lyrics paint a picture of Fitz landing the girl of his dreams (“If I die don’t wake me/ ‘Cause you are more than just a dream”) and while he’s busy pinching himself the frenetic hand-claps and New Wave bass line give the track a cheeky charm that’s hard to resist. The synth-soaked chorus is to die for, and the ooh-ooh backup vocals add a refreshing playfulness to this infectious nugget.
“The Walker” uses a catchy whistling refrain to good ends and “Spark” rides a catchy groove into a catchy fuzz-gasm chorus but while they’re fun in the moment, these and many other offerings here don’t have enough substance to stick around very long after they end. And with little variation sonically from one track to another, the latter half of the album winds up feeling unfocused and forgettable. There’s enough here to satisfy fans, but moving forward it would be a good idea for Fitz and the Tantrums to get back to their roots.
