Fitz and the Tantrums - "Out Of My League" [single] (2013)

Fitz and the Tantrums' new record, More Than Just A Dream, is upon us and I couldn't help but share this single because it's catchier than mononucleosis.  Maybe it's Fitz's anachronistic hair cut.  Maybe it's their stylish and colorful music videos.  Maybe it's the frenetic way Noelle always shimmies around on-stage while banging a tambourine on her gyrating hips (especially eye-catching when done Tina Turner-style in sequins dresses).  Maybe it's the fact that they were and still are, perhaps, one of the most dynamic live bands I remember seeing at SXSW 2011, let alone at the entire Dangerbird Records showcase.  Maybe it's my fascination with their refusal to feature guitar in their songs, almost as a personal band challenge to separate themselves from every other band on the planet and to find creative ways to fill out their sound.  Or maybe, it's simply all of the above.  "Out Of My league" sounds like a bit of a departure from some of their previous efforts that were dripping wet with retrosexuality and I'm not quite sure about this indie-poppish direction in which they're headed.  Is this a reinvention of sound, image, concept, quality?  Noticeably absent: the blue-eyed neo-soul elements or even a modicum of that brass section I became accustomed to from the "MoneyGrabber" days.  Who knows, but for now I really dig this track.  Not enough to move to Los Angeles and start my own tantrum, but enough to recommend "Out Of My League" to you.

Leela James - My Soul (2010)

STAX Records was a fantastic label. My favorite, so obviously I was excited to see its rebirth. Leela James has a powerful and soulful voice. The backup singers and musicians capture and update the STAX sound perfectly. "I Ain't New To This" kicks off My Soul with some seriously catchy and funky sass. Unfortunately, aside from the lead song, the album almost completely lacks hooks. It's all solid grooves, choir harmonies, and mood, without much that sticks. With just a couple more earworms this could have been great. I guess it truly is a throwback to when soul singles were propped up with filler album tracks. I appreciate that James wrote most of these songs in her move towards music independence, but STAX, and '60s soul in general, was singles market and depended on top-notch song-writers. I hope Leela James keeps working at it. I like her sound; it's warm, full and sexy. I just wish I could love her songs.