Throwback Thursdays - Sleep Walk by Santo & Johnny (1959)

Tangled Up In Blue by Bob Dylan

Fitz & The Tantrums ♪

Album photo by Fitz & The Tantrums MySpace

Is this the frickin' 60s? Am I hearing this correctly? 

Take a gander at listening to Fitz & The Tantrums Songs For A Breakup Volume I Album and tell me they do not sound like a more upbeat great grandchild of The Righteous Brothers. They have that "blue-eyed soul" (thanks Wikipedia for the appropriate word) that is going around town. (See Mayer Hawthorne) This music is influenced by some back in the day music, I mean, all the way from your Grand-ma-mas day. The stuff that your grandparents used to get down to. 

If it sounds like I'm poking fun, I'm not. You obviously don't get how excited I am for a solid musical movement to come along! This is a musical movement. Don't disregard all of this throwback bubbling up. What am I talking about? It never went away. It was just hiding in that vinyl collection your Mom kept telling you to look through. I bet you're kicking yourself now. Well, it's ok - enter Fitz & The Tantrums. 

Now, don't get too wrapped up in the whole Righteous Bros. (also see The Box Tops "The Letter" on YouTube) connection like I did. What's most important is that while they have similar sounds, they have their own. They have a male as their lead vocal and have a dominant female accompanying vocal artist that makes them amazing in their own right. Their posted songs have many messages, but the most obvious surrounds love and the refusal of it's card carrying bullshit. "We Don't Need Love Songs" is the most appropriate for this. It sounds like the duet on YouTube between Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell from "Precious Love", but ironically different. I love how the trembling organ in the background and that streaky piercing guitar pluck blends in with the vocals of a man and woman. Back and forth! They don't need that love! They don't need it. And thank you for creating such an anti-love song. What's up with all the summer couples anyway? "Breakin The Chains Of Love" has a funkier and edgier sound. The drum hits sound like there's gonna be a small one man battle going on in the thematic background. There's also that anti-love theme again! Just can't get enough. Victory for the anti-head-gamers of the world! 

If you can afford it, catch the rest of their West Coast Tour going on for the rest of September!

Poster by Fitz & The Tantrums MySpace 

Follow them on Twitta! @FitzAndTantrums

Go to their Official Website here!!!

Throwback Thursdays - Take A Walk On The Wild Side by Lou Reed

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by The Shirelles

♥ Mayer Hawthorne - Soul Brother

Photo by Mayer Hawthorne Myspace

Mayer Hawthorne is the pseudonym, stage name, of Andrew Mayer Cohen, a handsome and dapper young soul singer based in LA. Listening to his music on Myspace threw me back to the golden ages of crisp suits and Motown. He is an obvious Smoky Robinson lover - their voices are so similar it's freaky and a relief both at the same time. His backing band The County uses piano, and a string and a horn section! Pure awesomeness. Listening to his jams made me reminisce about the first time I ever heard the likes of The Four Tops, The Supremes, Smoky Robinson and The Miracles (Youtube: Cruisin'), and the Temptations (Youtube: Ain't Too Proud To Beg). I'm going to make a wild assumption and call Hawthorne the next big thing, and do I dare say that he's the Male Winehouse?! 


All I can say is that it takes a brilliant singer and intelligent musical ability to be able to help resurrect classic throwback soul jams with just one man, a voice, and his band.


Check out "Maybe So, Maybe No", "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out", and "Love Is Alright" on his Myspace to get your feet moving, hips swaying, and swagger on. 

Photo by Mayer Hawthorne Myspace

Or listen to his album "A Strange Arrangement"! I haven't yet, but I think I'll buy it first! (That doesn't happen often - buy first.)


Track Listing: 

1. Prelude
2. A Strange Arrangement
3. Just Ain't Gonna Work Out
4. Maybe So, Maybe No
5. Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'
6. I Wish It Would Rain
7. Make Her Mine
8. One Track Mind
9. The Ills
10. Shiny & New
11. Let Me Know
12. Green Eyed Love

Listen to this if you wanna get busy - 8 times out of 10 you're most likely getting it on, either that or you're just not doing it right! 


Go to Mayer Hawthorne's Website
Go his Myspace and listen!
Follow him on Twitta! @MayerHawthorne


Listen to this!

Throwback Thursdays - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) by The Temptations

Throwback Thursdays - Ain't No Woman Like The One I Got by The Four Tops

Baby I Need Your Lovin'

These are songs out of my childhood. I guess my parents loved Motown. And it is to them that I am grateful for my crazy musical eccentricities. Thanks mom and dad!