After almost three years from Fitz & the Tantrums last album with good grooves of MoTown proportions, it’s as if the band has grown up with its new album More Than Just a Dream , evolving by adding hints of electronic climaxes reminiscent of Calvin Harris. It’s like the time The Temptations tried disco in the late-70s, but much better, fortunately.
Not straying too far from the neo-soul vibes, the band sings of heartbreaks, breakups, buildups and breakdowns. Righteous harmonies between lead Michael Fitzpatrick and the dynamic Noelle Scaggs weave tightly throughout the entire album, and much like the previous album ALBUM, upbeat drums pound in every title track.
Starting off the album with temporal taps and echoing voices, “Out of My League,” introduces the first touch of electronic resonances as Fitz laments on a love out of reach. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Tantrum song without the essential “oohs” and “aahs.”
Comprised of an uplifting bridge with anticipatory celebration and shouts of “Hey!,” “Break the Walls” made me want to get up and start snapping and doing a two-step. The track asks everyone to wield a sledgehammer and knock it all down. Now, where’s my sledgehammer….
After “Break the Walls,” the tracks start to sound the same with similar tempos, beats and the layered harmonies as they speak of individuality (“Walking”), restless nights (“6 am”) and unreturned love (“Fools Gold”). However, “House on Fire” branches out, resembling a darker, heftier version of Lily Allen’s “Smile” with Fitz’s angry voice heats up the track.
The entire album builds up to the final moment portrayed in “MerryGoRound” which seems to fuse all previous vibes together with climatic drum thuds and symbol crashes. A collection of voices blend to make a unified point – life is a merry-go-round, so you might as well spin on it.
Top 3 Best Songs:
1. “MerryGoRound”
2. “Breaking Walls”
3. “House on Fire”
Top 3 Worst Songs:
1. “Get Away”
2. “Last Raindrop”
3. “The End”
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