JUKEBOX: "The Walker" by Fitz and the Tantrums

Fitz and the Tantrums: Drummer/Percussionist John Wicks, Saxophonist/Flautist/Keyboardist/Guitarist James King, Vocalist/Percussionist Noelle Scags, Lead Vocalist/Keyboardist Michael Fitzpatrick, Keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna, Bassist Joseph Karnes

Hey guys, Lia here with Alternative Thursday!

It's Fitz and the Tantrums! If you haven't yet heard this song. then you haven't been paying attention to the constant radio and commercial play "The Walker" has gotten in the past few months. It was even the official song of the Oscars (Ellen rocked out to it for the promo). Needless to say, this band have been catching everyone's ear with both this song and, the first song I had ever heard from them, "Out of My League."

The band began one fateful night in 2008, when Michael Fitzpatrick bought an old Conn electric organ and wrote "Breakin' the Chains of Love" in one sitting. Afterward, he called his friend and saxophonist James King, who called Noelle Scags and John Wicks, who in turn, called Jeremy Ruzumna. They then had one rehearsal and called themselves a band. If that story didn't inspire you to do more with your life, then I don't know what will because they literally became a band in the span of five phone calls and now their songs are topping charts. Fitzpatrick described their style as "soul-influenced indie pop," which really couldn't be said better for their type of music. It's soulful, funky, and energetic, an all-around feel good sound that makes you want to groove. They try not to have a heavy guitar sound, instead relying on more unexpected instruments like saxophone and flute to fill out their songs. Some of their influences include Graffiti6 and Amy Winehouse. They're also very similar to Capital Cities and Neon Trees in sound, I notice. Maybe it's what people want to hear, upbeat alternative songs.

Listening to "The Walker" is like going crazy waiting in line at the DMV whilst it's 120 degrees out and beginning a flash mob because of frustration--oh wait, but that's the music video. But seriously, though, the music video is crazy, but somehow makes sense with this song. "The Walker" begins with that upbeat whistling that makes you want to bob your head and walk around town snapping your fingers. In fact, this song was based on the Silver Lake walker, a doctor famous for his walks around the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake, often while reading a book or newspaper and talking with strangers. Noelle and Michael wrote it trying to gain his perspective on why he needed to walk around Silver Lake, concluding that it was an obsessive-compulsive desire just to keep sane. They also liked how he didn't care what other people thought, that he was just marching to the beat of his own drum (which I'm a big advocate for).

Melodically, it's such an upbeat, four-on-the-floor feel that's accented with tambourines and synth and saxophone. It's literally a party in a song and I really enjoy listening to it so please check out the videos below!