Tap This: Fitz and the Tantrums, Tastekid and Black Blazers

Welcome back to “Tap This,”where our editors report on their top picks of the week. Untapped Managing Editor, Alley Lyles, reports on

Fitz and the Tantrums will be playing a sold-out NYE 2011 show at the Gramercy Theater in New York City

The most Untapped thing I’ll Be Doing Soon: Working on pieces dedicated to brilliant music acts coming to New York City to enrich the local music scene.

My favorite tool these days:   I am always interested in branching out and learning about television shows, music, movies, games, and books to read. Tastekid is a useful website which functions much like Netflix. It offers suggestions for new material based on your preferences. I use it often to discover new bands.

What I am reading: Reinventing the Automobile: Personal Urban Mobility for the 21st Century. The authors of Reinventing assert that current transportation problems can be remedied via the adoption of a smaller, more energy efficient automobile. The proposal is intriguing and the book is a great subway read.

A great subway read

What I am wearing: My favorite piece of all time: a tailored black blazer from Banana Republic. It was given to me as a birthday present.

What’s playing on my Spotify: I am a music nut.

• Fitz and the Tantrums’ Picking Up the Pieces – I first saw this band in Austin at South By Southwest 2011. FATT played at the Stubb’s venue as part of an small band showcase hosted by Rachel Ray. I was immediately drawn to the neo-soul, indie pop band’s energy on stage. Upon first listen, I knew the little known band was going to “blow up”soon. I was right. Within the past year, they have appeared on Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno. Recently, I saw FATT at Terminal 5 in New York. Their music video, “Moneygrabber,”showcases the band’s unique style.
• The Head and the Heart’s self-entitled debut album – I saw The Head and the Heart open for The Walkmen at Stubb’s in Austin earlier this year. Their album is what I refer to as “Sunday morning music.”It is easy listening but not without strength. This WNRN video of “Sounds Like Hallelujah“exhibits their unique ability to perform well live with very little accompaniment.
• Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears’ Scandalous – Black Joe’s band brings a cross between blues and modern funk. Three days after seeing the band perform at Houston’s 2011 Free Press Summer Fest, an underground mixtape surfaced which features Black Joe, Bun B, Lil Keke, and Yelawolf. The tape is a rare Houston and Austin music fusion. The band’s performance on David Letterman knocked my socks off.

The album cover of Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears’ Scandalous

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