Let Yourself Free

Let Yourself Free
Let Yourself Free
Studio album by Fitz and the Tantrums
Released	November 11, 2022
Studio	Wax Ltd; Henson; Studio America;
Length	32:09
Label	Elektra
Producer	Ryan Daly; Andrew DeRoberts; Sean Fischer; Fitz; Matthew Koma; Ryan Lewis; Jeremy Ruzumna; Jared Scharff; Shiben; John Wicks;
Fitz and the Tantrums chronology
Singles from Let Yourself Free
	"Sway"; Released: August 4, 2023;

Let Yourself Free is the fifth studio album by American band Fitz and the Tantrums. It was released on November 11, 2022, by Elektra Records.^[1] A deluxe edition of the album with six extra songs was released on June 23, 2023.^[2] It is their first album in three years since 2019's All the Feels (2019).

Background

Lead vocalist Michael Fitzpatrick explained he and the band wanted to be "more judicious" with the writing process by writing only "two or three [songs] a week and really think about it and sit with them."^[3] Fifty songs were written in consideration for the record, which were eventually narrowed down to the twelve songs that appear on the final album.^[3]

The band intended for the album to nod back to their early influences, with songs like "Silver Platter" and "Steppin' on Me" recalling their debut album Pickin' Up the Pieces (2010).^[4]

Singles

The album was supported by two singles. The lead single, "Sway", was released on August 4, 2023^[5] with a music video released the same day.^[6] The second single, "Moneymaker", was released on September 27, 2022, simultaneously with the announcement of Let Yourself Free.^[7]

Critical reception

Writing for AllMusic, Matt Collar rated Let Yourself Free four out of five stars, noting that it "hold[s] on to all of that mainstream pop savvy while still managing to throw things back to [the band's] humble D.I.Y. R&B beginnings."^[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Noelle Scaggs, Fitz, Jeremy Ruzumna, Joseph Karnes, John Wicks, and James King, with additional writers noted below.

*Let Yourself Free* track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Good Intentions"	Malia Civetz Ryan Daly	Daly Fitz	2:28
2.	"Heaven"	Daly Nolan Sipe Joe Kirkland	Daly Fitz	2:44
3.	"Sway"	Daly Sean Van Vleet Sipe	Daly Fitz	2:16
4.	"Silver Platter"	Shiben Mick Coogan	Daly Shiben Fitz	2:35
5.	"Let Yourself Free"		Daly Fitz John Wicks	2:19
6.	"Moneymaker"	Daly Sam DeRosa Kirkland	Daly Fitz	2:17
7.	"Ahhhh"	Andrew DeRoberts Sipe	Daly DeRoberts	2:45
8.	"Good Nights"	Ryan Lewis Hayley Gene Penner Brian Wall	Lewis	3:25
9.	"Big Love"		Daly Jared Scharff Jeremy Ruzumna	2:35
10.	"Is It Love"	Skyler Stonestreet	Daly Fitz Wicks	2:25
11.	"Steppin' on Me"	DeRosa Sean Fischer	Daly Fischer Fitz	2:48
12.	"Someday"	Daly Matthew Koma	Koma	3:32
Total length:				32:09

*Let Yourself Free* deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
13.	"24"	Coogan Daly	Daly Fitz	2:36
14.	"Get on Up"	Coogan Daly	Daly Coogan Fitz	2:50
15.	"So What"	Daly Josh Ocean Van Vleet	Daly Fitz Nvdes	2:32
16.	"Fancy"	Coogan Daly Shiben Van Vleet	Daly Shiben Fitz	3:05
17.	"On My Way"	Daly DeReosa Van Vleet	Daly Fitz Shiben	2:41
18.	"Feeling Good"	Daly Ocean Van Vleet	Daly Fitz Nvdes	2:22
Total length:				48:15

Personnel

Fitz and the Tantrums

Fitz – vocals
Noelle Scaggs – vocals, tambourine
James King – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, background vocals
Jeremy Ruzumna – keyboards, background vocals
Joseph Karnes – bass, background vocals
John Wicks – drums, background vocals

Additional contributors

Emerson Mancini^{[note 1]} – mastering
Adam Hawkins – mixing
Reddah Haddioul – engineering (tracks 1–7, 9–18)
Brian Well – engineering (track 8)
Ryan Lewis – engineering (track 8)
Henry Lunetta – mixing assistance
Collin Kadlec – engineering assistance (track 8)
Aaron Glas – session coordination (all tracks); clarinet, bass clarinet (track 8)
Jerry Fitzgerald – backline technician
Ron Blake – trumpet, flugelhorn (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6)
Francisco Torres – trombone, bass trombone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6)
Mark Robert Obriski – art direction, design
Jimmy Fontaine – cover photograph
Lindsey Byrnes – outside tray band photography
Anna Lee – collage photography

Notes

^ Mancini, who publicly came out as a trans man in January 2023,^[9] is credited by his deadname.

References

^ "Let Yourself Free by Fitz and The Tantrums". Apple Music. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ Fitz and the Tantrums [@fitzandthetantrums] (June 23, 2023). "The deluxe version of our album, Let Yourself Free, is out now! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this project, we couldn't have done it without you! Link in bio to listen! #newmusic". Retrieved August 5, 2023 – via Instagram.
^ ^a ^b Kawashima, Dale (December 12, 2022). "Fitz And The Tantrums Interview - Handclap, Let Yourself Free, Songs". SongwriterUniverse. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ Kreps, Daniel (September 28, 2022). "Fitz and the Tantrums Announce New Album 'Let Yourself Free,' 2023 Tour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ "Fitz and the Tantrums drop new single, "Sway"". 105.7 The Point. June 10, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ Bufkin, Anaya (June 12, 2022). "Fitz And The Tantrums Share Catchy New Song And Video "Sway" -". mxdwn Music. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ Patton, Alli (October 1, 2022). "Fitz and The Tantrums Drop New Banger, "Moneymaker"; Announce New Album and Tour". American Songwriter. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ Collar, Matt. "Fitz and the Tantrums - Let Yourself Free Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ Fekadu, Mesfin (January 31, 2023). "How Kendrick Lamar's "Auntie Diaries" Helped Music Engineer Emerson Mancini Come Out". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.

[10] Mancini, who publicly came out as a trans man in January 2023,^[9] is credited by his deadname.

[AppleMusicLYF-1] "Let Yourself Free by Fitz and The Tantrums". Apple Music. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[2] Fitz and the Tantrums [@fitzandthetantrums] (June 23, 2023). "The deluxe version of our album, Let Yourself Free, is out now! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this project, we couldn't have done it without you! Link in bio to listen! #newmusic". Retrieved August 5, 2023 – via Instagram.

[SongwriterUniverseFATTInterview-3] Kawashima, Dale (December 12, 2022). "Fitz And The Tantrums Interview - Handclap, Let Yourself Free, Songs". SongwriterUniverse. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[RollingStoneLYF-4] Kreps, Daniel (September 28, 2022). "Fitz and the Tantrums Announce New Album 'Let Yourself Free,' 2023 Tour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[1057Sway-5] "Fitz and the Tantrums drop new single, "Sway"". 105.7 The Point. June 10, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[MXDWNSway-6] Bufkin, Anaya (June 12, 2022). "Fitz And The Tantrums Share Catchy New Song And Video "Sway" -". mxdwn Music. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[AmericanSongwriterMM-7] Patton, Alli (October 1, 2022). "Fitz and The Tantrums Drop New Banger, "Moneymaker"; Announce New Album and Tour". American Songwriter. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[AllMusicLYF-8] Collar, Matt. "Fitz and the Tantrums - Let Yourself Free Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[9] Fekadu, Mesfin (January 31, 2023). "How Kendrick Lamar's "Auntie Diaries" Helped Music Engineer Emerson Mancini Come Out". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.

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