Amazon.com Former pro surfer Donavon Frankenreiter rides a new wave on his sophomore effort. A change in labels from mentor Jack Johnson's Brushfire to Lost Highway finds the bearded, long-haired, doe-eyed singer/songwriter channeling his inner Talking Book-era Steve Wonder on this occasionally funky and consistently engaging keyboard-dominated album. His dreamy, near-falsetto voice floats through these soulful slices of pop perfection. The low-boil funk and nonchalant vocals sometimes recall Curtis Mayfield or Boz Scaggs in their casual, yet distinctive approach. An offhand natural warmth oozes from this recording that finds the singer and his band tapping an earthy groove. Nothing seems rushed or forced, as the musicians lock into the sunshiny, blue-eyed, melodic R&B vibe. A few more upbeat cuts like the irresistible title track and the riff-driven "That's Too Bad" might have added more supple firepower, but even the ballads connect with a rootsy low-key charm. Frankenreiter hasn't entirely forsaken his tropical beach-boy charm, as shown by the closing "Beautiful Day," but Move by Yourself is a refreshing twist that proves the artist is far more than a surf bum who picked up music to occupy his downtime on a rainy day. --Hal Horowitz Review Features more feel-good tunes riding the wave of surf-folk, with a splash of the '70's. -- OK! Weekly - June 19, 2006 Frankenreiter sends his vocals gliding over grooves to create a sound that, unlike his name, soothes the ear. -- New York Daily News - June 9, 2006 About the Artist Once upon a time, mentioning surfing and music in the same sentence conjured up sepia-toned images of the early60s. But thanks to artists like Donavon Frankenreiter -- who, unlike most of the old-school "surf-rockers," knows his way around a wave as well as he does a fret-board -- those images have been updated radically to focus as much on musical adventure as on the spreading of good vibes. Over the course of the past half-decade, the California-bred Frankenreiter established himself as one of the more original voices on the acoustic-rock scene, through tireless touring and the innate catchiness of songs like "Free" (which became a Triple-A radio staple upon its release two years ago). But, unsatisfied with simply heading further down that path, he opted to shift gears for Move By Yourself, his sophomore outing -- and first for Lost Highway. The brisk 11-track disc is something of a sonic sea change for Frankenreiter. While the sun-kissed openness of his songs is still in full effect, hes now couching those feelings in a whole new set of sounds, from the keyboard-drenched "Let It Go" (which blends Allmans-styled soulfulness with an undeniable pop sensibility) to the low-slung funk grooves of the smoldering title track. In order to more fully explore different aspects of that personality, the Laguna Beach-based singer-songwriter decided a change of scenery would do him good. After releasing his self-titled debut on Brushfire Recordings -- the label run by longtime friend and collaborator Jack Johnson -- Frankenreiter chose to link with Lost Highway for the release of Move By Yourself. After establishing himself as one of the most acclaimed free surfers in the world -- a talent that took him halfway around the world before his 16th birthday -- he picked up a guitar in order to master riding a different sort of wave. By his senior year of high school, he was part of a popular live act called Peanut Butter and Jam, in which he learned that taking the stage provided an entirely different sort of pleasure -- for him and his audience. "The reality is that surfing is my first love," he admits. "For a long time, it was my life -- I made a living at it starting when I was 16 years old, and it took me all a round the world. But its vastly different than doing music. If I call up a buddy to surf, there can be a moment of clarity, but if I get a wave thats really incredible and try to convey that feeling to someone else, they may not be able to relate. But my wife -- or anyone -- can see me on stage playing and really feel what Im feeling. Its magical, theres so much togetherness." "We recorded at a studio in St. Augustine, and this guy, Jim DiVito, had tons of really old equipment, which was terrific," recalls Donavon. "He had two inch tape, no click tracks and we had to do things they way stuff had been done before all the modern studio technology was invented. Just seeing the tape roll was fun. That had a lot to do with the way the music sounds." Those sounds are undeniably, unabashedly, organic. Acoustic interludes like "Girl Like You (Cali Honey)" exude a back-porch vibe so vivid that its easy to imagine the sound of ice swirling around in glasses hoisted by fellow party-goers. And when the volume ramps up to the point where such sounds would be drowned out -- as on the fiery "Fool," which showcases Frankenreiters deft, bluesy fretwork -- other senses get a workout via the smell of, ISBN13: B000FBFT96 ISBN10: B000FBFT96 Material Type: audioCD
