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Countless musical trends have steamrolled by since this wry singer songwriter with the cool and collected, wistful onionskin voice first graced the adult music world in the mid-'70s with The Art of Tea and its cryptic hit, "Popsicle Toes." Yet Franks has stood his ground, growing as an observational lyricist while his relaxed demeanor stays pretty much the same, and charmingly so.
While varying his backing instrumental tracks to fall somewhere between classic, subtle brassy Steely Dan ("The Fountain of Youth" features Yellowjacket saxman Bob Mintzer kicking it up with trumpeter Larry Lunetta) and colorful smooth jazz vibes (Bob James, Dave Samuels, and Chuck Loeb crackle behind the bemused frustration story "Double Talk"), the joy of his writing approach is found in his song structure. Franks just doesn't buy into the Top 40 school of "hook or forget it" songwriting. He's more interested in weaving quirky, even esoteric images over solid grooves. "You could jump a DC-8 and probably be here by eight" sets the tone for the frolic of the title track. Everything is fair game from references to Ingrid Bergman and Rhett Butler looks on "Heart Like an Open Book" to congratulating Ponce De Leon for the youthful drive of his lover on "The Fountain of Youth." He's quite the humorist, too, telling a cheating mate on "Double Talk" that "each time you lie your profile grows/it looks just like Pinocchio's." "Mr. Smooth" is a crisp commentary on a stuck-up man who thinks he's a god somehow. So that even when Franks is expressing displeasure, his heart is light. He covers all the aspects of love from the supreme joy of "Now Love Has No End" to "Why Spring Ain't here" but the minute he starts to boil over, he's back to the beach, having a blast. It's the kind of spring in your step music Franks fashioned his career out of.
© Jonathan Widran /TiVo
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Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Carmen Cuesta, Background Vocal - Chuck Loeb, Arranger - Chuck Loeb, Producer - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - David Charles, Percussion - Jay Azzolina, Guitar - Chris Hunter, Alto Saxophone - Chris Hunter, Flute - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Steve Regina, Engineer - Will Lee, Bass - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Lyricist - Charles Blenzig, Keyboards - Charles Blenzig, Arranger - Charles Blenzig, Programmer - Charles Blenzig, Composer
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jimmy Haslip, Producer - Jimmy Haslip, Bass - Jimmy Haslip, Keyboards - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Jeff Mironov, Guitar - Shawn Pelton, Drums - Bob Mintzer, Saxophone - Bashiri Johnson, Percussion - Steve Regina, Engineer - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer - Chris Palmaro, Keyboards
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Mike Ricchiuti, Keyboards - Mike Ricchiuti, Vocal Arranger - Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Chuck Loeb, Guitar - Chuck Loeb, Arranger - Chuck Loeb, Vocal Arranger - Chuck Loeb, Producer - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - Andy Snitzer, Alto Saxophone - Andy Snitzer, Arranger - Valerie Simpson, Vocal - Birch Johnson, Trombone - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - David Mann, Flute - Steve Regina, Engineer - Wolfgang Haffner, Cymbals - Will Lee, Bass - Brian Dunne, Drums - Brian Dunne, Drum Programmer - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer - Jim Hynes, Flugelhorn
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Mike Ricchiuti, Keyboards - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - Dave Samuels, Vibraphone - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jimmy Haslip, Producer - Jimmy Haslip, Bass - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Bob Mintzer, Arranger - Bob Mintzer, Saxophone - Steve Regina, Engineer - Steve Gadd, Drums - Steve Kahn, Guitar - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer - Larry Lunetta, Trumpet
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Mike Ricchiuti, Vocal Arranger - Mike Ricchiuti, Keyboards - Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Carmen Cuesta, Background Vocal - Chuck Loeb, Vocal Arranger - Chuck Loeb, Producer - Chuck Loeb, Guitar - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - David Charles, Percussion - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Lani Groves, Background Vocal - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Michael Brecker, Tenor Saxophone - Steve Regina, Engineer - Wolfgang Haffner, Drums - Will Lee, Bass - Will Lee, Background Vocal - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Mike Ricchiuti, Vocal Arranger - Mike Ricchiuti, Keyboards - Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Chuck Loeb, Vocal Arranger - Chuck Loeb, Producer - Chuck Loeb, Guitar - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - John Patitucci, Bass - David Charles, Percussion - David Charles, Performer - Dave Samuels, Percussion - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Bob James, Piano - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Ken Freeman, Recording Engineer - Steve Regina, Engineer - Wolfgang Haffner, Performer - Steve Gadd, Drums - Steve Gadd, Performer - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Mike Ricchiuti, Keyboards - Mike Ricchiuti, Vocal Arranger - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Carmen Cuesta, Background Vocal - Chuck Loeb, Arranger - Chuck Loeb, Producer - Chuck Loeb, Guitar - Chuck Loeb, Vocal Arranger - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - Andy Snitzer, Tenor Saxophone - Andy Snitzer, Arranger - David Charles, Percussion - Birch Johnson, Trombone - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jimmy Haslip, Bass - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - David Mann, Flute - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Steve Regina, Engineer - Steve Gadd, Drums - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer - Jim Hynes, Flugelhorn
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jimmy Haslip, Bass - Jimmy Haslip, Percussion - Jimmy Haslip, Producer - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Bob Mintzer, Saxophone - Bob Mintzer, Arranger - Steve Regina, Engineer - Steve Gadd, Drums - Steve Kahn, Guitar - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer - Chris Palmaro, Keyboards - Larry Lunetta, Trumpet
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Jim Beard, Strings - Jim Beard, Arranger - Mike Ricchiuti, Vocal Arranger - Mike Ricchiuti, Keyboards - Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Chuck Loeb, Vocal Arranger - Chuck Loeb, Producer - Chuck Loeb, Guitar - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - John Patitucci, Bass - Dave Samuels, Percussion - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Steve Regina, Engineer - Wolfgang Haffner, Drums - Michael Franks, Performer - Michael Franks, Composer
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - Tawatha Agee, Background Vocal - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jimmy Haslip, Producer - Jimmy Haslip, Bass - Jimmy Haslip, Keyboards - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Jeff Mironov, Guitar - Shawn Pelton, Drums - Bashiri Johnson, Percussion - Steve Regina, Engineer - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer - Chris Palmaro, Keyboards
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Dennis Wall, Recording Engineer - Dennis Wall, Engineer - Keith Shortread, 2nd Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Recording Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Mixing Engineer - Phil Magnotti, Engineer - Jimmy Haslip, Producer - Jimmy Haslip, Bass - Jimmy Haslip, Keyboards - Jeff Sochor, 2nd Engineer - Tom Mark, Recording Engineer - Jeff Mironov, Guitar - Shawn Pelton, Drums - Bashiri Johnson, Percussion - Steve Regina, Engineer - Michael Franks, Vocal - Michael Franks, Composer - Chris Palmaro, Keyboards
(P) 1999 BMG Music
Album review
Countless musical trends have steamrolled by since this wry singer songwriter with the cool and collected, wistful onionskin voice first graced the adult music world in the mid-'70s with The Art of Tea and its cryptic hit, "Popsicle Toes." Yet Franks has stood his ground, growing as an observational lyricist while his relaxed demeanor stays pretty much the same, and charmingly so.
While varying his backing instrumental tracks to fall somewhere between classic, subtle brassy Steely Dan ("The Fountain of Youth" features Yellowjacket saxman Bob Mintzer kicking it up with trumpeter Larry Lunetta) and colorful smooth jazz vibes (Bob James, Dave Samuels, and Chuck Loeb crackle behind the bemused frustration story "Double Talk"), the joy of his writing approach is found in his song structure. Franks just doesn't buy into the Top 40 school of "hook or forget it" songwriting. He's more interested in weaving quirky, even esoteric images over solid grooves. "You could jump a DC-8 and probably be here by eight" sets the tone for the frolic of the title track. Everything is fair game from references to Ingrid Bergman and Rhett Butler looks on "Heart Like an Open Book" to congratulating Ponce De Leon for the youthful drive of his lover on "The Fountain of Youth." He's quite the humorist, too, telling a cheating mate on "Double Talk" that "each time you lie your profile grows/it looks just like Pinocchio's." "Mr. Smooth" is a crisp commentary on a stuck-up man who thinks he's a god somehow. So that even when Franks is expressing displeasure, his heart is light. He covers all the aspects of love from the supreme joy of "Now Love Has No End" to "Why Spring Ain't here" but the minute he starts to boil over, he's back to the beach, having a blast. It's the kind of spring in your step music Franks fashioned his career out of.
© Jonathan Widran /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 01:02:14
- Main artists: Michael Franks
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Windham Hill Jazz
- Genre: Electronic Ambient
(P) 1999 BMG Entertainment
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