Pass It Around

I enjoy listening to Donavon Frankenreiter for his laid back Jack Johnson clone style. Of the massive collection of Frankenreiter's library this album caught my immediate attention. The difference of "typical" DF material infused with late 1960's-70's tunes is genius. My brain was kick started and zoned into detail to lyrics, style, arrangements, influence and reason. Creatively and stylistically this is a successful departure from the norm. The album cover alone reminds me of wacky and loveable Joe Walsh. Listen closely. You will no doubt hear classic rock influence, disco, flamenco and some of the greatest singer-song writers of our time. Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, Jim Croce, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Joe Walsh, Jimmy Buffet, CCR and other masters of southern rock are mixed in each track, without losing the laid back beach sound associated with Frankenreiter. For those of you who may be to young to know these masters of music, do your research. Donavon Frankenreiter has brought back a time period long on the endangered species list. By breathing new life into his style, DF's unpredictability and risk taking steal my vote for one of the best albums of 2008.

I think DF has a great singing voice. i have enjoyed his stuff from the very beginning. I got the live album he did at ABbey road. It was awesome. This one was a little bit of a let down from that. It has his same sound. Which is awesome if you love that sound. But after hearing how awesome he was live I was looking for something a little more.

It was worth the purchase.

The album is great listening. With this album, the music is more complex and satisfying. The combination of electic and acoustic is much more expert than most, combining well into a different sound, rather than merely adding an element. As important, some of the lyrics are more mature and about more complicated subjects, than in some past albums. The songs are still those of a person who values happiness, but who is also concerned with the happiness of others. 'Life, Love and Laughter' is imoportant, but so is 'everything in between, and what happens after'. "Too Much Water" shows concern for the contrast between people suffering in poverty and those so much better off. The the listener feel good, but adding this dimension shows the growth of the artist.

The promotional tour for this album will be something to see! I have seen parts of it, and the musicianship and presentation is super. Donavon connects with an audiance as well as anyone, and much better than most. I hope the next album is live, but I look forward to it in any event. this

.....Because Donovan will take you far, far away as you are enveloped in his smooth melodies and lyrics.....thoughtful lyrics that you can relate to, and lyrics that will just make you smile and feel good. I can see myself sitting at the beach watching the waves rolling in, listening to his amazing new release and just getting lost in it. Heck, I can almost even see him on his surfboard singing to me as he glides through the water! Especially like Life, Love & Laughter, Come With Me, and Pass It Around. Your Heart has also grown on me, with it's Latin flavor. Just an all around great album...don't miss this one!!!

Donavon Frankenreiter, a renowned surfer turned musician, who is hands down as talented on a guitar and mic., as he is on a surfboard, but Donavon's great acoustic styling's and mellow harmonies have always resembled the sounds of his great Friend Jack Johnson. In the making of this album Donavon took the experiences and wisdom gained along the way and evolved as an artist, Donavon put his heart and soul in creating and co-writing this album, in the quest of finding his musical identity. Not taking away his signature sounds of acoustic and electric elements of funky & fresh beats along with honest lyrics of his past recordings, but growing from it and introducing a new approach of delivering it; which in result, is an album filled with soulful melodies, uplifting grooves and some lessons for life.
Donavon's signature raspy & mellow voice always so full of passion, you can clearly see and feel his love for music. The talent and relationship with in the members of the band harmonizes every song perfectly. From the punchy mariachi horns of "Your Heart" to the pop sensibilities of "Life, Love & Laughter" to the laid-back funk of "Hit the Ground Running" and "Too Much Water"
Donavon's newfound musical confidence in "Pass it Around" finally breaks away the Jack Johnson redundancy, which has followed his music for the last two albums and introduces us to Donavon's newfound identity. Pass It Around is a testament to Frankenreiter's continuing evolution as an artist.