trippy phase:
//MUSIC
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shows of the week Old North State Juggling Gypsy 255 N. Front St. 8/23, 10 p.m. • Free
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he cover of donavon fran-
kenreiter’s new album, “Start Livin’,” features a trippy illustration of the man himself—signature ‘stache intact—looking at the viewer with blissed-out seriousness, curly hair swirling into flowers and sunshine. The graphic brings to mind classic album covers like The Beatles’ “Revolver” and The Beach Boys’ “Endless Summer,” so it’s no stretch to infer that the Hawaii-based musician is going through an experimental phase in his career. To say “Start Livin’” signals a completely new direction for Frankenreiter would be misleading, as all the cornerstones of his signature flip-flop rock sound are there: uplifting lyrics packed into nine breezy, sundrenched tunes, which carry all the vibes one would expect from a man who shares his profession title of musician with surfer. However, for the recording of his fifth fulllength album, Frankenreiter took on a decidedly different method than with his previous releases. The musician holed up in a Southern California studio for seven days with his longtime bassist Matt Grundy and laid down a handful of new songs that showcase a more folksy side of Frankenreiter. Essential to the record’s experimental feel is its inspired use of instrumentation; from Tibetan singing bowls to banjos, the addition of a dizzying array of unconventional sounds compliment Frankenreiter’s honey-thick vocals, twangy guitar work and draws the listener into his own private Hawaii. encore spoke to Frankenreiter, who will return to Greenfield Lake Amphitheater (of which he cites as “one of his favorite places” to play) on the 24th, about the new album, touring and moustaches. encore (e): “Start Livin’” is a simple title; what’s the inspiration behind it? Donavon Frankenreiter (DF): Well, the album is a group of songs I wrote over the last year-anda-half, and the title track, which is the first song on the album, captured the vibe of the times I had while recording the record. I just wanted to call it “Start Livin’” as to say, just enjoy what’s going on and start living right now. Just live in the moment; don’t overthink things too much. e: Each song on the album seems to have a wall-of-sound built around its acoustic, folksy core. One can almost hear you guys having
SURF ROCK: Donavon Frankenreiter tours Greenfield Lake in support of his new album, “Start Livin’.” Photo by by Rodrigo Farias & Caio Palazzo
fun in the studio. DF: It was one of the most rootsy records I’ve ever made. The record I made before this one [2010’s “Glow”] is, I think, the poppiest record I’ve ever made. It was really clean. That’s what made me go in this direction—me and [Matt Grundy] did all the tracks live. When we’d build these songs, I’d play guitar and sing so we’d have a basis to build the track off of. It was the opposite of what I’ve done before, and it was a lot of fun doing it that way. Some days we’d lay down three songs in one session. There wasn’t a lot of time to sit around wondering if a track should go like this or go like that. It went really fast. e: There’s also a fair share of experimentation on the record as well. DF: Yeah, it was definitely the first time I’ve ever used all these instruments: banjos, ukuleles, glockenspiels and all that. The percussion stuff was new for me, too—we didn’t use any drums on this record. e: So there wasn’t a concrete idea of how these songs would end up? DF: No, not at all. I didn’t know if some things were going to be electric or acoustic. We never had a plan going in [the studio]. That’s why it was so fun at the end of the day, because [within a week] we knew the album would be done. It was the most fun I’ve had in a studio in a long time. e: Some tracks deal with somber issues, like “Same Lullaby” with world peace and “A.I.”, which pays tribute to your friend Andy Irons (a professional surfer who passed away in 2010). Still, they never break the album’s care-free spirit; was it conscious to give these songs a light feel?
DF: For me, that’s just what comes out when I play. I’m at my happiest when I play music. It was one of those things, I didn’t want to sing a sad, depressing song about Andy; I wanted something to be beautiful. But that’s just my perspective; I wanted the songs to make people smile. e: The rate at which you release music is also swift. Not to sound premature, are there any plans in the pipeline for a new album? DF: Yeah, I’m working on some stuff now and we’ll definitely put out another “Revisited” record and another “Recycled Recipes” EP before another full-length record. I’m going to take [my second album] “Move By Yourself” and make it Hawaiian-style, like I did with my first record—and have that out in a couple of months. Then, I’ll put out a third “Recycled Recipes” EP in a couple months; by then I’ll hopefully have another album out. e: You just kicked off the “Start Livin’” tour around the U.S., and then you go to Japan before heading back stateside. You’ve been a full-time husband and dad for several years now; does it ever get easy to balance touring and family? DF: It’s got its up and downs, you know. I had [my family] out with me for the past three months; they just went home, but they may come back out in a month. I’m used to it though. It’s been like 10 years [since I began touring], and after a while you just kind of roll with it. I’m just stoked to be out touring. We’re having a blast, bro. That’s the most exciting part about [being a musician], going out and performing the songs live.
e: Will Wilmington-based fans be able to buy the “Official Donavon Frankenreiter Moustache” (developed by Sanuk) on this tour? DF: Oh yeah, everyone there is going to get a free one. I’m going to bring a thousand of them. [Laughs]
Old North State consists of Dillon and Jantzen Wray, brothers who duel with bluegrass instruments to create a blend of folk and punk rock. Their debut studio album, “The Long Road Home,” is a testament to their rigorous touring schedule, and a highlight of their heart-wrenching ballads and raucous, foot-stomping bluegrass. The Wrays claim to sound like Trampled by Turtles, Good Old War, The Avett Brothers, Larkin Poe, and Mumford and Sons. They will be joined at Juggling Gypsy by Shane Kelly and The Mid-April Romance.
Crowfield
Soapbox Laundro-Lounge 255 N. Front St. 8/25, 10 p.m. • $5
Formed in 2008 with a foundation built upon the pairing of America’s eartland roots and modern, edgy rock ‘n’ roll, Crowfield celebrates the release of its self-titled second album with a summer tour. The Charleston, SC-based band features Tyler Mechem (vocals, guitar), Parker Gins (drums), Micah Nichols (guitar, vocals), and Ethan Ricks (bass). Their indie rock can satisfy mainstream listeners, too.
encore | august 22-28, 2012 | www.encorepub.com 19