Not Your Father's Donavon: Pass it Around

What do you think when you hear the name Donavon Frankenreiter? You think I am making it up, don’t you? I’m not, I swear. If this is a name that you don’t know, you better ask yourself why. Donavon Frankenreiter is a blast straight from the 1970s, bringing you only the best relaxing, soothing tunes. Think Jack Johnson with a little dash of funk (a little “dance to the music” if you will).

The first single from Frankenreiter’s third album, Pass it Around, titled “Life, Love & Laughter” perfectly sums up every aspect of what Donavon stands for: “Don’t look back, it won’t do any good. Don’t look ahead you’ll just be misunderstood. Everything you need could be right in front of you. It doesn’t take much to see what is true.” With Donavon, a Southern California born surfer, it is all about the simple things and he relates that in his music.

With songs such as “Life, Love & Laughter,” “Too Much Water” and “Mansions on the Sand,” Donavon is sure to keep you and your friends grooving. The simplicity of his music is what makes Frankenreiter so good. He knows how to make a song that is catchy but is just repetitive enough to the point where it doesn’t get annoying. You could take any of his first three albums and put them on at a party or while you are relaxing by the pool and they would provide the perfect soundtrack.

If you are looking for a more in depth explanation of Frankenreiter’s music you could compare him to Jack Johnson (the two are good friends and Johnson actually signed Frankenreiter to his Brushfire Fairytales record company for his first self-titled album). His music has been classified as soft rock or surf rock, acoustic guitar with a little bit of rhythm guitar to accompany the drums and bass guitar.

If you are already a fan of Frankenreiter you will not be disappointed by his latest release, Pass it Around. If you are new to him and you like music that can jam, is chill at the same time and can even make you dance if you are feeling a little saucy then I would suggest you go pick up a copy of the album and maybe pick up his first self-titled album while you’re at it.