RockAndRoll: Donavon Frankenreiter

Donavon Frankenreiter will bring his surf rock to the Hamptons this week. On Sunday you can catch him at The Surf Lodge in Montauk and Monday at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett. Frankenreiter's new album, The Heart, marks the start of the singer-songwriter's second decade as a solo recording artist. It's been over 10 years since the release of his self-titled debut, and in that time he has grown, not only as a musician, but also as a man. He's raising a family and nurturing two creative careers—one onstage, one in the waves—but on top of all that, he's still learning what makes him tick. And so, naturally, he named his album after his ticker. "All these songs are as close to me singing from the heart as I can," said Frankenreiter. "It's a complete record; the songs are intertwined. I had to call it The Heart, that was the theme of the record." The songs here are seriously sentimental, without question the heaviest material he has released to date. Part of that inspiration came from his co-writer, the prolific songwriter Grant-Lee Phillips, with whom Frankenreiter had collaborated in the past on his album Pass It Around. He recognized the ease with which the two worked together and sent Phillips a handful of new tunes and ideas. He was astonished at the brilliance of the songs that came back, and so quickly, but also by one of Phillips' suggestions in particular. "Grant told me, 'You should make the most intimate and honest record you've ever made,'" said Frankenreiter. "So these songs are simple and intimate and honest, they aren't cheeky. There's some ups and downs — I love writing positive songs and happy tunes, but there are some downers here. I feel like it's where I'm at, 42 years old. Every one of these songs means a lot to me. They're from the heart." To record them, Frankenreiter booked two weeks of studio time in May of 2015 at Blue Rock Studios in Wimberley, Texas. But unlike the privacy afforded by most studios, these sessions were live-streamed on the internet in a soul-baring exhibition for his fans. "We went in saying, 'Let's make the best record we can that we enjoy,'" he said. "And not that I didn't feel that way about my other albums, but this was the one that felt the most natural. Even the way we made it, too, a song a day. I went into it feeling a little pressure, this whole live-streaming thing; if we hit a rut the first day, we're screwed. But the first day we cut 'Big Wave,' and it was off to the races." A decade into his career, Frankenreiter has learned to listen to his heart above all else. Sharing the load with those he trusts, and especially with those he loves, he has seized the opportunity to take control of his craft, on his own terms, and to follow his own beat. "I went into this album saying I wanted to make songs I love," he said. "Whatever feels right, go ahead and record it, and worry about what happens after, afterwards. I'm proud of it." For information on his shows at The Surf Lodge and Stephen Talkhouse visit www.stephentalkhouse.com or www.thesurflodge.com.

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