1. Jealousy 3:38  
2. Ladies' Nite 4:11  
3. No-Deposit Love 5:12  
4. Laughing Gas 3:25  
5. Wonderland 5:02  
6. Tahitian Moon 4:37  
7. Flirtation 3:45  
8. Love Duet 4:58  
9. No One But You 4:43

Michael Franks (vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin, background vocals); 
Renee Diggs, Bonnie Raitt (vocals, background vocals); 
Nick Moroch (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); 
Hugh McCracken, Joe Caro, Larry Carlton (electric guitar); 
Steve Khan (classical guitar); 
Jill Jaffe (strings); 
Lawrence Feldman (flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); 
David Sanborn (alto saxophone); 
Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); 
Lew Soloff, Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn);
Rob Mounsey (piano, electric piano, Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer, Oberheim synthesizer); 
Ted Lo (Fender Rhodes piano); 
Michael Colina (ARP synthesizer, Oberheim synthesizer, cymbals); 
Harvey Mason, Sr. , Andy Newmark, Rick Cutler, Buddy Williams (drums); 
Victor Feldman, Rubens Bassini (congas, percussion); 
Ray Bardani (tambourine); 
Phillip Ballou, Yolanda McCullough, Leslie Miller, Kacey Cisyk, Luther Vandross, 
Randy VanWarmer, Tawatha Agee, Yvonne Lewis (background vocals).

Again, Michael Franks switches gears, this time back to a more romantic, thoughtful approach. The result is Objects of Desire, a natural follow-up to Tiger in the Rain. Steve Khan adds a distinctive touch with his guitar work as does Rob Mounsey with his keyboards; yet neither takes away from the orchestrated grandeur of some tracks. Primarily produced by Franks, the album was his most personal statement musically up to that point. In his attempt to create a musical portrait in a style reminiscent of the art of Paul Gauguin, Franks comes closest with "Tahitian Moon." His clever love song style is evident on "Laughing Gas"; yet in setting out to come up with something ambitious within the jazz-pop arena, Franks is again less successful at creating songs with the wide appeal of his earlier works. Musically throughout, though, Franks shows off his multi-sensory artistic influences as well as his continuing ability to try new things, with excellent results. --- Stephen J. Matteo, Rovi

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01. Now That The Summer's Here (5:27)
02. One Day In St. Tropez (5:19)
03. Summer In New York (5:57)
04. Mice (5:26)
05. Charlie Chan In Egypt (5:29)
06. I'd Rather Be Happy Than Right (4:41)
07. Time Together (3:37)			play
08. Samba Blue (4:45)
09. My Heart Said Wow (2:47)		play
10. If I Could Make September Stay (5:23)
11. Feathers From An Angel's Wings (8:01)

Personnel:
Michael Franks-vocals,
David Spinozza-guitar,
Mike Mainieri-vibraphone, 
Eric Marienthal-saxophone
Till Bronner-brass
Alex Sipiagin -brass,
Billy Kilson-drums, 
Romero Lubambo-guitar,
Veronica Nunn-vocals

In my opinion, this is the best Michael Franks album since 1983's "Passionfruit." I am a twenty-something music enthusiast and over the years I've collected all of Michael's !SEVENTEEN! proper releases, most on vinyl, which is undoubtedly the best way to experience his music. By this point in his career, Michael should really be considered a legend in the jazz pop world. Alas, he is highly underrated. This is a shame because he is the "real deal." He continues to effortlessly blend jazz, pop, and world music with stunningly brilliant lyrics to great effect. Michael is at his best when his complex melodic ideas are designed to slowly seep into your sub-conscious in such a way that one line like, "The lady wants to know..." triggers immediate auditory recall of that song's lyrics and melody. For me, the albums that do this best are Art of Tea, Sleeping Gypsy, Burchfield Nines, Tiger in the Rain, One Bad Habit, and Passionfruit. I intentionally organized those albums chronologically and omitted 1982's "Objects of Desire" which never quite clicked with me. Let me be clear -- Michael Franks has never released a "bad" album. I just happen to prefer certain production and songwriting techniques that are present on his timeless '70s and early '80s albums. To be more specific, I feel that the '80s had a slightly adverse impact on some of Michael's output. This is particularly true with the albums "Skin Dive" and "Camera Never Lies." In anticipation of this album, I read almost all of the Amazon.com reviews of Michael's back catalog, and I seem to be in the minority here. But to me, "Skin Dive" and "Camera Never Lies" sound extremely dated because of the heavy use of compression, drum machines, and special effects. Yes, these albums include some brilliant compositions, but the brilliance is overshadowed by the '80s production. I have some reservations about the '90s albums for similar reasons, but mostly because the compositions seem to wander and the use of saxophone is too liberal for my aesthetic.

But I digress. "Time Together" is a modern masterpiece. I have listened to it at least twelve times and the songs are already ingrained in my musical memory. It is impossible to NOT memorize the clever/cute/insightful lyrics of "Mice" or the catchy chorus to "Now That The Summer's Here." Add some of Joe Sample's Fender Rhodes and "I'd Rather Be Happy Than Right" could have easily been included on "The Art of Tea." And the brilliance doesn't end there. "Charlie Chan in Egypt" and "My Heart Said Wow" offer up a formidable dose of jazz fare with unbelievably witty lyrics.

The production here is very clean and mostly organic (e.g. classical guitars, real drums/percussion, etc.). The one notable exception is "Summer In New York" which features electronic drums and synth patches. Fortunately, it also happens to be a flawless composition that is undeniably groovy. And the drum/keyboard programming doesn't obstruct the brilliance inherent in the tune. The tasty trumpet solo also helps create a perfectly laid-back atmosphere. Finally, "Time Together" features a number of bossa-nova songs that round out the album. I am a huge fan of Michael's Brazilian leanings, and, for me, "One Day In St. Tropez" and "Samba Blue" don't disappoint!

In summation, forget all of the fodder that radio stations will try to pass off as this year's "summer anthem." This is it. A perfect summer album. Grab a good book, an ice-cold lemonade, and enjoy. Thank you, Michael, for your veritable contributions to music... --- Noah Wilson. Amazon.com

Jazz singer/songwriter Michael Franks is an artist most jazz fans feel strongly about one way or another. His unique, romantic poet-cum-laid-back hipster approach to jazz signing is breezy, light, and languid. It's also uniquely his own, though deeply influenced by Brazilian jazz, bossa, and samba. Time Together, his first recording of new material in five years -- and his debut for Shanachie -- is unlikely to change anyone's opinion of him, but that doesn't mean this is a rote recording. Time Together is an airy, groove-ridden summer travelog that ranges from St. Tropez and New York to Paris, France, and Egypt; it journeys through the nostalgic past and finds space in the present moment, with cleverly notated, languorous, ironic observations about life. Franks split the production and arranging duties between Charles Blenzig, Gil Goldstein, Chuck Loeb, Scott Petito, and Mark Egan.

The rest of the international cast on this polished 11-song set includes old friends and new faces David Spinozza, Mike Mainieri, David Mann, Eric Marienthal, Till Brönner, Alex Spiagin, Jerry Marotta, Billy Kilson, Romero Lubambo, and backing vocalist Veronica Nunn. Time Together is wonderfully polished without being overly slick. The set opens with "Now That the Summer's Here," a samba-inspired paean to laziness with excellent solos by Bronner's trumpet and Marienthal's alto. The arrangement by Loeb includes a perfectly balanced meld of acoustic and electric guitars, with the harmony chorus between Franks and Carmen Cuesta adding an essentially restrained yet celebratory tone. "One Day in St. Tropez" is one Franks' finest reminiscence songs. Goldstein's acoustic piano, Greg Cohen's bass, and Lubambo's acoustic guitar evoke classic bossa while the singer details in exotically rich, nostalgically romantic lyrics a 1963 hitchhiking excursion through Southern France. "Mice" is a humorous, metaphorically hip irony, illustrated beautifully by Manieri's vibes, Petito's bass, and Spinozza's guitar with a backing vocal from Beth Neilsen-Chapman. "Samba Blue," another of thew album's finer tracks, offers the tale of a long-ago love affair in Paris, without a hint of cloying or regret, thanks to Franks fine lyric and melody, and a jaunty Loeb arrangement featuring a beautiful alto solo by Marienthal. "My Heart Said Wow" is a straight-ahead duet with Nunn, boasting a fine trumpet solo by Spiagin's trumpet. "Feathers from an Angel's Wing," the longest and perhaps most beautiful track here is, fittingly, also the closer. Arranged by Egan, whose fretless bass introduces it, Loeb's guitars, Clifford Carter's keys, and Joe Bonadio's drums illustrate it elegantly.

The singer's use of Zen wisdom in the modern jazz lyric and melody, underscores everything fine and right in Franks' art from The Art of Tea to the present day. While his framework may be contemporary, his execution is timeless, making Time Together Franks' most consistent, graceful collection of songs in the 21st century. ---Thom Jurek, Rovi

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01. Way We Celebrate New Year's, The
02. Watching the Snow
03. Christmas in Kyoto
04. My Present
05. I Bought You a Plastic Star (For Your Aluminum Tree)
06. Said the Snowflake
07. Kiss, The
08. When the Snowman Sings
09. Island Christmas (with Veronica Nunn)
10. My Present (Reprise)

Michael Franks (vocals)
Veronica Nunn (vocals, background vocals)
Jay Azzolina, Romero Lubambo (guitar)
Chris Hunter (flute, saxophone)
Alex Sipiagin (trumpet, flugelhorn)
John Clark (French horn)
Charles Blenzig (piano, keyboards, percussion)
Jay Anderson (acoustic bass)
Billy Kilson (drums)Cafe (percussion)

To call Michael Franks schmaltzy is like calling Santa Claus jolly, but what sets him apart from his contemporaries is his ability to deliver each clever yet wince-inducing rhyme with a wink. Watching the Snow is comfort food with all the trimmings, and it's a testimony to Franks' laid-back demeanor and subtle humor that an entire record of original holiday songs can complement a snowy December day rather than accentuate its forced seasonal cheer. Dressed to impress by Franks' conversational vocal style, Chris Hunter's mellow sax attack, and Charles Blenzig's fireplace keyboard meanderings, it requires nothing but the two-bites-from-being-uncomfortably-full sensation of a post-dinner nap to render the listener grinning in half-comatose reverie. Originally released in Japan in 2003, Snow finds Franks musing on everything from decorating the mango tree ("Island Christmas") to snowmen blowing smoke rings ("When the Snowman Sings") with equal parts sentimental melancholy and irreverence. Each track is lovingly crafted, astronomically inoffensive, and wine-drunk silly and sincere. Even at his most biting, on "I Bought You a Plastic Star (For Your Aluminum Tree)," where he croons "Easy credit may not cure your ills/Unless your address is in Beverly Hills/Spend all ye faithful with all your might/We're gonna have ten years of silent night," Franks' delivers the lines more like a teasing uncle than a bitter old grandpa, resulting in a fine addition to the ever-expanding holiday genre. Proceeds from Watching the Snow go to the no-kill shelter, sanctuary, and animal welfare organization Hearts United for Animals. --- James Christopher Monger, Rovi

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