The Michael Franks Anthology: The Art of Love [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Though he emerged in the jazz-fusion era in 1973, vocalist Michael Franks is our era's answer to Chet Baker. For over three decades, Frank's airy tenor was only outdone by his double-entendre lyrics. This two-CD compilation contains a good cross-section of Franks's hit albums, from The Art of Tea and Sleeping Gypsy to Blue Pacific and Barefoot on the Beach. With sidemen such as pianists Kenny Barron, Jeff Lorber, and Joe Sample, bassist Ron Carter and saxophonists Michael Brecker and David Sanborn, Franks's vocals emphasized the soft side of swing, whether is the teasing "Popsicle Toes," the slinky bossa nova ditty "Antonio's Song (The Rainbow)," or the tasty "Leading Me Back to You." The set also contains some sides the fusion-rock bands, the Yellowjackets and Crossfire. Like that old adage, Michael Franks proves that slow and steady wins the race. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Album Description
2 1/2 hours of digitally remastered music on two career-spanning CDs! Features material from every album in Franks' Warner-Reprise catalog, including live & studio collaborations Crossfire, Yellowjackets & Joe Sample. 31 tracks in a slipcase. Rhino. 2003.

Tracks:

Eggplant
Popsicle Toes
The Lady Wants To Know
B'Wana-He No Home
Antonio's Song (The Rainbow)
When The Cookie Jar Is Empty
Meet Me In The Deerpark
Living On The Inside
Sanpaku
Tiger In The Rain
When It's Over
On My Way Home To You
Inside You
Lotus Blossom
Don't Be Blue (Live, 1980) With Crossfire
Monkey See- Monkey Do (Live, 1980)- With Crossfire

Tracks:

Tahitian Moon
Flirtation
When Sly Calls (Don't Touch That Phone)
Rainy Night In Tokyo
Sunday Morning Here With You
Your Secret's Safe With Me
When I Give My Love To You
Read My Lips
Innuendo
Leading Me Back To You
The Art Of Love
The Dream - Michael Franks
Monk's New Tune
Somehow Our Love Survives
Mr. Smooth

Amazon.com

Though he emerged in the jazz-fusion era in 1973, vocalist Michael Franks is our era's answer to Chet Baker. For over three decades, Frank's airy tenor was only outdone by his double-entendre lyrics. This two-CD compilation contains a good cross-section of Franks's hit albums, from The Art of Tea and Sleeping Gypsy to Blue Pacific and Barefoot on the Beach. With sidemen such as pianists Kenny Barron, Jeff Lorber, and Joe Sample, bassist Ron Carter and saxophonists Michael Brecker and David Sanborn, Franks's vocals emphasized the soft side of swing, whether is the teasing "Popsicle Toes," the slinky bossa nova ditty "Antonio's Song (The Rainbow)," or the tasty "Leading Me Back to You." The set also contains some sides the fusion-rock bands, the Yellowjackets and Crossfire. Like that old adage, Michael Franks proves that slow and steady wins the race. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Album Description

2 1/2 hours of digitally remastered music on two career-spanning CDs! Features material from every album in Franks' Warner-Reprise catalog, including live & studio collaborations Crossfire, Yellowjackets & Joe Sample. 31 tracks in a slipcase. Rhino. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Great Music, Alluring Vocals And Two Many Silly Love Songs.......2006-08-19

Michael Franks is a cerebral and erudite performer with hypnotic, mellow vocals invariably accompanied by stellar musicians and dynamic music. He is also a Baby-Booming utopian who advocates vegetarianism,animal rights, environmentalism and many green causes. I have all of his CD's and each has a few to several quality songs. "Abandoned Garden" and "Blue Pacific" are incredible CD's. This man is so cool he lives in Woodstock. Conversely, I have always felt that universal fame eluded Franks because he has written too many sappy little love songs that have tarnished his legacy and aura. When Michael Franks pens a poignant or melancholic tune he ascends to the greatest of heights. If he only penned more of them who knows how far the boundlessly talented Michael Franks could have resonated with the musical masses.

Mr.Smooth and the 'The Art Of Love'.......2004-11-27

I remember one morning as I was getting out of bed.I heard a smooth singer on the radio singing a smooth song. Well it took me about two months to find out who the singer was and the name of the song.As you may have guess the singer was Michael Franks (Mr.Smooth) and the song was 'The Lady Wants To Know'.And that's when I became a Michael Franks fan.What's so amazing to me about Michael is his ability to create such fantastic lyrics.The man really has a way with words.He's like the Cole Porter of smooth jazz.Just check out the lyrics on songs like Eggplant,Living On The Inside,Innuendo and Monk's New Tune just to name a few.And they are just a few of the songs included on Michael Franks Anthology cd set. The songs on this compilation were recorded during Michael's years with Warner Brothers.The first disk focuses on Michael's early years (1975 thur 1980).The second focuses on his later years (1982 thur 1999).During those years Michael got to work with recording artist like Rob Mounsey,Larry Carlton,Joe Sample,Kenny Rankin,Earl Klugh, Luther Vandross and David Sanborn.All of whom are present on this two cd set.Also on disk one is a song called 'Antonio's Song (The Rainbow)'.This song was written by Michael with his dear friend in mind Antonio Carlos Jobim.But unfortunately for me some of my most favorite songs of Michael Franks early years did not make disk one.Tunes like St.Elmo's Fire,One Bad Habit and Still Life.But all is not lost because songs like Living On The Inside,Tiger In The Rain,Inside You and Lottus Blossom are perfect songs to cuddle-up to with your love one on a rainy day.Now after listening to disk one disk two seems like a bit of a letdown.Simply put the song selection on disk two is a little weaker than on disk one.But disk two does has it's moments with songs like When Sly Calls (Don't Touch That Phone),Innuendo,The Art Of Love,Ranny Night In Tokyo and Monk's New Tune.But again unfortunately for me some of my favorite songs of Michael Franks later years did not make disk two.Tunes like Alone At Night,How The Garden Grows,Wnen She Is Mine and All I Need.You would think that with the length of Michael Franks career,and the volume of material to choose from. They could have made this a three disk compilation or maybe a box set.So is this two disk compilation worth buying? Well let me put it to you this way.If you like good,relaxing and well compose music this cd set is for you.So just sit back and let Michael Franks smooth you from your head all the way down to your Popsicle Toes.

Michael Franks Fan.......2004-07-13

As a fan of Michael Franks, I would have to recommend any of his albums. Since I own all of his albums (except any of the "best of" releases) I have not purchased this particular album. I have to say that they did a good job with the compilation based on the song list. However, I would recommend considering the album "Dragon Fly Summer" (for the songs "How I Remember You" and a rendition of "I Love Lucy" which is not a Frank's song but is wonderfully done [yes the Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz theme song]) and the album "Blue Pacific" (for the songs "Woman in the Waves", "Chez Nous", and "Crayon Sun"). I would have chosen these 5 songs over the songs "When the Cookie Jar is Empty", "Sanpaku", "When its Over", "When Sly Calls", and "Read my Lips". Don't get me wrong, because these are all wonderful songs. I just feel that the other 5 songs would have been better choices for an album about the "Art of Love". The song "How I Remember You" is in my opinion, one of his best "love" songs, both instumentally and lyrically.

Heard it all before, yet never get tired of it.......2003-11-07

It's murderer's row of Franks' best songs. I keep buying his repackaged, vintage stuff-and still truly enjoy every note. I think I've got popsicle toes on 4 different CD's. What makes this go-round worth the 32 bucks, is having most of the best on 2 cd's, including live versions of Monkey see and Monkey do. It's the little variations that are most welcome and enjoyable. For example, "Why do we fuss and fight like Arabs and like Jews", written 30 years ago when such talk was the norm, has been replaced with "Like Crazy people do", and the keyboards on the live tracks included are very un-Joe Sample like, but still a nice change. Since I usually give away my favorite CD's to turn people on to his music, this CD was a welcome addition to my always dwindling collection. In summary, if you want a comprehensive list of MF's hits, here it is. If there was one thing that should have been considered to make this CD even more desirable, it would have been to have had a "vote forum" on his website and let the fans pick the tracks that what they wanted on this CD. By the way, His new CD, "Watching The Snow" is fantastic. Especially tracks 1,4, and 9. Don't bother trying to find it here though, you can only get it by mail order at his website. It will be great to see him at the Ramshead Tavern In Md. on 12/06!!

Are You My Mother.......2003-06-27

Like several others who left reviews, I might have made different selections in putting together this anthology. However, having all the individual albums from which the choices were made, I can listen to my personal favorites at any time.

Where Rhino slipped up is that there are no "extras," songs not generally available. Mr. Franks is something of a perfectionist, so it's understandable that there are no unissued tracks from his various recording sessions. But his contributions to several movie soundtracks ("Author! Author!" and "Are You My Mother" as well as his duets with Livingston Taylor and Bob Mintzer's Big Band would have been welcome inclusions and would have made this anthology more of a must-have for completists.

Music:

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