Watching the Snow
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
Watching the Snow is a smooth vocal jazz album by American singer-songwriter and musician Michael Franks. It was released three times: initially in Japan with Columbia in 2003, in the United States with Sleeping Gypsy in 2004, then finally with Koch Records in 2007.[1]
It was Franks' fifteenth studio album after Barefoot on the Beach in 1999, and prior to Rendezvous in Rio in 2006.[2]
Background
Watching the Snow was Michael Franks' first and currently only holiday music themed album. Rather than covering other holiday music standards however, Franks wrote all the songs.
According to the linear notes, sales from the album were donated to Hearts United for Animals, a no-kill animal shelter and welfare organisation.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Way We Celebrate New Year's" | 6:23 |
| 2. | "Watching The Snow" | 5:41 |
| 3. | "Christmas In Kyoto" | 4:50 |
| 4. | "My Present" | 4:30 |
| 5. | "I Bought You a Plastic Star (For Your Aluminum Tree)" | 3:36 |
| 6. | "Said The Snowflake" | 4:51 |
| 7. | "The Kiss" | 4:41 |
| 8. | "When The Snowman Sings" | 4:21 |
| 9. | "Island Christmas" | 5:44 |
| 10. | "My Present (Reprise)" | 4:28 |
Personnel
- Vocals – Michael Franks, Veronica Nunn
- Background vocals – Veronica Nunn
- Double bass – Jay Anderson
- Drums – Billy Kilson
- Flugelhorn – Alex Sipiagin
- Flute – Chris Hunter
- French horn – John Clark
- Guitar – Jay Azzolina, Romero Lubambo
- Percussion – Charles Blenzig, Café
- Piano, keyboards – Charles Blenzig
- Saxophone – Chris Hunter
- Trumpet – Alex Sipiagin
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
Writing for AllMusic, Christopher Monger described the album as "comfort food with all the trimmings" and that each track was "lovingly crafted, astronomically inoffensive, and wine-drunk silly and sincere."
Comparing the album to the holiday themed releases of Franks' peers, he concluded it was 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."
References
- ^ a b Monger, James Christopher. Watching the Snow – Michael Franks at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
- ^ "Discography in Order of Release". MichaelFranks.com. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
Bibliography
- Watching the Snow (CD booklet). Michael Franks. United States: Sleeping Gypsy. 2004. 76544.
{{cite AV media notes}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|titlelink=and|coauthors=(help)CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
External links
| Studio albums |
|
|---|---|
| Independent albums |
|
| Live albums | |
| Compilations |
|
| Notable producers |
|
| Related articles | |
