Los Angeles bloggers hail Frankel as one of the city’s best kept secrets. The man behind the music reveals the story behind the name. Fans of Wilco, Elliott Smith, and The Flaming Lips take note of Lullaby For The Passersby.
“Absolutely an artist to watch out for in 2007.†– Aquarium Drunkard
“Lullaby For The Passersby is going to remind you of a lot of great bands but never borrows a single lick. Frankel’s songwriting holds its ground because there are so many quirky bits stapled to the melodies without ruining the feel. For an album that is so refreshing, I’m dumbfounded that a city ‘buzzing’ with multitudes of forgettable indie-pop-folk bands hasn’t discovered Frankel’s obvious musical talent.†– Little Radio
Frankel’s first full length Lullaby For The Passersby is a shimmering listen that has bloggers buzzing with excitement about the promising Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter. If record reviews show any indication of what is in store for Frankel, otherwise known as Michael Orendy, he will soon be hailed nationally as one of the city’s most promising acts. Lullaby For The Passersby was mixed by Aaron Espinoza of Earlimart and mastered by Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Grandaddy, Built To Spill) fame and will be released on producer Raymond Richards’ Red Rockets Glare label.
Orendy himself played all of the instruments on Lullaby, from the Theremin to the Twirly Whirly. Aside from being a multi-instrumentalist, Orendy also proves his talent through his songwriting. “Wilco, Elliott Smith, and hints of The Flaming Lips shine through on Frankel’s debut album, Lullaby for the Passerbyâ€, says Little Radio.
As for the unusual name Orendy chooses to record under, it refers to a piece of orthodontia he had to wear when he was young. According to Orendy, it was “a giant retainer that filled your whole mouth-huge, kind of like what a boxer wears in the ringâ€. Orendy embraced his Frankel into his adulthood and made it his nom-de-tune. The name suits Orendy’s music perfectly, as it turns out. Because, like the apparatus he was fated to don, his songs strive to make lemonade out of life’s lemons.
Frankel is supporting Lullaby For The Passersby with a round of hometown dates followed by a US tour later in 2007.
Frankel Live:
06/16 Los Angeles, CA Sea Level Records
06/18 Glendale, CA – The Scene
06/20 Live Performance on Little Radio
06/26 Hollywood, CA – Boardner’s
07/09 Los Angeles, CA The Echo
07/13 Live on KXLU, Los Angeles
07/19 Los Angeles, CA Tangier
Lullaby For The Passersby Tracklisting:
Release date: June 12th, 2007
01. Thermostat (MP3)
02. Tooth Decay (MP3)
03. Dressed in Uniform
04. X Marks the Spot
05. New Authority
06. Found Out
07. Previous Life
08. Red Part of Town
09. Lullaby
10. Curtain Calls
11. Becoming You
Girl Talk original article
It takes a strong work ethic to reach the peak of the Punk Rock world. Bodies litter the rocky road to the top, and though it never really looks much different than base camp, many still make the journey.
Alex Goldberg caught up with Fred Thomas of Saturday Looks Good To Me in August of 2006. Here are the transcripts of their little interview.