The idiosyncratic
Mitchell Froom was among the most acclaimed and eclectic producers of his era, with a résumé which included acts ranging from
Los Lobos to
Cibo Matto to his wife,
Suzanne Vega. Beginning his career as a versatile session player noted primarily for his keyboard prowess,
Froom initially attracted attention with his 1984 solo debut The Key of Cool, used as the soundtrack to the film Cafe Flesh. His first significant outside production work appeared on the
Del Fuegos' 1985 LP Boston, Mass, his breakthrough following a year later with
Crowded House's self-titled debut, its bright, pristine pop sound typifying the
Froom production aesthetic of the time. Subsequent efforts including
Peter Case's eponymous solo outing, while
Richard Thompson's Daring Adventures solidified his reputation as a rising talent; they also saw the continuation of his fledgling partnership with engineer
Tchad Blake, a collaboration which proved remarkably fruitful in the years to follow.
Work with
McCartney,
Tim Finn, and
Maria McKee followed as the '80s drew to a close, and
Froom also continued his lengthy affiliations with
Crowded House and
Thompson. In 1990, he helmed
Los Lobos' The Neighborhood; two years later, he and Blake reunited with the group for
Kiko, a densely textured and adventurous record which heralded a quantum leap in their sound. From there,
Froom moved on to
Vega's 99.9° F, another radical departure which pushed the singer/songwriter toward a metallic, heavily rhythmic style. The new
Froom-
Blake aesthetic -- with its signature reverbed vocals, distorted textures, and junkyard percussion -- continued to blossom on acclaimed efforts including
American Music Club's 1993 LP
Mercury, and in 1994, the duo joined with
Los Lobos' David Hidalgo and
Louie Perez in the side project
Latin Playboys. Productions including
Cibo Matto's celebrated
Viva! La Woman and
Ron Sexsmith's Other Songs preceded the release of
Froom's 1998 all-star effort
Dopamine.
Froom continued to work steadily during the late '90s and early 2000s, helming records with high profiles (
Sheryl Crow's
Globe Sessions, and
Binaural from
Pearl Jam) as well as up-and-coming artists like
Mia Doi Todd and
Phantom Planet. In 2005, Froom served as producer for both Music from the O.C.: Mix 1 and Rhino's Whatever: The 90's Pop and Culture Box. He also issued the solo effort
Thousand Days, a collection of piano music. ~ Jason Ankeny