Songs Cycled

Van Dyke Parks - Songs Cycled
Critic Score
Based on 20 reviews
2013 Ratings: #634 / 1115
User Score
Based on 13 ratings
Liked by 1 person
May 6, 2013 / Release Date
LP / Format
Bella Union / Label
Experimental / Genre
Sign In to rate and review

CRITIC REVIEWS

85
Paste

That kaleidoscope view of music, world culture and even current events infuses Songs Cycled with a global feeling and a personal grounding.

80
Drowned in Sound

Songs Cycled has everything you’d want from Van Dyke Parks and from an album. By being true to the Van Dyke Parks’ perception of what an album should contain, his music sounds as though it is from a different planet.

80
Tiny Mix Tapes

This is a close cousin to last year’s Arrangements, Vol. 1; if that was a sampler of what he’s done, this is designed to be a sampler of what he’s capable of doing right now, and it’s a welcome and necessary reminder. 

80
musicOMH

Songs Cycled is a wonderfully engaging, fluent and stimulating listen from start to finish.

72
Pitchfork

Rich, dense moments worthy of human attention fly by one after the other, like a wall where pictures are hung frame-to-frame.

60
NME

This is an intriguing curio of a forgotten time. 

30
The 405

The original Song Cycle sounds more exciting and brave today than this album, which at times has all the energy and ingenuity - and lyrical dexterity - of an am-dram Stephen Sondheim production. 

70

I wish Van Dyke Parks would make more music like this.

Purchasing Songs Cycled from Amazon helps support Album of the Year. Or consider a donation?
Become a Donor
Donor badge, no ads + more benefits.
Advertisement

Track List

  1. Dreaming of Paris
  2. Hold Back Time
  3. Sassafras
  4. Black Gold
  5. Aquarium
  6. Money Is King
  7. Wall Street
  8. The Parting Hand
  9. The All Golden
  10. Wedding in Madagascar
  11. Missin' Mississippi
  12. Amazing Graces
Comments
Sign in to comment
No one has said anything yet.


Added on: May 3, 2013