VAN DYKE PARKS - DISCOVER AMERICA (LP)

Van Dyke Parks Discover America on LP

The eagerly awaited release of the Beach Boys' legendary lost album Smile has introduced a generation of new listeners, and reintroduced multiple generations of old ones, to the remarkable work of Van Dyke Parks, whose lyrical contributions to Smile were crucial to the realization of Brian Wilson's expansive, creative vision. Many of Smile's lyrical themes and musical motifs would reassert themselves in Parks' equally visionary solo work, which has won the veteran composer/arranger/producer/multi-instrumentalist a fiercely devoted cult following and an enduring reputation as one of American music's most rewarding creative forces.

Following the breathtaking high-wire act of Song Cycle, Van Dyke Parks turned his kaleidoscopic gaze to the 1940’s martini-and-rhumba world of Hemingway’s Caribbean sojourn with 1972's Discover America. Integrating West Indies styles absorbed during his travels in Trinidad and Tobago into his wide-ranging musical and compositional arsenal, Parks creates an inspired, conceptually complex work that's both musically compelling and thematically provocative. The artist's pointed insight into the collision of cultures is reflected in such song titles as "Jack Palance," "Bing Crosby," "The Four Mills Brothers," "FDR in Trinidad" and "G-Man Hoover."

The result is a one-of-a-kind embodiment of multicultural Americana that draws upon the talents of such kindred musical spirits as the members of Little Feat, who back Parks on several tracks, including a memorable reworking of their own "Sailin' Shoes." Sundazed's definitive LP edition of this classic is sourced from the original stereo master tapes, and includes the original album artwork!

Van Dyke Parks Discover America Track Listing:

1.  Jack Palance
2.  Introduction
3.  Bing Crosby
4.  Steelband Music
5.  The Four Mills Brothers
6.  Be Careful
7.  John Jones
8.  FDR In Trinidad
9.  Sweet Trinidad
10. Occapella
11. Sailin’ Shoes
12. Riverboat
13. Ode To Tobago
14. Your Own Comes First
15. G-Man Hoover
16. Stars and Stripes Forever