User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
- Summary: This is the first solo studio release in 24 years for the pop singer-songwriter, who first gained fame for his work on Brian Wilson's SMiLE album.
Buy Now
- Record Label: Bella Union
- Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Contemporary Pop/Rock, Art Rock
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
-
Positive: 16 out of 21
-
Mixed: 5 out of 21
-
Negative: 0 out of 21
-
UncutMay 6, 2013Songs Cycled is opaque and entirely accessible. [Jun 2013, p.80]
-
The WireJun 5, 2013There's a handful of new material, all displaying superb arranger's skill. His unusual voice has improved too, broadening and mellowing from that nervous tenor of old. [May 2013, p.58]
-
Aug 9, 2013It carries the manic, youthful energy of Parks’s very best works, plants itself deep inside the listener’s brain as though tapping into some deep American (meaning in this case both North American and West Indian) musical unconscious, and magically holds together as a single, unified and exhilarating listening experience despite its meandering through a dauntingly wide range of material and approaches.
-
Jul 16, 2013There’s nothing musty about his arrangements, a sharp melding of pop melody and new-classical harmonics. Parks also brings a wry and pointed flair for political and social commentary.
-
Aug 7, 2013It seems unlikely that the artist will ever be widely recognized for his contribution, but in the meantime, Songs Cycled should provide energy and inspiration for VDP evangelists everywhere.
-
Jul 22, 2013The impossibly orchestrated compositions on Songs Cycled are constantly unraveling and being wound back in, making them a little bit hard to keep up with at times, but something amazing to behold nonetheless.
-
May 6, 2013Those coming fresh to Parks may find his reedy voice, and his warping of time, requires some adjustment.
Score distribution:
-
Positive: 1 out of 1
-
Mixed: 0 out of 1
-
Negative: 0 out of 1
-
Jul 26, 2013
-