nearly the entire repertory of Beach Boys music. If your musical preferences lie in the realm of Nine Inch Nails and such, records like Pet Sounds and Surfer Girl may not hold much currency. But time has caught up with Brian Wilson. People like John Cale and Leonard Bernstein recognized Wilson’s genius in its day and now such hipsters as Sonic Youth envelop his work in praise. Of course, the fact that Brian Wilson is a millionaire has probably helped to take the sting out of his vilification as a mere pop jingle writer. | could rattle on for pages about mv apprecia- tion for Brian Wilson but his life and work are well documented and adequately critiqued enough that those interested can just go knock themselves out. Therefore, I'll now dwell on the man to whom Orange Crate Art really belongs. Van Dyke Parks, whose records have met with almost universal obscurity both critical and popular, is the chief architect of this collaboration, he having composed the majority of the music and lyrics, with Wilson lending his signature athletic singing style. To his credit, | have never read or heard an interview where Van Dyke bemoaned his lack of widespread recognition. On the contrary, his musical career seems prosperous given its quietude. Somewhat like J.D. Salinger, Parks has left his followers craving more without overstaying his welcome, having managed to release six solo recordings (including Orange Crate Art) since 1968's masterpiece Song Cycle. | played Song Cycle for a friend of mine recently who, seeming not quite to believe what she was hearing, comment- ed that it sounds like it was recorded in 3-D. The first time | heard it, | was so shocked | don’t think | was able to accept what | was hearing as music. | assumed that what | was listening to was - the soundtrack for some bizarre lost film from the nineteen twen- ties. Such rationale being the only way | could fit the record into my brain which was actively rejecting the idea of such a thing being recorded in this half of the twentieth century despite the evidence which negated the pos- sibility of its being recorded in any other decade than the sixties. | checked the liner notes to try and corroborate my suspi- cion to no avail. Since then, Song Cycle has yielded for me an incalculable number of repeat listens, each more satisfying than the last. Amazingly, | can say the same for all Parks’ other recordings. Discover America, the equal of the first record, a 1972 musical trip to Trinidad and the West Indies filtered through an eye for pre- serving and celebrating both his own unique Americanness and the rare beauty of this foreign land; Clang of the Yankee Reaper, a bubbly, somewhat more gothic sounding (in the Flannery O'Connor sense) 1975 effort which, although retaining some trademark idiosyncrasies, pointed itself in a more conventional direction of song craft while remaining as bewilderingly sub- versive as his “weirder” stuff; Jump, his amazing 1984 interpre- tation of the Brer Rabbit stories from Tales of Uncle Remus, blended American folk tradition with the sound of a Broadway musical; and Tokyo Rose, another baffling Broadway musical with traces of Karaoke, about the history of trade relations between America and Japan. Having worked as a producer for the Byrds and Phil Ochs, Parks seemed concerned with fostering the new American folk music with other Southern California talents such as Randy Newman. This couldn’t have been an unhipper stance in the California coffee house scene of the sixties where patriotism was seen as a disease in the light of Vietnam. But a quick study of Phil Ochs (or Stompin’ Tom Connors) reveals that it’s more subversive to be for than against. One thing must be cleared up in order for people to hear Orange Crate Art for what it is. Van Dyke Parks is probably best known for a collaboration that took place in 1967 between himself and Brian Wilson, the infamous Smile project. With music by Brian and lyrics by Van Dyke, that record, which was canned by the record company and only released recently in an unfinished form, represents what could have been a real turning point in American music. Most people who have tapes of the sessions can only describe the music as “mind blowing”. However, Orange Crate Art does not resemble in any way a Smile type reunion. It’s been thirty years since those recordings were made and these guys are now in their fifties. Lots of people will lament that this record isn’t more like Smile. In my opinion, their music has only gotten better. As for Orange Crate Art, it continues Parks’ unabashed yearning for an America which at one time seemed like a sea of possibility. The songs are all generous, beautiful, sentimental, and clear. The melodies are sug- gestive of the languid south California air which, coupled with Brian Wilson’s voice of bot- tomless innocence, paint a por- trait of active memory and imagination. Standout tracks for me include “Hold Back Time,” “Summer in Monterey,” “Movies is Magic,” and the final track, Parks’ arrangement of Gershwin’s “Lullaby.” Allin all, a beautiful record. —Terry Dawes May-June 1996 / Planet of the Arts 27 GIGS to CHECK Y Cowboy Junkies May 6 Commodore Boss Hog May 7 Starfish Room Flaming Lips May 9 Town Pump Afghan Whigs May 12 Commodore =e Ministry May 21 __ Pacific Coloseum + Jesus Lizard + Lika & The Cosmonauts Geraldine Fibbers May 17 Starfish Room Rev. Horton Heat May 18 Commodore Cibo Matto May 18 Starfish Room Tortoise May 22. Town Pump Watchmen + Weeping Tile June 7 Commodore George Shearing June 21 Orpheum Theatre + Diana Krall Trio (Vancouver Int’l Double Bill Jazz Festival) [T(here)] Melinda Mollineaux May 1-25 Pitt Gallery 317 W. Hastings - Artist talk May 18 at 3:00pm free admission Anecdotes — Antidotes Corinna Dahlin - Artist talk May 29- Pitt Gallery - June 15 at 3:00pm Spalding Gray May 14-16 Vancouver East Cultural Centre “America’s foremost sit-down comedian” -New York Times May-June 1996 / Planet of the Arts 27 GIGS to CHECK Y ea the entre repertory of belng recorded in this hal ofthe | mse by Blan andres by Van Beach Boys usc. Nyour twentieth century despite the Dyke, that record, which was truskal preferences ein the evidence which negated the pos- canned by the record company Cowboy junkies aS sei Tinie sates oe cyse ees | eee tae phe Such, records ie Pet Soundsand any other decade than the _unfinshed for represents what Bos Hog May 7 San Room Surfer Gay not hold much sates. I checked the ner notes could have been a real tuming carency. But Ue has caught. to try and coreborate my susp pointin American music. Most Flaming Lips Moy Town Pump ‘op with Bian Wisen, People ike clon tno aval. Since then, people wo fave tes ofthe [ein Calan Leonard Bens Song Ge as ied forme an Seslons cn only describe the Mahan Whi May 12 Commodore Tecognized Wisors genius inits incalculable numberof repeat musk as “mind boning? eee En cas cag MERE tin cgpetotce eet coes’ | MM May 21 Pac coon Sonic Youth envelop his work inthe last. rot resemble in any way a Smile + Uta & The Cosmonauts praise. OF course, the fact that’ Amazingly, can say the same type reunion. Ws been thity Brian Wilson is a millionaire has forall Pars’ other recordings. years ince those recordings were Geraldine Fibbers May 17 Starfish Room Probably helped to take the sting Discover Americ, the equal ofthe made and these guys are now in ‘out of his vilification as a mere first record, a 1972 musical trip _ their fifties. Lots of people will Lr aces Med en: eee Pop ingle write. could ate to Tinided and the West indies lament that thi record isn't. ‘on for pages about my aoorecia- filtered through an eye for pre- more ike Smif. in my opinion, “Ma leach tin for Bron Wson but his fe serving and celebrating both his thelr muse has only olen Torase a and work are well documented own unique Amercanness and better Shd adequately critiqued enough the rare Beauly ofthis foreign —_—As for Orange Crater, t__Watchmen that those interested can just go land; Clang of the Yankee Reaper, continues Parks’ unabashed + Weeping Tile June 7 Commodore knock themselves out a bubbly, somewhat more gothic yearning for an America which a Thereore I now dwell on the sounding (inthe Flannery tne time seemed ike asea of $earge Shearing fone 21. Orpheum Tease man to whom Oronge Cate At O'Connor sense) 1975 efort possiblity. The songs are all pane (cour really belongs which, although retaining some generous, beaut, sentimental, Van Dyke Paks, whose tademarkdloyncrases, pointed and cleat. The melodies are sug- records have met with almost islfina more conventional geste ofthe languid south Universal obscuty both ciel direction of song craft wile Calor tomless innocence, paint a por- Composed the majority of the Jump, his amazing 1984 interpre trait of active memory and musi and ys, with Wion tation of the Ber RABbit stories imagination. Standout tacks or Gypery) lending his signature athletic from Toes of Uncle Remus, me inchide “Hold Back Time,” SS osineaux nome singing style. To his credit, | __ blended American flk tradition “Summer in Monterey,” “Movies 317 W. Hastings have never read orheard an withthe sound ofa Broadway is Magic," and the final track, A tak May 18 at 3:00pm fe admision interview where Van Dyke ‘musica; and Tokyo Rose, another Parks’ arrangement of Gershwin’s tpemoaned tis lack of widespread baffling Broadway musical with “Lullaby.” Allin all a beauttul Anecdotes Antilotes May 29 Pit Gallery recognition. On the contrary his traces of Karaoke, about the record, pind tii) musical career seems prosperous history of trade relations “Tery Dawes Given its quietude. Somewhat between America and Japan. Spang Gray May 14:16 Vancouver East Curl Centre lke |.D.Salinger, Parks has Ie Having worked as a producer meres foremost st-down come -New York Tes his followers craving more forthe Byrds and Phil Ochs, without overstaying his welcome, Parks seemed concerned with having managed to release six fostering the new American folk solo recordings (including musi with other Southern Orange Crate rt) since 1968's California talents such as Randy masterpiece Song Cycle Newman. This couldn't have I played Song Cycle for a been an unipper stance in the friend of mine recenty who, California coffee house scene of seeming not quite to Believe the sities where patrotsm was wat she was hearing, comment: seen asa disease in the light of $s ed that it sounds lke it was Vietnam. But a quick study of recorded in 3-D. The fist time Phil Ochs (or Stompin’ Tom heard it, was so shocked I don't Connors) reveals that i's more think | was able to accept what |_ subversive to be for than against was hearing as music. | assumed One thing must be cleared up. that what | was listening to was __in order for people to hear the soundtrack for some bizarre Orange Crate Art for what it lost film from the nineteen twen- Van Dyke Parks is probably best ties. Such rationale being the known for a collaboration that only way I could fitthe record took place in 1967 between, into my brain which was actively _ himself and Brian Wilson, the rejecting the idea of such a thing infamous Smile project. With