Remember the '80s? Synth, anyone? Perhaps a generous helping of "string arrangements" performed by a keyboard? I'm not a fan of that, myself. And apparently, even in 1989, neither is Van Dyke Parks.

Have you heard his album "Tokyo Rose"? Now this probably doesn't make sense, but even though "Song Cycle" is my favourite album ever, "Tokyo Rose" is my favourite VDP album. Actually, I know that doesn't make sense. Anyway. Whoa. It is timeless. It has not dated at all. Now recall other artists who had their start in the '60s (Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, etc.). The '80s - not so pretty (not bad, of course, but you know what I mean). This album could have easily been a synthy cut and paste project, and no doubt would have been a lot easier and less expensive to make. AND I would have adored it. However, VDP only gets better and his writing becomes even more classic.

And more intelligent.

Take "Manzanar" (fave rave VDP song). WHO writes a heart-wrenchingly (surely a word) beautiful song about a concentration camp that housed Japanese Americans in California during World War II? VDP, THAT'S who.

Seriously. I can't think of an artist who I respect so much. Just sayin'...