BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

[Charlie O.]

Was it Brother Spoon did a brilliant write-up on this in another thread? I think so. Trying to find that thread on an iPhone is more trouble than I’m willing to take on at present, though.

Now that I'm on a proper PC... here it is, from his blog:

http://goodnighttotherocknrollera.blogspot.be/2015/09/what-i-like-about-van-dyke-parks-song.html

[Rayge]

It's odd how artists from this era are treated with kid gloves, whereas you mention a UK band from the 80s and people can't wait to put the boot in. It's as if VDP is some protected species who automatically deserves a level some level of respect.

From the late 60s?Really?
all that proto prog shit and scummy blues groups, drivel like SFSorrow, Oddyssey and Oo-aaricle, Pepper and the Moody Fucking Blues, bleeding Rock Operas, cunting Van the Plank, the new, disimproved artsy-farts Beach Boys, the first two Stooges dirgeathons, all that shiny suits, sweat and farty horns 'soul', not to mention that nonsense Miles Davis pumped out because he had a hard-on for Hendrix, and of course funky-wunky cowbell wahwah - I'm always giving them a kicking, and others slaughter the Grateful Dead.
And 1976-1988 was easily the best period for British music.
For the record, I bought a reissue of that VDP thing and played it precisely once (https://www.discogs.com/seller/dyinglig ... r_id=87406) and you are precisely right. Sucks so hard it blows

[sloopjohnc]

It's terrible.
Rereading this thread was quite funny, lots of 'well it's it's not my cup of tea, but you have to respect what he does' type comments. It's odd how artists from this era are treated with kid gloves, whereas you mention a UK band from the 80s and people can't wait to put the boot in. It's as if VDP is some protected species who automatically deserves a level some level of respect.

From my own perspective, I don't really qualify the era as a criteria to be judged, but I do find some music like this challenging or there's enough of it that I like that conflicts with the parts I don't like. That makes these things hard to judge.

[Matt Wilson]

Hmmm, a challenging Van Dyke Parks '60s LP or that horrid, '80 UK synth pop?

I'll have to ponder this...

[sloopjohnc]

Hmmm, a challenging Van Dyke Parks '60s LP or that horrid, '80 UK synth pop?

I'll have to ponder this...

I am a man of many moods. . .

And choose the music to fill appropriate points for the soundtrack of my life.

[Matt Wilson]

The Many Moods of John Crook

I'm gonna photoshop an album cover with that title.

[The Modernist]

Hmmm, a challenging Van Dyke Parks '60s LP or that horrid, '80 UK synth pop?

I'll have to ponder this...

You wouldn't seriously argue it's better than 'Dare' would you? I can't see on what possible level.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

Hmmm, a challenging Van Dyke Parks '60s LP or that horrid, '80 UK synth pop?

I'll have to ponder this...

You wouldn't seriously argue it's better than 'Dare' would you? I can't see on what possible level.

That might be a limitation on your part.

I’d take Song Cycle a thousand times in that matchup. I’d rather listen to a challenging album that’s just brimming with musical ideas and melodic invention than a more superficially willing-to-engage foray into a musical landscape offers mostly empty calories and doesn’t even appeal to me in its basic aesthetic.

It’s like comparing a Fellini movie to some CGI-laden superhero movie.

[Snarfyguy]

You wouldn't seriously argue it's better than 'Dare' would you? I can't see on what possible level.

The only reason I wouldn't make that argument myself is that I can't claim to have actually sat down and listened to that Human League album in its entirety.

But based on my recollection of having heard my share of The Human League, I'd rather listen to the VDP album.

(Actually, I'm listening to Dare now, and it's pretty good. I got soured on them when Don't You Want Me was unescapable. Perhaps I need to get over it.)

[naughty boy]

Hmmm, a challenging Van Dyke Parks '60s LP or that horrid, '80 UK synth pop?

I'll have to ponder this...

You wouldn't seriously argue it's better than 'Dare' would you? I can't see on what possible level.

That might be a limitation on your part.

I’d take Song Cycle a thousand times in that matchup. I’d rather listen to a challenging album that’s just brimming with musical ideas and melodic invention than a more superficiallywikking-to-engage foray into a musical landscape offers mostly empty calories as doesn’t even appeal to me in itst basic aesthetic.

Funny how some people here reject the best synthetic pop music, like it was really bad for you.

Really deep-rooted shit, too.




GIMME MUSIC MADE OF WOOD AND STEEL, GODDAMMIT!

[Davey the Fat Boy]

It isn’t the instruments. It’s how they are used.

[The Modernist]

You wouldn't seriously argue it's better than 'Dare' would you? I can't see on what possible level.

That might be a limitation on your part.

I’d take Song Cycle a thousand times in that matchup. I’d rather listen to a challenging album that’s just brimming with musical ideas and melodic invention than a more superficiallywikking-to-engage foray into a musical landscape offers mostly empty calories as doesn’t even appeal to me in itst basic aesthetic.

Funny how some people here reject the best synthetic pop music, like it was really bad for you.

Really deep-rooted shit, too.




GIMME MUSIC MADE OF WOOD AND STEEL, GODDAMMIT!

Well exactly. Davey's comment is projecting all the 'it's not real music' prejudices under the sun. That's one massive and distorted filter he's seeing things through. The album is positively brimming with melody and clever musical ideas. I'd say 'Open Your Heart' has more of them than all the songs on 'Song Cycle' put together!

[naughty boy]

I really think it does. And I quite enjoy Song Cycle

[Davey the Fat Boy]

What a condescending bastard you can be! I never said “it’s not real music.”

And you accuse me of projecting??!!

[naughty boy]

how else would you interpret this?

superficially willing-to-engage foray into a musical landscape offers mostly empty calories

[fange]

I like bits of SC quite a bit, but i seldom get the urge to listen to it much as a whole. I wouldn't say it's sucky though, just not 'great'.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

how else would you interpret this?

superficially willing-to-engage foray into a musical landscape offers mostly empty calories

I’d interpret it as saying that I don’t find it particularly deep or interesting. That’s not the same as saying it isn’t real music.

[Charlie O.]

I've got Davey's back in the Dare match-up. Never saw what the fuss was about with that one.

[fange]

Everyone's allowed the odd blind spot, Charlie.

[Matt Wilson]

The Human League or ABC or... God, there were so many... are the UK equivalent of Styx, or Journey. The Britons who were of age at the time can wax nostalgic all they want, just like Americans of a certain vintage. One is not necessarily better than the other - but I'm sure I'll be deluged with opinions to the contrary any minute now.