Orange Crate Art

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

In 1992 Van Dyke Parks asked the reclusive Brian Wilson to record an album together. He wanted to close off unfinished work and escape the weight of history surrounding their failed Smile project. Orange Crate Art was released in 1995 on Warner Bros. The title refers to the sunny, idealised paintings on wooden fruit crates, and the theme is a nostalgic picture of the history of California.

Although the album was announced as a collaboration, it consists mainly of songs that Parks wrote and arranged, with his dense wordplay and orchestrations. Wilson sang and made the vocal arrangements. Expectations were high, but the reviews were mixed and sales remained so low that the album did not chart. Parks said it took three years and 350,000 dollars and vanished without trace.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Orange Crate Art3:01Apple Music ↗
2. 2Sail Away5:16Apple Music ↗
3. 3My Hobo Heart3:16Apple Music ↗
4. 4Wings of a Dove3:07Apple Music ↗
5. 5Palm Tree and Moon4:07Apple Music ↗
6. 6Summer In Monterey4:14Apple Music ↗
7. 7San Francisco4:28Apple Music ↗
8. 8Hold Back Time3:41Apple Music ↗
9. 9My Jeanine3:15Apple Music ↗
10. 10Movies Is Magic3:56Apple Music ↗
11. 11This Town Goes Down At Sunset3:23Apple Music ↗
12. 12Lullaby6:06Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗