Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Rolling Stone | (not rated) |
| Pitchfork | (9.0/10) |
Although it received good reviews upon release, Song Cycle sold slowly, and took at least three years to pay for the original studio sessions. In response to the poor sales of the record after its release (despite some rave critical reviews), Warner Bros. Records ran full page newspaper and magazine advertisements that said they "lost $35,509 on 'the album of the year' (dammit)." The ad said that those who actually purchased the album had likely worn their copies out by playing it over and over, and suggested that listeners send in worn out copies to Warner Bros. in return for two new copies, including one "to educate a friend with."
In the years since its release, it has gained status as a cult album. Many musicians cite the album as an influence, including producer and songwriter Jim O'Rourke. O'Rourke worked with Parks and harpist Joanna Newsom on Newsom's record Ys. Joanna Newsom sought out the partnership with Van Dyke Parks after listening to Song Cycle.
In July 2010, Continuum published a book in their 331⁄3 series about Song Cycle, written by Richard Henderson.
Read more about this topic: Song Cycle (album)
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