Inara George's Destiny

It is apparent by now that Inara George (of the Bird and the Bee) was born to be a musician, but perhaps even more so born to make An Invitation, due out August 12. After all, her father was Lowell George, founding father of Little Feat and previously of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. After all, Lowell's good friend, the legendary arranger/composer/artist Van Dyke Parks (Beach Boys/Brian Wilson, Joanna Newsom, Harry Nillson, to name a scant few) was present at her birth. Little did Parks know that in 2008, 29 years after Lowell's sudden death from heart failure, he would collaborate with Inara to make An Invitation, arranging full-orchestral accompaniment to her mature, melodic songwriting.

The resulting album is a brilliant, triumphant letter of love, addressed to every living thing, the sun, the moon, the sky. Equal parts Brian Wilson's Smile and MGM's Gone With the Wind. Despite 10 of 13 tracks wrapping up in a tidy 3:30 or less, these recordings feel sweeping and epic. Each song is a century, condensed into a silver spoonful. This is a destiny set to digital tape.

Listen:
Duet
Oh My Love
[from An Invitation with Van Dyke Parks (out 8.12)|buy/stream]