The Mighty Sparrow soars!
Josh Z. Bonder | Toronto | 04/25/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a fledgling calypso fan who'd only been exposed to vintage recordings (1920's-1950's), this album was a revelation for me. I came to calypso music (oddly enough) through two recordings by Van Dyke Parks, "Discover America" and "Clang of the Yankee Reaper". His enthusiasm for the genre was contagious, and led me to a number of early calypso collections, namely "Roosevelt in Trinidad" (which features versions of some of the songs from "Discover America"), and "Calypso Awakening" - my first exposure to the Mighty Sparrow. Being well aware that this was a Mighty Sparrow album produced by Van Dyke Parks, I knew I could do no wrong in making the purchase. I don't mean to brag, but I was right.
Word has it that this album was recorded in a one off meeting between Parks and Sparrow during a stormy evening in the early 1970's. Parks then laboured over the material to give it the lush and multi-faceted production values which permeate his two aforementioned albums. The result is a resounding success! Sparrow delivers some astounding and often hilarious vocals, pontificating on a variety of subjects - from his own death, to entertaining American troops in Vietnam, to marrying an ugly woman for her money ("When she dress, she like a monkey in a beauty contest"). The music is always expertly performed and frames Sparrow's voice and ideas beautifully. They swoop and soar to very dramatic effect, and his hooks are as catchy and clever as anything else I can recall in recent memory. Parks knew how to serve these songs, and provided a rich context for each one which never detracts from Sparrow's vocals and ideas. Parks definitely left his mark on this album, but one is always aware of the admiration and respect he held for Sparrow.
So...if you're a fan of Mighty Sparrow, Van Dyke Parks, and/or calypso music, this album is highly recommended. If you're not, it's still highly recommended!"
