Inara George

Although Van Dyke Parks scored arrangements for Joanna Newsom's Ys, he sounds more at home working with Inara George, daughter of his old friend Lowell George (who passed away in 1979). An Invitation swoons and bops with Parks' trademark orchestration: Looney Tunes shrouded in a dreamy ocean fog. As for Inara, she's like Bjork exploring art in song. Lyrics border on the abstract, delivered with a touch of jazz. But as with all things Van Dyke, An Invitation is ultimately a playful and tender affair.