Half Moon Bay

New-age keyboardist Rick Sparks offers an album inspired the ocean and beaches. He draws on music from Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys for their connection to summertime beach music for inspiration.

There are seven original tunes and three arrangements of Brian Wilson songs on this album. The arrangements feature various synth keyboards and piano, lots of strings, wordless vocals, with some guitar, flute, and other instrumental added for variety. Track 2: Half Moon Bay is an arrangement of a Wilson song. It's very mellow and rooted in orchestral sounds, but preserves the pop melody and harmonies of the Wilson original. Track 4: You're So Nice is a Sparks tune that features solo piano work.

Listeners who enjoy the pop music of the 1970s will love this album. It echoes the kinds of harmonic content that was used by the notable singer-songwriters of that era. It can be a little sappy and romantic, but some folks love that kind of song and feel quite comfortable with retro-music. The music is gentle and relaxing, and is great for decompressing after a long day at work. If you were born after 1980, this is a great album to get for a parent's birthday gift. 

Artist: Rick Sparks
2018
10 tracks, 47:25 mins
CD Baby: CD $9.99, mp3 $8.99