Harps and Angels

Randy Newman, an important figure in music and cinema

Randy Newman is a man without which a significant number of films both feature and animated would not be such a success. Besides the 65 year old composer, singer, guitarist and pianist still continues surprising and provoking the audience even today with his topical lyrics and of course goes on working on new soundtracks. Most of his studio albums are remarkable for simple instrumental background for the main stake is made at the meaningful content of the songs, the main themes often being politics, relationships and world problems. During the last twenty years of his career Randy Newman has been mostly involved in movie studio work: the soundtracks to such Disney and Pixar films as Toy Story and Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Cars, A Bug's Life and others are among his most well known works. Yet the artist has managed to find some time to release one of his best records in 1999, Bad Love. Today, after almost a decade, its sequel, album Harps And Angels sees the light of the day. This album is an important event for Randy Newman's fans have been waiting well too long and the critics have not been provoked for a while. On the whole Harps And Angels is an excellent collection of good songs that each music fan will appreciate as it deserves that.

Harps And Angels reminds of the artist's earlier creations

Throughout Harps And Angels you will not help feeling like listening to an old record player with an old classic record for this work is so similar to the artist's earlier creations. The album starts with a jazzy title track refined with a sonorous piano and old-fashioned drums whereas a most beautiful ballad Losing You just cannot be imagined without those soulful fiddles. The most optimistic and track with a humorous attitude is Laugh And Be Happy with contagious piano chords that are normally present in joyful scenes of cartoons and movies for children which is not a case to be surprised for we are dealing with Randy Newman here. The greatest number of controversies will be probably aroused by composition A Few Words In Defense Of Out Country: although in its title the author promises to defend the USA the song's text speaks just the opposite – Newman has depicted not the happiest future for America so we should not judge a book by its cover. Another political track is A Piece Of The Pie criticizing the modern leaders while on Easy Street the artist expresses his frank opinion concerning how easy it is today to reach a lot acting dishonestly. A moving piece Only A Girl is refined with a jazzy sax that seems to sound from a TV set showing a 70's concert whereas Potholes with its great orchestra arrangement touches the problem of getting old with all its consequences. The record closes with a piano ballad Feels Like Home which can make even the most sensible cry happy and moved.

An author to learn from

It is quite obvious that working on Harps And Angels Randy Newman has stuck to the same formula that was the basis of most of his works: most of the tracks are his typical rebuffs and dwelling that make one reflect thoroughly and also the love ballads are necessarily here that are no less sensual that any R&B composition. Production of the songs carried out with the direction of Newman's old friend Lenny Waronker and another producer Mitchell Froom is obviously aimed at the effect of the genuine crude sound and one can say for sure that this professionals' alliance has performed its task perfectly well. The songs are accompanied by Randy's eternal guitar allowing the lyrics play the central part and the more you listen to the record the more interesting and many-faceted each of its ten tracks will be. Serious, often furious and hostile but not devoid of sense of humor and irony Randy Newman still remains a creator of a high quality music and an author of lyrics that many a young performer should learn from. A winner of Oscar and several Grammies he certainly deserves all these awards and it is most probable that in future there are new nominations and new victories awaiting for him.