Harps & Angels

while never the most productive of artists, it has to be said that Randy is getting lazy or drying up. Some new songs are supplemented by some that have been available previously. Laugh and Be Happy was included in his box set Guilty, and Feels like Home was included in a soundtrack album some years back. A Few Words in Defense of Our Country was issued as a single previously. A little disappointing compared to his previous efforts

As soon as you hear the opening bars of Newman's rolling New Orleans piano you know you're in for another musical treat. Heavily influenced by Fats Domino, Tin Pan Alley and Dixieland his musical style allows no concessions to fashion but his great trick is to let the music accommodate and absorb his sardonic view of the world in general and the USA in particular.Reserving much of his barbed wit for the Bush administration he does at least remind us, "In A Few Words In Defense Of Our Country" that George is not as bad as the Caesars, Hitler, Stalin or King Leopold of Belgium who plundered the Congo of gold, silver and diamonds and left the natives with...... malaria!Then there is "A Piece Of The Pie" where "If you are living in the richest country in the world/wouldn't you think you'd have a better life" and observes that only Jackson Browne gives a sh*t.In "Korean Parents" he shares his satirical view that American adolescents would have fewer problems and be less dangerous if they were brought up by Korean parents who seemed to have the necessary skills well honed which has a resonance with Asian parents in our own country.But there are gentler numbers such as "Feels Like Home", "Only A Girl" and "Losing You" proving that Randy still has a sentimental side.Produced by lifelong friend, Lenny Waronker, this album, his first studio effort in 9 years, has all of the strengths associated with Randy Newman: lush arrangements, full orchestral sounds, musically and lyrically astute songs, his shuffling, bluesey delivery and that wonderful stride piano.Visited by Harps and Angels as he almost dies (due to a clerical error!) he says: "So actually the main thing about this story is for me/there really is an afterlife/and I hope to see all of you there/Let's go get a drink."Amen to that, Randy.

Randy's back...prowling his constituency with laser wit, astringency and poignancy; delivering three minute vignettes of the present American landscape that make you wince, laugh and cry. A master craftsman in iron control of his material. With Randy back it certainly "Feels like Home."

Si vous cherchez le Randy Newman de "You can leave your hat on", "Pants", "I Love LA", "Short People" ou "It's Money That Matters"...il n'est pas sur "Harps and Angels".Il semble qu'il ait pris le Dixie flyer et évolue donc désormais dans un Dixieland apaisé, loin du rock.La raison de cette évolution (dans la ligne toutefois de son dernier et désormais lointain "Bad Love") est sans doute expliquée dans la chanson titre (j'ai du mal avec le pompeux "éponyme"). Randy Newman, a frôlé la mort allongé sur un trottoir et il a vu les anges et entendu les harpes (au passage, notons que Dieu parle aussi, français -so chic !).Retour à l'essentiel, en moins de 35'.Pour autant, ce qui pourrait passer pour une ennuyeuse uniformité à la 1ère écoute, se révèle au fur et à mesure, d'une formidable cohérence et comme Randy n'a rien perdu de son talent pour écrire des textes drôles, tendres et/ou corrosifs, ce disque devient indispensable (un enfouissement dans les paroles du livret est fortement conseillé).La mélodie du court "Losing You" rappelle le "Follow The Flag" de " Land Of Dreams ", "Laugh And Happy" fait surgir des images d'un Baloo dansant et joyeux et un Randy compositeur de musiques de films.Le Newman sarcastique est pourtant toujours là : "A Few Words In Defense of our Country" (qui convoque Jackson Browne, Johnny Cougar et Bono), "A Piece of A Pie" et "Korean Parents"...Autant de moments de réjouissance pour les mauvais esprits qui sommeillent en nous (en tout cas, en moi....)."Only A Girl", "Potholes" (une ode aux trous de mémoires) et la belle déclaration sentimentale de "Feels Like Home" complètent cet album.Randy Newman n'est pas mort. Au contraire, en tendant vers l'épure, il vise l'immortalité. Land Of Dreams

as is the rest of this overdue album from Randy. If you are a Randy Newman fan, you'll like this.I have the same complaint about his album as I do about all the others - everything is too short!