Randy Newman's first studio album of all new material in nearly a decade is, by turns, hilarious, poignant and scathingly satirical. Harps and Angels often has an easy going Crescent City feel, with Newman on piano fronting a small combo and revealing, as Rolling Stone put it after the Carnegie Hall show, his serious love and study of the New Orleans piano tradition.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Only Jackson Browne Cares? Bono's Never Around!:
This album is full of strong feelings, and yet I continue to listen to it repeatedly. Good music can be thought provoking too. It's a love-hate kind of relationship. Randy Newman's satire is equal opportunity. He makes fun of our past and present leaders in the US and other countries, of elitism, of music industry liberals out to save the world, of himself. That is what free speech is all about, and it makes America great, even if our "empire" appears to be in decline. Other reviewers have been... more info
More Great Songs:
I realize upon rediscovering Randy Newman (listening to "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country" on Acoustic Cafe), that I really enjoy his music. The songs are catchy and stick in your ear and the lyrics are simultaneously wonderful and shocking.
I love Randy.:
His humor and wit cannot be matched. I enjoy listening to this at work...puts a smile on my face.
Five stars for "Feels Like Home" and "Losing You":
This is a two-song album for me. "Feels Like Home" is one of the most touching and beautiful ballads ever written, and "Losing You" is a close second; the rest of the stuff is hardly listenable. Newman insists on putting politics into his music, of all the things in the world, but he is no Tom Lehrer, not by light years. In fact, I would be delighted if all of our gifted artists would be content with the fact that they are (unlike me) gifted artists, and resist the temptation to abuse their moment... more info
