Harps and Angels-Randy Newman

As we all know, the 62 year old man who wrote the song from Toy Story called You've Got a Friend in Me and the song from Major League called Burn On (which is a slow bluesy tune about the city of Cleveland, Ohio) recently released his latest studio record called Harps and Angels, which was a new blend of political bluesy music, mixed with the aged reminiscence of a 62 year old artist.

The new record deals with such themes as getting old, universal healthcare, and of course... politics. It would not be a Randy Newman record without involving some form of politics, such as the song Piece of the Pie which touches on certain issues like universal healthcare, education, and the administration in general. The record is typical though, it shows how consistent he is with his sound, but for him releasing so many records, one would think he'd change the way he sings or plays. It is a cool bluesy record, especially in the title track Harps and Angels because it's a laid back tune with simple piano and a lot of lyrics that mean a lot, and relate to his life, but also apply to the daily life of most Americans. Harps and Angels  is a good mellow record that actually does spark thoughts in the listeners mind through the lyrical importance of the words that he sings, especially towards the end of the record in songs like Korean Parents and Potholes. 

In closing, Newman again makes a solid record that strikes at the core of our personal being and what the listeners believe and how the listener should keep an open mind about what others believe. So, although there is a lack of change in the song style, it is still a monumental record for Randy Newman because it gets everything out on the table for him, and he doesn't hold back in his lyrical stand point and lets the listener knows what he's feeling.