Customer Reviews

Bad Love

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

One of the most universally admired and critically acclaimed song-writers, this old-timer still has one hell of a lot to say. Randy Newman is one of those guys who writes songs straight from his cynical, sardonic, soleful heart with more than a hint of black-comedy.

Laden with pathos and humour in equal measure, this album sounds like it was written by a 60 year-old with more than a life-time's worth of broken hearts and hate-mail, but lucky for us, he likes to sing about it.

Picking highlights from this excellent album is hard - the hillarious "Shame" and "I'm Dead But I Don't Know It"(about an ageing, out of date, singer-song writer who just won't shut up...) or the beautiful "Every Time It Rains" (possibly the sweetest lost-love song ever recorded -written and sung as only Newman knows how... ) and "I Miss You" (a candid account of a love affair that never happened... "It's a little bit late, twenty years or so" )...

When you're taking time out from listening to whatever the hell you normally listen to, listen to a superbly crafted, subtle, album, with real songs, written with a life-time's real experience.

I asked for this CD for Christmas after one hearing of the song "Shame". I figured that song alone was worth the price of admission. I was far from disappointed with the rest, and find myself consistantly choosing this CD when I really have the time to sit back and listen. "Bad Love" exemplifies master songwriting - coupling wry, funny and poignant lyrics with often beautiful, often quirky, but always original Newman music. His songs are like Sweet Tarts for the ears and mind, ranging from the Gilbert and Sullivanesque "Great Nations of Europe" to C & W ("Big Hat") to Hard Rock ("I'm Dead") to gut-wrenching love ("I Miss You" and "Every Time It Rains"). As a 52 year old musician and music lover, I find Randy is one of the few artists who is still "Talkin' Bout My Generation" but still has alot to say to the young men "runnin' free and runnin' wild". In the words of another American Treasure of my generation, Neil Young - Randy, "Long May You Run".

it's been ten years, at least, since Randy's concentrated on doing something like a regular record. Faust was a different kind of project, and the other film music has been work for hire that does not always include his very specific sensibility. Bad Love is a treasure that improves with each hearing. Though Newman likes to say he creates characters, and they sing the songs, not him (i.e: Rednecks, Davy the Fat Boy, etc.) the autobiographical songs on Land of Dreams show that sometimes he does write about himself. Don't miss the splendid "Every Time it Rains" (he always does well with rain imagery in music) or the heartwrenching "I Miss You". (glad I'm not his second wife--listening to this song about his first--ouch!)All in all, stunning. People may argue about the production, but the work is magnificent.

I was surprised to find a few reviews here that were offended by some of Newman's songs found on BAD LOVE. As if the title wasn't warning enough, this is quintessential Newman, adopting the persona of some of the more reprehensible characters around in order to portray them clearly for all to see. BAD LOVE is a return to form; the songs here are a balance of bittersweet and pure vitriol. That's the way I like my Newman: Unfiltered. While not as cohesive as some earlier efforts, BAD LOVE definitely let's you see ugly side of life, surrounded by excellent melodies and more than a few comments on the world as scene through the eyes of a pure cynic. While not entirely successful, "Better Off Dead" with its soaring strings sounds like bad muzak left me cold and "The Great Nations of Europe" sounds like an outtake from SAIL AWAY, this really does hearken back to prime Newman.

I was pleased to see Randy Newman back in the studio for a "regular" recording session. But what an effort it was. I think that for a total package, this album/cd is easily the best he's ever put together in one session. His satire has never been better or stronger (I'm Dead, But I Don't Know It), his songs of unrequited love were very touching (Everytime It Rains, I Miss You) and his always razor sharp wit showed with my personal favorite. (Big Hat, No Cattle) Song for song the album is tight, well written and well-performed. I've always enjoyed Newman's work, but usually his albums would have only 2 or 3 really top-notch songs. This one is enjoyable from start to finish. I hope he records again soon.

At the dawn of a new century, Randy Newman creates an album that ranks with his absolute best material. "Bad Love" fits in perfectly with the characters, situations, and themes explored in albums such as "12 songs", "Sail Away", and "Good Old Boys". And, just like those albums' initial releases, no one seems to have heard "Bad Love" in 1999. Newman's best material has always suffered from obscurity. So history repeated itself.

The moods on this album range from racous distorted rock to bittersweeet ballads. "My Country" provides just as good of an opener as "Sail Away" did in 1972. It's a portrait of an age-hardened man who loves his country, doesn't know why, and decides to stay within its comfortable boundaries: "This is my country / These are my people / This is the world I understand" Newman sings - in character - as if any attempt to see the world from any other perspective would be foolish or pointless. And of course the last verse contains the unforgettable lines: "Now your children are your children / Even when they're grown / When they speak to you / You got to listen to what they have to say / But they all live alone now / They have TVs of their own / But they keep on coming over anyway / And as much as I love them / I'm always kind of glad when they go away". This ranks with some of Newman's greatest lyrics.

"Shame" and "I'm Dead (But I Don't Know It)" are hilarious views of aged desperate men. A group of women act as a Greek Chorus chanting "Shame" at the narrator as he spews egregious invective. This provides a view of the other side of the spectrum from Newman's happy film music. This song is downright nasty. And perfectly so. "I'm Dead (But I Don't Know It)" mocks aging rockers (and probably Newman himself, though this album provides a knockdown counter argument that Newman is a has-been). And asks the same question most of us do when a 1960s rock band releases yet another clunker: "why?" Newman's character pleads ignorance and obsession.

Then, shockingly, the album takes a forlorn turn. "Everytime It Rains" will rustle the spine of anyone who's lost a loved one for any reason whatsoever.

Newman also spins some great political satires: "The Great Nations of Europe" tells listeners to "Hide your wives and daughters / Hide the groceries too / The Great Nations of Europe are coming through". "The World Isn't Fair" has a successful captalist, rife with unfair privledge, lecturing Karl Marx about "how the world works", but ends with the confession "...because we care that the world still isn't fair."

Newman supposedly wrote "I Miss You" for his first wife. She apparently didn't understand why he had suddenly opened up to her. It's another heartbreaker.

If this stands as Newman's final album of non-film music, he couldnt've picked a better way to go out. "Bad Love" is a classic that stands up to infinite listenings. Unfortunately, Newman said in an interview a year or so after its release that "Bad Love sold about 30,000 copies internationally, so I'd better look for a better means of subsistence." That's a sad fact, but hopefully it won't keep him from putting out another original non-film album. If he has another "Bad Love" in him, we need to hear it.

This cd is a real mixture of musical styles (as usual) but with one dominant theme running throughout. Looking back is not always a pleasant skip down memory lane. "Every time it rains" and "I miss you" are both sad odes to lost but not forgotten love. "My country" and "Shame" are brilliant in their selfishness and honesty. "The world isn't fair" is a great political statement of raw reality and realism. While it isn't his best and really not as good as Land of Dreams it still beats the tar out of 99% of what is out there in music land right now. Once again, the genius shares his wisdom with those who have the ability to listen and absorb.

Randy Newman has always cared not only about what he says in his music; he has always cared very much about the music itself. He can write great music without lyrics, as he has proven time and time again on his film scores. When he combines his wry sense of humor and outlook with his music, the results are truly novel. It's no surprise the kind of influence he has on other great and unique songwriters and performers like Lyle Lovett. Here on "Bad Love," the songs convey a whole range of emotions. "Bad Love," at least in content, is on par with some of his best releases like "Good Old Boys" or "Little Criminals." In some ways, it's even better now that Randy has even more life experience to take from and contemplate. Like no other, Randy throws in pieces of rock, classical, jazz, ragtime, and other musical styles seamlessly into his songs. I don't have as much of a gripe with the production as some others seem to; although I do agree that it doen't match the quality in arrangements he achieved on previous albums.

Yeah, he's been devoting most of his time to soundtracks and yes, they're great soundtracks (well, most of them are anyway). His unique songwriting and voice were missed nevertheless. Bad Love finds Randy in fine form with one of his best albums in years. The subtle production touches by Mitchell Froom (Suzanne Vega, Los Lobos, Elvis Costello, Crowded House) and Tchad Blake (ditto) add to, rather than detract from the songs.

The best moment (among many great moments) is Randy singing I'm Dead (but I don't know it). Funny, touching and oddly perceptive of the way a lot of folks feel about their lives. Randy Newman reminds us that most of the folks out there pretending to be songwriters had better pretend a little harder.

Randy Newman is as awsome as ever, but Tchad Blake and Mitchell Froom produced the life out of this CD.

10 stars for Randy. 1 star for for Froom and Blake.

Too bad.