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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stage One Randy..., January 11, 2003
In the liner notes for the recent re-release of "Sail Away" Newman had this to say about his first album: "...I tried to use the orchestra to accompany myself. Like it was cheating to use sit-down drums, bass, or guitar. Like I'd never heard the Rolling Stones but instead was emulating Mahler and his hit song cycle, Kindertotenlieder, a shimmery confection of hilarious songs about dead children."The album does play more like an orchestral song-cycle than a pop album. The orchestra burgeons and swells during songs like "Love Song(You and Me)" and "Laughing Boy" to a point that is almost unsettling on first listen. Orchestra is definitely what this album is about, and it's used heavier than Newman ever would again (it's probably fair to say that Newman learned some lessons while making this album and balanced things out better on subsequent albums - he apparently fled in terror from it for his second album "12 Songs" which is almost devoid of orchestra - the orchestration on "Sail Away" is much more subtle and balanced than on this album). A very notable absence is Newman's piano. On some of the tracks it doesn't even seem to be there. On others it's present but understated to an almost inaudible degree. Just compare the version of "Cowboy" (an underrated song) on this album to the version on "Randy Newman Live" to get a sense of how much the piano is drowned out. This is definitely not the case on subsequent Newman albums. Piano or no, this is a very listenable and enjoyable album, but not recommended as a first exposure to Newman. He was clearly still developing his voice and style (his voice outright cracks on some songs, and seems weak at other times). Newman fans (like myself)will likely love every minute and not be bothered by the ever-present youth that pervades this album. We all have kinks to work out, most of us just don't do it so publicly. There great songs on this album; "Cowboy" and "Davy the Fat Boy" are Newman staples. Some of the songs are of a lower caliber, such as "I Think He's Hiding" and "Laughing Boy." Most of the album is good, not great, Newman but it's easy to hear where he's going with his style. Despite the dominant use (some may say overuse) of the orchestra, this album makes a good starting point for Newman's ouevre.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect Introduction; Brilliant All Round, April 16, 2002
`Randy Newman', obviously by Randy Newman, is the perfect introduction to the work of the great songwriter himself. The album, albeit short, is the sort of thing you can play over and over again so you can fully appreciate the subtlety of Newman's lyrics and music. The two are equally masterful. His music, put simply, is quite beautiful; his lyrics, however, are primarily what have made him so revered throughout the industry. They are cynical, bitter, hilarious, ironic, scary, satirical, twisted, jaded, sad, concise and incisive. Newman possesses a perverse interest in the `underbelly' of the common man, cutting through the masks we all wear, singing about the things we all identify with and experience under our exterior.The album starts with the somewhat frightening `You and Me', a story about a bland, typical marriage that spans an entire life. `I'll take the train into the city/you say you're plain, I think you're pretty/maybe if I'm not too tired we'll go out dancing/or we'll sit romancing, watching the `Late Show' by the fire." The bland verses suddenly leap into an orchestral, horrific chorus of "you and me, you and me, you and me babe, you and me, you and me, you and me babe..." This is the scarily satirical and ironic style of Newman, and the song serves as a perfect introduction to what he's all about. There are many highlights throughout the album. `Living Without You' is a sad little dirge that plays like a ticking clock while a man yearns for his lost love; `Davy the Fat Boy' is the story of a `fat-boy' ("isn't he round?") whose parents die, so his best friend puts him in a freak show for all to see while he does his `fat-boy dance'. This heartbreaking little song is a cynical view of humanity and compassion. `So Long Dad' is the story of how children move further away from their parents, paying them only perfunctory visits: "what's new/do you still work at the drugstore?" and `I Think He's Hiding' kicks off what turns into a series of Newman's songs about God and Religion (he's an atheist himself, so they're not flattering songs). Ultimately, `Randy Newman' serves as a great introduction to the work of the great man himself. It's an extremely good album: complex and subtle, with a variety of musical styles and instrumentations. The subject matter of each of the songs in the album also establishes the trend for his lyrics throughout his career, in their biting satire and cruel truthfulness. This is a must-have for both Randy Newman fans and newcomers to his music.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pop out fully formed!, October 24, 2001
Hot damn. This record is so good. I love Randy's stuff at least up through Little Criminals, but this one just barely takes the top spot from Good Old Boys. The lyrics are miniature portraits of Americana, like Norman Rockwell through deviant eyes. They aren't as introspective as later albums, but they have all the humor and despair of his best work. And the orchestrations are harmonically interesting and dynamic. I'll add well-recorded to that description. "You and Me" is terriffic, but "Davy the Fat Boy" and "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" are the best.
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