All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Hot Press

Sharp, incisive, funny and at times even heart-rending in the context of some beautifully-judged rag/country/Dixie-land songs.

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100

Observer Music Monthly

It remains extraordinary this ability to jump from Tom Lehrer to early Tom Waits.

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100

MSN Consumer Guide (Robert Christgau)

Never have his arrangements exploited his soundtrack chops so subtly, changeably or precisely.

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PopMatters

Harps and Angels belongs up there with "12 Songs" and "Sail Away" as one of Newman’s greatest works, regardless if he took 20 years to get it out into the public.

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No Ripcord

This is Newman’s most touching, musically rich and consistent record since "Good Old Boys" way back in 1974; and it’s hilarious to boot.

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Austin Chronicle

The characters are memorable, the satire sharp, the music luxurious, and the arrangements maybe the most gorgeous in all pop music.

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The Phoenix

Yet as welcome as it is to have Newman’s acerbic wit back, it remains a singular pleasure to listen to a simple, devastating ballad like 'Losing You,' which is wrapped up in sympathetic strings and absolutely devoid of irony.

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cokemachineglow

Newman’s work here demands high praise, especially with his resume.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Some of the more on-the-nose satire falls flat....Still, heart-on-the-sleeve tracks like 'Losing You' and 'Feels Like Home' feature Newman at his most affecting.

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Entertainment Weekly

The stunning title track proves that Newman, at age 64, has more healthy bile in him than 64 twentysomethings....Harps has a couple of duds, though. [8 Aug 2008, p.68]

All Music Guide

It's his signature sound and Harps and Angels captures it sublimely, as the production--a co-credit to Newman's longtime associate Lenny Waronker and his latter-day producer Mitchell Froom--has no fancy accoutrements and he's written another set of quietly wonderful songs.

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Uncut

Newman is at his most affecting when he plays it mercilessly straight: his flickers of sincerity all the more beguiling for only appearing rarely.

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Billboard

Randy Newman's shock-and-aw-shucks wit is so joyfully scathing at times on "Harps and Angels" that it's hard to believe it's been nine years since his last album of new material.

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Rolling Stone

So his return to political-minded material on Harps and Angels is reason to wrap yourself in the flag and cheer.

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Blender

This is Newman’s most unwound album.

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Hartford Courant

A savvy storyteller with an acid-tipped language, Newman packages yarns in a voice that is the sonic equivalent of an Emmett Kelly clown face, naturally hangdog while subtly playful as he reminisces about life's rough patches.

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Village Voice

Newman is a master of sardonic humor, be it subtle or slapstick. Harps and Angels is further proof.

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Mojo

His delievry now possesses a wry, self-deprecating warmth which, along with Mitchell Froom and Lenny Waronker's unobtrusive production, suggests a man coming to terms with it all and who realises he's as much a part of this mess as anyone. [Sep 2008, p.110]

Boston Globe

40 years after his debut, the curly-haired songwriter continues to play to his strength: three-minute social commentaries that might sound bitter if they weren't so funny.

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Spin

He's still way too fond of show-tune orchestration, and then there's the tossed-off corny stuff, but the orneriness of Newman's now-64-year-old wit makes George Carlin seem like Dane Cook. [Sep 2008, p.120]

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Paste Magazine

Harps and Angels is another fine Randy Newman album, minimally produced by Mitchell Froom and Lenny Waronker.

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Slant Magazine

If Harps and Angels occasionally seems uneven, it's because Newman is still so daring. If it seems occasionally classic, it's because he's still so insightful and startlingly good at writing songs.

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The New York Times

Intermittently brilliant, occasionally belligerent, it presents a vision of American identity as sprawling and ultimately as confused as the country itself.

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The Guardian

Anyone who doesn't actually live for updates from Iowan caucuses can safely skip the whole ragtime politicking middle section and, instead, enjoy the work of a true master of popular song.

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Sputnikmusic

It's hard to slate Harps and Angels too much, because the music is actually quite good in places and it's nowhere near bad enough to be a chore to listen to.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.1 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chris C. gave it a5:
Too much whining that some people have more money than others. Newman's old stuff was sardonically opinionated while seeming vaguely informed. This just sounds like a lot of angry whining trying to be funny, but only in the 'Everyone else is stupid' way.

Joe B. gave it an8:
Randy Newman continues to be one of the most important artists out there, right alongside Tom Waits, Neil Young, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen etc. His words sear the listener and force them to take inventory of what's going on around them. His sardonic wit is matched equally by his song craft. His arrangements are edited so precisely, his notes and words chosen so meticulously, it is moments like this in music that truly remind me of how small all of us other practitioners really are. Mr. Newman constantly poses challenges for himself and is apparently not afraid to ruffle a few feathers in the process. Kudos! Music should be dangerous, it should provoke thought and controversy, it should force people to take responsibility for their actions. Unfortunately, the reality is that most of these sentiments will be lost as I'm sure, nobody really cares about this kind of stuff anymore except maybe a small few of us. Thanks Randy, you always remind me that I'm not alone.

Michael E. gave it a9:
More than in his past, the new album reveals autobiographical moments. Not, because Randy Newman has a message to be delivered (apart from his biting comments on current politics), but because of the disturbing moments and the angst that make the "ego" a vulnerable thing when growing older and older. On the other hand, the sound palette he makes use of (from orchestral to intimate chamber atmosphere) is brilliant and always serving the songs!

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Harps And Angels

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