393 - Randy Newman - Good Old Boys

[csberry]

This is a love/dislike letter to The South by Randy Newman. The subject matter is a fantastic fit for Randy's New Orleans jazz-inspired music. The guy has a knack for creating a variety of interesting characters to sing his music. Whether a racist in "Rednecks" to an over-worked blue collar worker in "Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)," there is both an honesty and humanity in which he imbues these characters.

If you find Randy Newman a bit on the silly side, this is probably the best album for you to listen to. While he uses humor quite a bit in his music, the subject matter and how he addresses it really adds heft to these songs.

Songs I knew I liked: "Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)"

Songs I didn't know but now like: "Rednecks," "Birmingham," and "Back on My Feet Again"

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: None that I really would want to avoid, but I did find some of the synth/organ on "Naked Man" a distraction because of how it sounds quite different from the other tracks.