Harps and Angels

Harps and Angels
Studio album by
Randy Newman
ReleasedAugust 5, 2008
RecordedFall 2006–2008
GenresJazz, soul
Length34:52
LabelNonesuch
ProducersMitchell Froom, Lenny Waronker
Randy Newman chronology
The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1
(2003)		 Harps and Angels
(2008)		 The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 2
(2011)

Harps and Angels is the twelfth studio album by American musician Randy Newman. It was released on August 5, 2008, and was produced by Mitchell Froom and Lenny Waronker. It contains two updated versions of previously released compositions. “Feels Like Home” originally appeared on his musical album Randy Newman's Faust, and a demo of Cats Don't Dance's deleted song, "Laugh and Be Happy" was included in the box set Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic86/100
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar
The A.V. ClubB+
Entertainment WeeklyB+
MojoStarStarStarStar
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)A
The ObserverStarStarStarStarStar
PopMatters9/10
Record CollectorStarStarStarStarStar
Rolling StoneStarStarStarStar
UncutStarStarStarStar

Harps and Angels debuted on the UK Albums Chart at No. 46. It placed 12th in the 2008 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll, and it made No. 48 in Q's 50 Best Albums of the Year 2008. The song "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country" was named the sixth best song of the 2000s decade by music critic Robert Christgau.

Track listing

All songs written and arranged by Randy Newman

  1. "Harps and Angels" - 5:07
  2. "Losing You" - 2:41
  3. "Laugh and Be Happy" - 2:17
  4. "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country" - 4:14
  5. "A Piece of the Pie" - 2:41
  6. "Easy Street" - 3:14
  7. "Korean Parents" - 3:26
  8. "Only a Girl" - 2:45
  9. "Potholes" - 3:39
  10. "Feels Like Home" - 4:37

Musicians

Album credits

References

  1. ↑ Hasty, Katie (May 2, 2008). "Randy Newman Returns With First Album In Nine Years". Billboard.com. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  2. ↑ "JsOnline.com - Newman defies convention (March 14, 2008)". Archived from the original on May 30, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Randy Newman Readies Solo Tour, New Album". Billboard.com. September 21, 2006. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Reviews for Harps And Angels by Randy Newman". Metacritic. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  5. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (August 5, 2008). "Harps and Angels - Randy Newman". AllMusic. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  6. ↑ Phipps, Keith (August 5, 2008). "Randy Newman: Harps And Angels". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  7. ↑ Tucker, Ken (August 1, 2008). "Harps and Angels". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ↑ 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. [September 2008, p. 110]
  9. ↑ Christgau, Robert (September 1, 2008). "Black Kids, Conor Oberst, the Hold Steady and more". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  10. ↑ Adams, Tim (July 12, 2008). "Randy Newman, Harps and Angels". The Observer. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ↑ Hart, Ron (August 4, 2008). "Randy Newman: Harps and Angels". PopMatters. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  12. ↑ Atkins, Jamie (July 25, 2008). "Harps & Angels - Randy Newman". Record Collector. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  13. ↑ Hermes, Will (August 7, 2008). "Harps and Angels". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  14. ↑ Mueller, Andrew (September 7, 2008). "RANDY NEWMAN - HARPS & ANGELS". Uncut. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved May 4, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. ↑ "The Official UK Albums Chart for the week ending 16 August 2008". ChartsPlus (364). Milton Keynes: IQ Ware Ltd: 5–8.
  16. ↑ "The 2008 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. New York. Archived from the original on January 29, 2009. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2008". Q. January 2009. p. 81.
  18. ↑ Christgau, Robert (December 24, 2009). "Rolling Stone Ballot: The 00's Best Songs & Albums". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2013.