Harps and Angels
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Harps and Angels
| type = studio
| artist = Randy Newman
| cover = Harps-and-Angels-470.jpg
| alt =
| released = August 5, 2008
| recorded = Fall 2006–08
| venue =
| studio =
| length = 34:52
| label = Nonesuch
| producer = Mitchell Froom, Lenny Waronker
| prev_title = The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1
| prev_year = 2003
| next_title = The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 2
| next_year = 2011
}}
Harps and Angels is the twelfth studio album by Randy Newman. It was released on August 5, 2008,[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045670/randy-newman-returns-with-first-album-in-nine-years Billboard.com - Randy Newman Returns With First Album in Nine Years (May 2, 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 "Laugh and Be Happy" was included in the box set Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman.{{Cite web |url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=728422 |title=JsOnline.com - Newman defies convention (March 14, 2008) |access-date=March 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530070018/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=728422 |archive-date=May 30, 2008 |url-status=dead }}[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57179/randy-newman-readies-solo-tour-new-album Billboard.com - Randy Newman Readies Solo Tour, New Album (September 21, 2006)]
Reception
{{Music ratings
| MC = 86/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/harps-and-angels/randy-newman|title=Reviews for Harps And Angels by Randy Newman|website=Metacritic|access-date=May 4, 2025}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/harps-and-angels-mw0000790624|title=Harps and Angels - Randy Newman|website=AllMusic|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|date=August 5, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2025}}
| rev2 = The A.V. Club
| rev2score = B+{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/randy-newman-harps-and-angels-1798204652|title=Randy Newman: Harps And Angels|website=The A.V. Club|last=Phipps|first=Keith|date=August 5, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2025}}
| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev3score = B+{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123235716/https://ew.com/article/2008/08/01/harps-and-angels|title=Harps and Angels|website=Entertainment Weekly|last=Tucker|first=Ken|date=August 1, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2025}}
| rev4 = Mojo
| rev5 = MSN Music (Consumer Guide)
| rev5score = A{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125174733/http://music.msn.com/music/consumerguide/2008/9/|title=Black Kids, Conor Oberst, the Hold Steady and more|website=Robert Christgau|last=Christgau|first=Robert|date=September 1, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2025}}
| rev6 = The Observer
| rev6score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916170605/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/jul/13/popandrock.culture8|title=Randy Newman, Harps and Angels|website=The Observer|last=Adams|first=Tim|date=12 July 2008|access-date=May 4, 2025}}
| rev7 = PopMatters
| rev7score = 9/10{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/randy-newman-harps-and-angels-2496131647.html|title=Randy Newman: Harps and Angels|website=PopMatters|last=Hart|first=Ron|date=4 August 2008|access-date=4 May 2025}}
| rev8 = Record Collector
| rev8score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/harps-angels|title=Harps & Angels - Randy Newman|website=Record Collector|last=Atkins|first=Jamie|date=25 July 2008|access-date=4 May 2025}}
| rev9 = Rolling Stone
| rev9score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/harps-and-angels-249679/|title=Harps and Angels|website=Rolling Stone|last=Hermes|first=Will|date=August 7, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2025}}
| rev10 = Uncut
| rev10score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907085648/http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/randy_newman/reviews/11924|title=RANDY NEWMAN - HARPS & ANGELS|website=Uncut|last=Mueller|first=Andrew|date=7 September 2008|access-date=4 May 2025}}
}}
Harps and Angels debuted on the UK Albums Chart at No. 46.{{cite journal|title = The Official UK Albums Chart for the week ending 16 August 2008|journal = ChartsPlus|issue = 364|pages= 5–8|publisher = IQ Ware Ltd|location = Milton Keynes}} It placed 12th in the 2008 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll,{{cite news|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/villagevoice2008.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129135151/http://rocklistmusic.co.uk/villagevoice2008.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 29, 2009|title=The 2008 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll|newspaper=The Village Voice|location=New York|accessdate=April 16, 2020}} and it made No. 48 in Q's 50 Best Albums of the Year 2008.{{Cite magazine|date=January 2009|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2008|page=81|magazine=Q}} 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.{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=December 24, 2009|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/list/rs00.php|title=Rolling Stone Ballot: The 00's Best Songs & Albums|publisher=Robert Christgau|accessdate=February 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102174101/http://robertchristgau.com/xg/list/rs00.php|archive-date=January 2, 2010|url-status=dead}}
Track listing
All songs written and arranged by Randy Newman
- "Harps and Angels" - 5:07
- "Losing You" - 2:41
- "Laugh and Be Happy" - 2:17
- "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country" - 4:14
- "A Piece of the Pie" - 2:41
- "Easy Street" - 3:14
- "Korean Parents" - 3:26
- "Only a Girl" - 2:45
- "Potholes" - 3:39
- "Feels Like Home" - 4:37
Musicians
- Randy Newman - pianist and bandleader
- Greg Cohen - bass
- Steve Donnelly - guitar
- Pete Thomas - drums
- Greg Leisz - pedal steel guitar and acoustic slide guitar
- Mitchell Froom - keyboard and organ
- Violins: Roger Wilkie (concertmaster), Eun-Mee Ahn, Jacqueline Brand, Kevin Connolly, Joel Derouin, Julie Ann Gigante, Natalie Leggett, Helen Nightengale, Alyssa Park, Sara Parkins, Katia Popov, Rafael Rishik, Anatoly Rosinsky, Marc Sazer, Tereza Stanislav, Lisa M. Sutton, Sarah Thornblade, Irina Voloshina
- Violas: Brian Dembow (first viola), Robert Berg, Thomas Diener, Steven Gordon, Roland Kato, Darrin McCann, Victoria Miskolczy, Michael Nowak, Shanti Randall, David Walther
- Violoncelli: Dennis Karmazyn (first cello), Antony Cooke, Steve Erdody, Christine Ermacoff, Armen Ksajikian, Andrew Shulman, David Speltz, Cecelia Tsan
- Bass violins: Michael Valerio (first bass violin), Drew Dembowski, Edward Meares, Susan Ranney
- Flutes: James Walker, Norda Mullen, Geraldine Rotella, David Shostac
- Clarinets: Gary Boyver, Stuart Clark, Donald Foster, Marty Krystall
- Saxophones: Daniel Higgins, Gary Foster, Greg Huckins, Bill Liston, Brian Scanlon
- Oboes: Thomas Boyd, Leslie Reed
- Bassoons: Kenneth Munday, Michael O'Donovan, Judith Farmer
- French horns: James Thatcher, Mark Adams, Richard Todd
- Trumpets: Warren Luening, Malcolm McNab, Daniel Fornero, Jon Lewis, Timothy Morrison
- Trombones: William Booth, Bruce Fowler, Alesander Iles, William Reichenbach, George Thatcher
- Tuba: Doug Tornquist
- Percussion (including mallets): Alan Estes, Gregory Goodall
- Harps: Jo Ann Turovsky, Allison Allport
- Accordion: Frank Marocco
- Background vocals: Carmen Carter, Tim Davis, Luana Jackman, Steve Jackson, Rick Logan, Susan Stevens Logan, Fletcher Sheridan, Oren Waters, Terry Woods
Album credits
- Produced by Mitchell Froom and Lenny Waronker
- Engineered by David Boucher
- Recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood and at The Newman Stage, Twentieth Century Fox Studios in Beverly Hills
- Mixed at Tea Time Studios in Santa Monica
- Mastered by Robert C. Ludwig at Gateway Mastering Studios in Portland, Maine
- Randy Newman's personal manager: Cathy Kerr Management, Inc. of Los Angeles
- Angry Belgians on "A Piece of the Pie": Kathie Van Kerckhoven and Jeremy Altervain
- Happy immigrants on "Laugh and Be Happy": Los Amigos Locos del Este
- Orchestral contractor: Sandy DeCrescent
- Music preparation: Jo Ann Kane Music Services
- Vocal contractor: Luana Jackman
- Album photography: Autumn De Wilde
- Stock photography for booklet by Jupiterimages (page 8), Perry Mastrovito (outside inlay), and Photo 24 (inside inlay)
- Art direction and design: Barbara De Wilde
- Production manager for Nonesuch Records: Eli Cane
- Editorial coordinator for Nonesuch Records: Ronen Givony
- Executive in charge of production for Nonesuch Records: Karina Beznicki
- Executive producer: Robert Hurwitz
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Randy Newman}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by Mitchell Froom
Category:Albums produced by Lenny Waronker