Randy Newman new album of original material "Dark Matter" (08/04/2017)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by pghmusiclover, May 24, 2017.

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  1. pghmusiclover

    pghmusiclover Senior Member Thread Starter

    [​IMG]


    1 The Great Debate 8:08
    2 Brothers 4:54
    3 Putin 3:44
    4 Lost Without You 3:54
    5 Sonny Boy 4:42
    6 It’s a Jungle out There (V2) 3:18
    She Chose Me 3:12
    8 On the Beach 4:32
    9 Wandering Boy 3:02 News & Reviews

    Dark Matter, Randy Newman's first album of new material in nine years, will be released on Nonesuch Records on August 4, 2017, with the vinyl to follow on August 18. The record is the follow-up to 2008's acclaimed Harps and Angels, which the Guardian praised for its "sumptuous melodies, devastating pathos and thorny, irony-laden character songs," calling it, "the work of a true master of popular song." Dark Matter was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by long-time Newman collaborators Mitchell Froom, Lenny Waronker, and David Boucher. The album's nine songs include the 2016 digitally released "Putin," plus songs about the Kennedy brothers, Sonny Boy Williamson, science vs. religion, love and loss, and more.

    Dark Matter is available to pre-order now at iTunes and the Nonesuch Store, where the album track "Putin" may be downloaded immediately. You can watch the video for "Putin" below. Pre-orders from Nonesuch also come with an exclusive print, a limited number of which will be signed by Newman.

    Tour dates begin this summer. See below details and visit nonesuch.com/on-tour for all the latest, as further fall shows will be announced soon.

    Newman, who is known for writing from the perspective of various narrators, many of whom are unreliable, tried something new on Dark Matter: "If there is anything consistent about the songs, there is often more than one voice, in the big ones, and it's different for me, a difficult thing to bring off, to make it comprehensible," he says. "I think it works. They cover more ground than most songs do and portray a number of different characters. Audiences are smart. They'll understand the songs. I hope they like them as well.

    "I'm proud of the record," Newman continues. "I think it's entertaining—I hope it's entertaining—and that's eighty percent of what I try to do. Also, I'm doing something different than I've ever done before. It's a step forward for me. And considering how long I've been doing this, I'm kinda proud of that."

    After starting his songwriting career as a teenager, Newman began recording as a singer and pianist in 1968 with a self-titled album. Throughout the 1970s, he released several other acclaimed albums such as 12 Songs, Sail Away, and Good Old Boys. In addition to his solo recordings and regular international touring, Newman began composing and scoring for films in the 1980s. The list of movies he has worked on since then includes The Natural, Awakenings, Ragtime, all three Toy Story pictures, Seabiscuit, James and the Giant Peach, A Bug's Life, and most recently, Disney/Pixar's Cars 3.

    Between 2003 and 2016, Nonesuch released three volumes of The Randy Newman Songbook, comprising solo recordings of songs from throughout Newman's five-decade career, along with a three-CD box set of all volumes (a four-LP, limited-edition vinyl version included bonus tracks). The New York Times said of the first disc: "The great craftsmanship is more apparent in the stripped-down context," and the Associated Press said, "Few singer-songwriters could inject more new life into solo piano versions of their work than Randy Newman." In 2011, the label released a live CD and DVD recorded at London's intimate LSO St. Luke's, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra led by Robert Ziegler.

    Randy Newman's many honors include six Grammys, three Emmys, and two Academy Awards, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013—the same year he was given an Ivor Novello PRS for Music Special International Award. Newman also was presented with a PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award in 2014.

    RANDY NEWMAN ON TOUR

    Jun 9 Wichita Riverfest Wichita, KS
    Jul 7 Lowell Summer Music Series Lowell, MA
    Jul 9 Tarrytown Music Hall Tarrytown, NY
    Jul 20 Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater San Diego, CA
    Aug 7 Denver Botanic Gardens Denver, CO

    Randy Newman's "Dark Matter" Due August 4 on Nonesuch; First Album of New Material Since 2008 - Nonesuch Records

     
    gotblues, kagan, jlf and 4 others like this.
  2. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    Great title and I'm glad that he's put that retrospective phase of Songbooks behind him. I actually think that he's past his prime but, what the hell, I'm still in.
     
  3. Captain Groovy

    Captain Groovy Senior Member

    Location:
    Freedonia, USA
    Original material - well, true, to a degree, yes just many long gestating :)

    Many fans well recognize these - "She Chose Me" written for "Cop Rock", "It's a Jungle Out There" from "Monk", etc.

    "The Great Debate" I believe is the song "Dark Matter". Glad it opens the record. That's gonna be an absolute blast.

    And although "Lost Without You" may sound like a familiar title, it's a truly new song - and if don't get ya, nothing will. One of Randy's best. Most moving? Possibly. I'm calling this "classic" now. I'm not overselling it.

    Randy fans have been very patient.

    It's my belief that one of the reasons it was held up was due to Trump. Nothing political to say here - just saying he became President. Eyes are on Randy has if he's a modern satirist which, he really isn't. When he dabbles, IMO, he's not very successful.

    Fortunately, no Trump song seems to have been successfully created - ahem - and I always find it best when Randy reviews from afar, with some time and distance, from a different perspective. Not too many people "got" "Putin" - including some big name artists - people who usually "get" Randy writes from a POV. It bothered me, but I don't want to call out the famous singer/songwriters names. They said it on their Facebooks and such when originally released.

    We'll get that time and perspective with "The Brothers".

    To be honest, I was hoping he would finally do an Arthur Alexander cover he's been saying he's wanted do to round out the album for a nice 10 track. Instead, he wrote about Sonny Boy (Randy covered "The Goat" which went unreleased til the '99 box set).

    And if there isn't a "Only a Girl" or a tortured old man/young girl "love song" on the final album, I'll be disappointed. By his own admission he can pump those out in his sleep. And I love those.

    SO.. coming in August!

    Jeff
     
  4. svoegtlin

    svoegtlin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milton, NH, USA
    It's been far too long Mr. Newman! Welcome back! We missed you!
     
  5. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun

    Great news-one of my definitive favourites finally release an album with new material. Can t wait. Just preordered to get the signed print
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2017
  6. Black Thumb

    Black Thumb Yah Mo B There

    Location:
    Reno, NV
    Right around the 40th anniversary of Little Criminals! (I feel old).

    Can't wait to hear what he does with the multiple character thing.
     
  7. JohnB

    JohnB Senior Member

    Jeff, any time there's a Randy related post here I always look for your insightful comments, and once again you certainly do not dissapoint. Looking forward to this release.
     
  8. Sean Murdock

    Sean Murdock Forum Intruder

    Location:
    Bergenfield, NJ
  9. SirNoseDVoid

    SirNoseDVoid Forum Resident

    I think I heard some of these songs when I saw him in concert last year.. 'It's a jungle out there' is hilarious.
     
  10. Larry L

    Larry L Senior Member

    Location:
    Allen, Texas
    Hopefully they will add more dates to the tour.
     
  11. Sean Murdock

    Sean Murdock Forum Intruder

    Location:
    Bergenfield, NJ
    So Jeff, are any of these tracks unusually long? I mean, nearly a decade in between albums, with the now customary couple of retreads -- and he's only got nine tracks? I'll take whatever I can get -- I'm just curious... :help:
     
  12. Captain Groovy

    Captain Groovy Senior Member

    Location:
    Freedonia, USA
    The intro is epic. Longest non-score track Randy has done.

    Sean, as you know, I can't get into the "it's been this many years" and "only 9 songs" thing. Randy is notoriously slow and he works much better when on assignment - production wise. So if you told him to write a song about a guy who loves this artist who only releases one album every 10 years because "he hasn't gotten around to it".. Randy could write that. If you told him it had to be 3 minutes and 43 seconds, he could do that with ease, too. Quite amazing. Expect a new song for Cars 3 on the Disney soundtrack, BTW. It's like that.

    But the inspiration for new stuff takes time - and it has to feel right for him. "The Great Debate" is one of those - and it's wonderful and the "counterargument" in the debate is genius and spot-on. We won't be able to discuss many of these tracks due to formal rules once released because: Religion and Politics.

    BTW, you get a FREE Randy-signed print when you pre-order the LP.

    I don't know if Nonesuch is really pushing this one aspect enough for those who want Randy's autograph, but I will - get Randy's autograph and the album on vinyl for $20 with a pre-order here. It also comes with the MP3 once released, so you get the vinyl, a keepsake AND something to throw out right away!

    Dark Matter LP + MP3 Bundle - Randy Newman - Artists

    Jeff
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2017
  13. Sean Murdock

    Sean Murdock Forum Intruder

    Location:
    Bergenfield, NJ
    Thanks for the insights as always, Jeff -- and if I had paid attention I would have noticed that the track timings were listed in the first post! :doh:

    Looking forward to the new album, of course -- and August is perfect, because it will give me time to listen to some other things that may or may not be released tomorrow and next month.... :agree: I thought "Putin" was a hoot (bought the 45 too) so I'm glad that will be on the album. I also love the Monk theme, so even though I mentioned "retreads" I'm glad he fleshed that one out. Very intrigued by the new ideas re: multiple voices and POVs in the songs!
     
    Captain Groovy likes this.
  14. MRamble

    MRamble Forum Resident

    Thanks for the heads up that sealed the deal for me!
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2017
    Captain Groovy likes this.
  15. Reader

    Reader Senior Member

    Location:
    e.s.t. tenn.
    Absolutely great news. I've been listening to Mr. Newman since his first LP with the original cover. Don't care how slow he is as long as there will be another to come.

    Captain Groovy, please tell him that I want to hear a Fats Domino cover album, "Randy does Fats" or "Newman sings Domino" one of these days. Pretty please?????????

    If not how about A Christmas album? If Bob can do it I know Randy can.
     
    Sean Murdock likes this.
  16. jlf

    jlf Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Does the same go for the CD? I don't see any reference to autographs on either listing.
     
  17. kagan

    kagan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    "Pre-orders from Nonesuch also come with an exclusive print, a limited number of which will be signed by Newman."
     
    Bemagnus likes this.
  18. jlf

    jlf Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Looks like I need new glasses. Thanks!
     
  19. Captain Groovy

    Captain Groovy Senior Member

    Location:
    Freedonia, USA
    I would get the vinyl to guarantee the limited print. It's clear in check-out it's for vinyl only. I could be wrong, but for $20 for the vinyl and a signed print, I don't see how you can lose.

    In fact if you purchase the vinyl, you get the MP3 of the album. And if you do all of that, but still want FLAC tracks, then contact me once you've received your package! But buy the album in any form.

    Who knows? In 50 years, the next generation will be remixing this album to mono for special release! But you'll have the original unfutzed with stereo original! ;)

    Jeff
     
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  20. Reader

    Reader Senior Member

    Location:
    e.s.t. tenn.
    I ordered the vinyl a couple days ago. Very surprised there's not more excitement about this release because Randy is one of the all time truly greats and there are fewer of those than people think.

    If you've always thought you'd like his music but never got around to listening do yourself a favor and get one of his albums. "Sail Away" or "12 Songs" would be great places to start but any of his work is special. Happy listening.
     
    MRamble, jamesmaya and Captain Groovy like this.
  21. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    You can say that again Jeff ..., thanks for noticing!

    I'm still hopeful for a duet with Randy and Gilbert O'Sullivan! I'll call it "Alone Again With Short People"
     
    gotblues likes this.
  22. Sean Murdock

    Sean Murdock Forum Intruder

    Location:
    Bergenfield, NJ
    I was just re-reading the thread and ....... did you just reveal that this is going to be Randy's LAST studio album? I mean, given his typical pace, I could see that being true, but is this Randy's official position?
     
  23. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun

    Already ordered that one:)
     
    Captain Groovy likes this.
  24. Captain Groovy

    Captain Groovy Senior Member

    Location:
    Freedonia, USA
    Oh - sorry, no I meant final product of the album in August.

    My father still introduces my mother as his" current wife", despite them being married 45 years and him never being married before.

    However in this case, I didn't mean anything by it - so by all means I hope NOT - I look forward to Randy's next album after this one, "Don't Trust Anyone Under 80". ;)

    Jeff
     
    Sean Murdock likes this.
  25. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    That signed print seems far from guaranteed - "a limited number of which will be signed" could mean they're randomly inserting ten signed copies...
     
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