Harps and Angels

Randy Newman's Harps and Angels is right up there with the best of his work, sardonic, poignant, clever, and filled with compassion and humor. He is able to comment on the American condition directly, without pulling his punches in a way no one else can. 'A Few Words In Defense of Our Country', and 'A Piece of The Pie', are dead on. 'Easy Street' and 'Laugh and Be Happy' slide in under the radar but are just as pointed. The love songs, 'Losing You', and 'Feels Like Home', balance the biting satire. The orchestrations and arrangements are brilliant and direct as usual. Thank you Randy!

A Man Named Pearl

I just saw this over the weekend. A small understated film about a man who does something extraordinary with his life and doesn't let anything get in his way. The music in the web trailer is over the top though....don't know what they were thinking. The film score is a slightly whimsical small band jazz thing which helps to keep it light.

Go see it.