Jaust

Overall Album Score: 8.4 out of 10

Oh man ... After NOT having an album for seven years (albeit having a few soundtrack albums), Randy Newman sits in the dungeon of his home and composes an absolutely HUGE Broadway musical version of that classic old tale of some guy named Faust and also the Devil. ... And, this was a pretty ambitious effort for Newman ... the most ambitious thing he's ever done, I expect. Best of all, many of these songs are injected with Newman's Own brand of humor and personality. (Even better, Newman gives himself the role of the Devil ... he's always had a Devilish tone in his voice, so the role suits him!)

Unfortunately, many of these song don't have Newman's Own brand of humor and personality. Some of the song sound like they were written for a good old, regular Randy Newman album ... others just sound like they were written for Broadway. Albeit, some of the Broadway tunes are rather inspired ... but others aren't ...

The best version of Faust is always going to be Dudley Moore's and Peter Cook's film Bedazzled (which isn't on DVD yet, and that sucks) but at least Newman will be credited with making a decent musical version of it. It's no Les Miserables, but the whole effort was worth its price in gold if only for the soulful opening number "Glory Train," and that completely soaring "How Great Our Lord" ... as well as being yet another album where you can find another piece of Randy Newman if you're a person who cannot get enough of him.

Overall Album Score: 8.4 out of 10 (This is pretty good ... It is certainly a must-have for Newman fans and probably a must-have for Broadway fans. Some of the songs aren't that good and have a tendency to be come mind-numbingly typical contemporary Broadway melodies ... but there are enough magical moments in here to make this worthwhile.)

Average Song Score: 8.6 (A lot of really good songs in here. The best seem to appear toward the beginning of the album with "Glory Train" and, my favorite, "How Great Our Lord." But there are a few other bits of magic sprinkled through the rest of it.)

Album Tilt: 8.0 (It holds together well as an album ... but it tends to get bogged down toward the end with too much hookless Broadway sludge.)

Artist Rating: 8.5 (When it's all said and done, this is the most ambitious thing Newman ever tackled in his career. I just wish he would have put himself COMPLETELY in this project, instead of writing so many songs that are sort of generic Broadway tunes ... as lovely as some of them are.)

Track Reviews

Glory Train 10/10

How about a nice little spiritual??? OH YEAH!!!!!! ... Wait, I never really cared for spirituals. But considering that the song was written by none other than RANDY NEWMAN (and he's the one who was awesome when he was rapping in his last album), this song is a cakewalk for me to enjoy! Not only is the melody perfectly catchy with about 4938 billion natural hooks in it, but it is unrelentingly happy and ... and ... just a perfect Broadway song. And then Randy Newman (SATAN) comes in with an EVIL song (with CUSSING)! His EVIL part is utterly excellent, though. It's playful, fun ... and hooky, too. (It starts out with a 'yelling' type song and then goes to good old Newman ragtime) ... Man ... I seriously think this Randy Newman guy deserves an Academy Award. He'll get one one day. I just know it. An Academy Award ... um ...

Can't Keep a Good Man Down 8.5/10

A good old-time, rag-time thing that Randy sings himself ... I guess this is sort of his trademark style ... and it's a good style! ... I'm just not completely impressed with this. The hooks aren't as flawless as some of his other songs have been ... but this is still entirely enjoyable.

How Great Our Lord 10/10

Yes!!! The DEATHLY hooks are back!!!!! Man!!!! This guy is such a great songwriter! This has aspects of a spiritual, but you can't mistake this for anything OTHER than a good-natured old Randy Newman song. It's uplifting and just NATURALLY wonderful (...although, this isn't a happy song...). This song gets another enthusiastic 10! (Although ... Newman's not singing this ... awwww ...)

Best Little Girl 8/10

Randy should write the best songs for HIMSELF!!!! Oh well. This is a good song. Again, this is just a normal-sounding Randy Newman song without any truly devastating hooks. Not too great ... but if you love Randy Newman, then ... how can you dislike this?

Northern Boy 8/10

...Whoah ... this starts off sounding like normal Broadway! The song very classical-sounding (a bit reminiscent of a national anthem ... or something) and totally un-Newman-like! Not that it's a bad song. I like it.

Bless the Children of the World 8.5/10

I kind of like this song for its atmosphere more than anything else. I don't always think the whole HARD ROCK thing this song tries to tackle at times was such a great idea. My favorite part, though, is that soaring part! It's hooky and heavenly! ... Ohhhhh, awesomeness!

Gainesville 8.5/10

Oh ................ What a pretty song! ... But ... it's ... uh ... too Broadway. Just because you're writing for Broadway, doesn't mean you have to succumb to their dang shenanigannery! ... Ohhh, this freaky Linda Ronstadt gives a pretty nice vocal performance, though. The song is good anyway, but her singing is easily the main attraction.

Relax, Enjoy Yourself 9/10

Oh, good! The signature Randy Newman songs are back! This is another very happy, lighthearted song ... and you've GOT to like it for that. The middle of this song, however, it goes all Broadway again ... but the song is very pretty, indeed. ... And there's another section after this (where we get to hear Newman himself sing) ... and it's ANOTHER fairly hooky and normal NEWMAN song ... And after that is another Broadway-type thing ... (Yeah, this is more of a song meant to generate the play's plot ... but it was nicely-put just the same.) ... And the VERY end of this, the happy thing returns ... (Ohhh, that Newman sounds DEVILISH, doesn't he? ... Really, he's the perfect man to play the Devil when you think about it ...)

Life Has Been Good to Me 8.5/10

Yay! Another signature Newman song with plenty of hooks in them. I like its upbeat quality ... Perhaps this is a little bit too simple to have gotten a 9 or something, but this is still very fun.

Little Island 7/10

...Ohhhhhhh, sorry... I find this song too dull. And too Broadway. There's not enough Randy Newman in it. ... And there are pretty much no hooks in it. I find satisfaction out of the song just for the vocal performance ... and the instrumentation is pretty good. (It's professional Broadway instrumentation, which usually is very good.) ((Elton John sucks.))

The Man 9.5/10

YES!!!!! Another ***RANDY NEWMAN*** song! This is more of his good-rocking songs ... and it's really good! (OOOO! SOMEONE SAID THE F-WORD!!!! TWICE!!!) ... I guess this isn't exactly a family album ... although, it probably ought to have been. I like this song, though, for its spirit and the melody! Yaaaaay!!!!! There's a great interchange between James Taylor and Newman.

My Hero 9/10

AGAIN, another typical Broadway song ... but this is pretty good, anyway. It's a nice, soaring song that might just move you.

I Gotta Be Your Man 7.5/10

Aw, Randy!!! Hey!!! You write one of your normal songs again, but it's just not that good! It's very fast-paced (giving it a goofy-quality ... which usually works well for Newman) but it just comes out as choppy and annoying. And the melody isn't really that good.

Feels Like Home 8/10

This is like the 8 billionth soaring Broadway song to appear on this album. ENOUGH!!!!! But this is alright. Again, Ronstadt gives another good vocal performance ... but the hooks in this aren't that deadly. And ... yeah ... I'm not too impressed.

Bleeding All Over the Place 8.5/10

A decent song to be sure! ... Boy, this album sure is getting tiresome, though! (Good thing this albums almost over!) ... At any rate, this mid-tempoed song does have a nice melody and Newman sings it ... so you know it's dribbling with personality. (AND THERE'S ANOTHER F-WORD!!! OOOOOO!!! KISS YOUR MOTHER WITH THAT MOUTH!!!)

Sandman's Coming 9/10

A very slow Broadway type song ... but this one is very pretty at least. Rondstadt's luverly voice compliments it wonderfully ... the melody is good ... the instrumentation is even better. It makes it all atmospheric-like ... yeah.

Happy Ending 9.5/10

Ohhhhhh!!! At least Randy knows how to END his Broadway albums! With a happy, upbeat, and energetic song! ... And best of all HE SINGS IT!!! Yayyyyyy!!!! A great song that'll leave you exiting the theater (or your stereo space) with a smile on your face. How could you expect anything less from a freaking Broadway play by Randy Newman. I asks ya?? (It's also kinda funny how he ends this ... I really need to see this play ...)

Do the FAUST here.