Randy Newman's self-titled debut studio album Randy Newman was released in 1968. Most of the songs are backed by an orchestra and introduce Newman as a satirical lyricist. It did not chart when it was released and critical reception was rather muted although Robert Christgau was an early supporter of the album. It receives generally positive retrospective reviews and is considered amongst his best releases. I've been looking forward to listening to Newman's albums for several months. I'll cover at least five albums in this saga but I'll probably listen to all of his albums and post reviews for them on his discography page.
I've never heard anything like this. Although Newman's vocal delivery is somewhat reminiscent of Dylan, I'd bet he takes just as much influence from Dylan as he does from the Beatles--probably none. For a debut record, the orchestral arrangements are surprisingly well executed and thought out while the ballads' minimal instrumentation work perfectly to draw attention to Newman's sardonic and dry-humored lyrics, which are already quite impressive and enjoyable reads. Although "The Beehive State" could have benefited from a bit more exploration, it does bring up the most important point on the whole album: what is Kansas for? A- [Later: B+]
