This is one of my favorite recordings of the last 10 years. The songs are funny, moving, and highly intelligent. Randy Newman is a song craftsman of the highest order. If you have overlooked this one, I recommend that you buy it immediately!
August 6, 2008 |  | My Favorite Randy Newman album |  |
As only Randy Newman can, he alternately amuses the hell out of you (I'm Dead But I Don't Know It) and breaks your heart (My Country). And as if that weren't enough, he confounds you by doing both within the same song(Shame, The World Isn't Fair). Randy Newman is his own man, and I couldn't be more thankful about that. I LOVE this album.
August 14, 2007I can't praise this album high enough. Randy Newman returns with another brilliant recording. As an example of song-writing and performing skills this will take some beating.
There are tear jerkers like 'Every Time It Rains' ironic songs like 'The World Isn't Fair' all arranged and performed with Newmans distinctive southern drawl and under-rated Piano playing. This album also has a band and occasionally orchestral arrangements.
For me this is up there with his best work, perhaps not quite as good as Sail Away, but its very close. These days Randy Newman doesn't produce that many albums, and performs even less frequently, so get this album to remind yourself just how good he really is.
April 13, 2007 | | Ah, the essence of bitterness... | |
I was surprised to find a few reviews here that were offended by some of Newman's songs found on BAD LOVE. As if the title wasn't warning enough, this is quintessential Newman, adopting the persona of some of the more reprehensible characters around in order to portray them clearly for all to see. BAD LOVE is a return to form; the songs here are a balance of bittersweet and pure vitriol. That's the way I like my Newman: Unfiltered. While not as cohesive as some earlier efforts, BAD LOVE definitely let's you see ugly side of life, surrounded by excellent melodies and more than a few comments on the world as scene through the eyes of a pure cynic. While not entirely successful, "Better Off Dead" with its soaring strings sounds like bad muzak left me cold and "The Great Nations of Europe" sounds like an outtake from SAIL AWAY, this really does hearken back to prime Newman.
October 30, 2005| | | randy comes up with a good one. | |
randy's return in 1999 was a good one, probably his best since the great "sail away" and ""good old boys" my favorites include the hilarious "shame" you find an aging randy get into an argument with his back up singers, and the nice sounding "the one you love" finds randy at his best.
August 2, 2005More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(58 reviews)