Past Programs
Classics - 2008
Randy Newman
30/08/2008
One of the 20th century’s greatest American songwriters is now in his 65th year. He is still writing great new songs in the 21st century. Harps and Angels shows that Randy Newman is not retiring ... in any sense. Be warned: this American does have a keen sense of irony. If you enjoy mordant wit, Newman’s latests musings on mortality {with particular reference to his own and to ‘the end of an Empire’} ought to make you laugh out loud; the music itself is also amusing ... and deliciously rich. However, if Short People made you angry and fooled you into thinking prejudice was Newman’s pleasure rather than target, you will be much happier with some other sweeter, simpler songster.
Official Randy Newman cyberspace is here:
www.randynewman.com
You can discover much more via this well-linked site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Newman
Chris Wood
03/02/2008
‘The gold we are searching for is in our own backyard’ says Chris Wood. Described by an Irish critic as ‘the renaissance man of English folk.’, he is passionately English, but no chauvinist. Wood is an acute purveyor/surveyor of ‘unofficial’ history. You do not have to be English or folk-ish to recognise one of the few truly singular songsters - in both writing and delivery. Trespasser is subtle, sharp, superbly played and sung. Listen closely to his new CD and you will soon cease to be surprised that American performance artist Laurie Anderson hails Wood as ‘an incredible artist.’
There is a good biography, here: http://music.msn.com/artist/?artist=16186438&menu=bio
Chris Wood’s own site: www.englishacousticcollective.org.uk
