LAND OF DREAMS - Randy Newman

YEAR: 1988

LABEL: Reprise

TRACK LISTING: Dixie Flyer, New Orleans Wins the War, Four Eyes, Falling In Love, Something Special, Bad News From Home, Roll With the Punches, Masterman and Baby J, Red Bandana, Follow the Flag, It's Money That Matters, I Want You To Hurt Like I Do

IMPRESSIONS: Half a brilliant album. Often considered a concept album, it's really not. The concept of songs concerning Newman's childhood holds strong for the first few songs on the album which do deal with autobiographical material. Sadly, that concept suddenly evaporates and the songs become unrelated. This album contains some of my favourite Randy Newman songs including album opener "Dixie Flyer" and the murder ballad (or is that "pre-"murder ballad) "Bad News From Home" which are both brilliant. Unfortunately, side two of the album contains mostly dross until you get to the brilliant father/son "I Want You To Hurt Like I Do" which features a very atypical theme for a father/son song. While half of the album may contain mediocre material, the other half more than makes up for it and is well worth a listen.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Dixie Flyer, New Orleans Wins the War, Four Eyes, Falling In Love, Bad News From Home, It's Money That Matters, I Want You To Hurt Like I Do

GUEST ARTISTS: David Paich (synthesizer), Tom Petty (guitar, background vocals), James Newton Howard (synthesizer, keyboards), Jeff Porcaro (drums), Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Jeff Lynne (keyboards, backing vocals)

FACT SHEET: LAND OF DREAMS is Randy Newman's ninth album. The album title is also a fantasy novel by James P. Blaylock. Before the album's release, the song "Something Special" was used in the end credits for the 1987 Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell movie "OVERBOARD". The exquisite piano bridge from "Dixie Flyer" is often used on public radio as filler/break music between features.