Nilsson Sings Newman

by Harry Nilsson

Overview

Named Stereo Review's album of the year (and, really, can you ask for a better endorsement than that?) upon its release and generally regarded as the album that introduced Randy Newman the songwriter to a wide audience, Nilsson Sings Newman has gained a reputation of being an minor masterwork. This, in a way, is misguiding, since this isn't an obvious record, where the songs are delivered simply and directly. It's deliberately an album of subtle pleasures, crafted, as the liner notes state, line by line in the studio. As such, the preponderance of quiet piano-and-voice tracks (featuring Newman himself on piano, Nilsson on vocals) means the record can slip away upon the first few listens, especially for anyone expecting an undeniable masterpiece. Yet, a masterpiece is what this is, albeit a subtle, graceful masterpiece where the pleasure is in the grace notes, small gestures, and in-jokes. Not to say that this is devoid of emotion; it's just that the emotion is subdued, whether it's on a straightforward love song ("Caroline") or a tongue-in-cheek tale like "Love Story." For an album that introduced a songwriter as idiosyncratic as Newman, it's only appropriate that Nilsson's interpretations are every bit as original as the songs. His clear intonation and sweet, high voice are more palatable than Randy's slurred, bluesy growl, but the wild thing is, these versions demand that the listeners surrender to Nilsson's own terms. He's created gentle, intricate arrangements of tuneful yet clever songs, and as such, the album may be as much an acquired taste as Newman. Once you've acquired that taste, this is as sweet as honey. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/18/2024
Label:	Sony Legacy
UPC:	0198028305914
Rank:	123069

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Harry Nilsson   Primary Artist,Vocals
Randy Newman   Piano

Technical Credits

Grover Helsey   Engineer
Dennis Ferrante   Mixing
Rob Santos   Producer,Reissue Producer
Ed Osborne   Project Coordinator
Robin Manning   Project Coordinator
Randy Newman   Composer,Liner Notes,Photo Courtesy,Project Assistant
Alan Warner   Project Assistant
Harry Nilsson   Liner Notes
Elliott Federman   Mastering
Grover Helsley   Engineer
Bruce Pollock   Project Coordinator
Stephen Barncard   Model
Michael Panico   Archivist
Diane Nilsson   Project Assistant
Arlessa Barnes   Project Coordinator
Joanne Feltman   Archivist
Felicia Gearhart   Project Coordinator
Tom Tierney   Editorial Assistant
Laura Gregory   Project Coordinator
Paul Brizzi   Restoration
Robin Diamond   Project Coordinator
Steve Strauss   Project Coordinator
Glenn Delgado   Project Coordinator
Allen Zentz   Model
Jon Broven   Project Assistant
Michael Leary   Model
Dean Romanelli   Project Coordinator
Bill Stafford   Project Coordinator
Lisa Butler   Project Coordinator
Glenn Korman   Producer,Product Manager
Brooke Nochomson   Project Coordinator
Dana Renert   Project Coordinator
Dean Torrence   Project Assistant,Photo Courtesy,Liner Notes,Design
Jeremy Holiday   Production Coordination
Larry Parra   Project Coordinator
Mandana Eidgah   Product Manager
Cathy Kerr   Project Assistant
Michael O. Drexler   Digital Transfers
Andrea T. Sheridan   Project Assistant
Christina DeSimone   Project Coordinator