Randy Newman will always be the Toy Story guy to me. That's not a dig at all - in my mind, it's impossible to refer to Toy Story in anything but a superlative context. It's for exactly that reason that I almost turned back once looking at Dark Matter's tracklist; it's not a great time for music from old dudes in general, and especially not for old dudes writing songs titled Putin. Yet our boy Randy pulls it out, putting together just about the best-case scenario for someone who (a) is 73 (b) most closely resembles Garrison Keillor in terms of musical style. If, god rest your soul, something compelled you to listen to Brian Wilson's album of Disney covers or any latter-day Neil Young album with War or Peace in the title, here you'll likely find what those lacked. If you've ever enjoyed a Randy Newman song, here you'll find nine more to put in rotation. If you've had it up to here with old men and their piano balladry... try just one more.

Highlights: Lost Without You, On the Beach, Wandering Boy