Aquarium Drunkard — “But the truth is that L.A. was never entirely real anyway, as Steely Dan, Randy Newman, Warren Zevon, Larry David and Alan Ball all understood.” – Barney Hoskyns The above quote is from the 2009 forward of author Barney Hoskyns book Waiting Fo... more info

All About Jazz — Randy Newman's best, most pointed songs usually will come around again with enough time, timely once more either from history repeating itself, or mankind living up to his worst expectations. At his concert Friday for UCLA Live at Royce Hall, his qu... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — Randy Newman's best, most pointed songs usually will come around again with enough time, timely once more either from history repeating itself, or mankind living up to his worst expectations. At his concert Friday for UCLA Live at Royce Hall,... more info

Stereogum — The show's producers said none of the nominees were invited to sing at the March 7 awards ceremony. Randy Newman's totally wry and bemused about this. More at EW, including a clip of Elliott Smith's memorable, jarring performance at the '98 Oscars. more info

Pop Tarts Suck Toasted — This week the nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards were handed out in L.A. in advance of the March 7th award show. With ten nominations for Best Picture this year and all but locked up races for the Best Acting awards it was difficult to be too up... more info

411 Mania — Newman double dips and Bingham tries to ride Golden Globes glory... more info

Stereogum — Finally, the Academy seems prepared to recognize that guy. Check the full list of noms over here. more info

Guardian Music — Precious (15) (Lee Daniels, 2009, US) Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey. 110 mins.It sounds like a relentlessly depressing pile-up of miseries: the tale of a 1980s Harlem teenager who's poor, lonely, overweight, undereducated, abu... more info

Guardian Music — Last week was all about songs that give you the shivers. This time we want tracks about famous people from the pastThe last week has been a sombre one, unavoidably so. It was touching too though, an example of why RR is a real community and one with ... more info

Stereogum — The Academy has selected 63 songs that will contend for Best Song nominations for next year's ceremony, and among them are songs not written by Randy Newman. Paul McCartney and U2 -- "you may have heard of them" -- both made the cut, of course. Bu... more info