Randy Newman's Faust (1993 Concept Cast)
With his career built on twin pillars of concise narrative  songwriting for his own albums and evocative orchestral composition for his film scores, Randy Newman  is eminently qualified to resuscitate musical theater.  And while  the initial stage production of his reworking of Goethe has  stalled west of Broadway, the 1995 studio version ofFaustis a  triumph.  In Newman's hand, the Faustian myth transforms its title hero into a clueless rocker (sung by Don  Henley), the Devil into a huckster (sung by, who else, Newman himself), and God into a callow yuppie (James  Taylor, in the project's most revelatory performance, every bit as funny as the composer's). With Bonnie  Raitt and Linda Ronstadt completing this dream cast, Newman honors the form's theatrical demands with  ensemble show-stoppers (the opening "Glory Train"), expository duets ("How Great Our Lord"), and  romantic ballads ("Feels Like Home"), framing the 17 songs with his own rich orchestrations and generous choral  support. It's devilishly good.--Sam Sutherland