1955-1958 Recordings [Import]

1955-1958 Recordings [Import]

ASIN: B000008E2K

Track Listings

1. Cry Cry Cry

2. Luther Played the Boogie

3. Folsom Prison Blues

4. So Doggone Lonesome

5. Mean Eyed Cat

6. Wide Open Road

7. Two Timin' Woman

8. There You Go

9. I Walk the Line

10. Country Boy

11. Train of Love

12. Get Rhythm

13. Hey Porter

14. Wide Open Road

15. Belshazzar

16. If the Good Lord's Willing

17. Wreck of the Old '97

18. You Tell Me

19. Oh, Lonesome Me

20. Big River

See all 32 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

No One Mourns the Wicked - Cristy Candler
Dear Old Shiz
The Wizard and I - Idina Menzel
What Is This Feeling? - Kristin Chenoweth
Something Bad - William Youmans
Dancing Through Life - Michelle Federer
Popular - Kristin Chenoweth
I'm Not That Girl - Idina Menzel
One Short Day - Kristin Chenoweth
A Sentimental Man - Joel Grey
Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel
Thank Goodness - Kristin Chenoweth
Wonderful - Idina Menzel
I'm Not That Girl (Reprise) - Kristin Chenoweth
As Long as You're Mine - Norbert Leo Butz
No Good Deed - Idina Menzel
March of the Witch Hunters
For Good - Kristin Chenoweth
Finale - Kristin Chenoweth

Amazon.com

One of the most common complaints about musicals is that the books are flimsy pretexts from which to hang numbers. Wicked runs into the opposite problem: it has a great plot, but too often the songs just get in the way. Based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, Wicked tells us what happened between Glinda the Good and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy showed up in Oz. And the show is lucky to boast a pair of ace leading women in the main roles. As Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth delivers a sensational star turn, displaying a crystal-pure voice and sharp comic timing; Idina Menzel lends her powerful pipes to the tricky role of Elphaba. Unfortunately, you wish they had better material to work with. Stephen Schwartz's pop score is often dragged down by overly synthetic orchestrations and sentimental lyrics (think Chicken Soup for the Witch). Still, at its best Wicked is a seductive slice of popular entertainment that could well give a younger audience a lasting taste for musical theater. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Classic, classy, and funny.......2007-07-09

The songs that are funny are VERY funny, and the songs that are sad are very sad. It opens with "No One Mourns the Wicked", a song that in any other show would be the closing number (in other words, start off with a climax and build from there.). For my money the three best songs are the ironic "The Wizard and I" (the W.W.'s wishes for the future), "What is This Feeling" (the best song in the show, it uses the clichés of a love song to talk about W.W. and Glinda's mutual loathing. If you hum any tune for a week it will be this - unless it's . . .), and "Popular" (Glinda's witty I-Know-How-To-Make-You-Over romp). The much-praised "Defying Gravity" is ok, but really just your standard Broadway Empowerment Tune(tm) -- this generation's "Impossible Dream" from MAN OF LA MANCHA. Likewise "Dancing Through Life" has such a great tune that it was a shame to waste it on those silly lyrics. They should have reprised it later in the show for a different character with deeper lyrics. Still, cast album is going into heavy rotation on my CD player.

waiting for the dvd release..........2007-07-05

it can be considered a non-special musical broadway, one more of all the musicals... but it's not. The voice of Elphaba is very rare and moving, it's a surrounding voice.
the pitty of this musical: still haven't released it on dvd. What are they waiting for?

Excellent performance of an above-average musical.......2007-07-04

This is the original cast album from the Broadway show first produced in 2003 - music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winne Holzman based on the original novel by Gregory Maguire.

Subtle it aint but their are many musical highlights - "Popular", "A Sentimental Man", "Defying Gravity", and my own personal favourite "I'm Not That Girl".

The accompanying booklet is unhelpful in that it explains nothing about the plot of the musical.

The performances are excellent, so if you loved the show you will not be disappointed.

Wonderful! I Call It Wonderful It does sound wonderful..........2007-07-04

I love this cd i have never gotten to see it and for those people out there who only listen to musical cds they have seen you can compile the plot when listening to it pretty easily

WICKED-THE BROADWAY MUSICAL AND CAST.......2007-06-27

WONDERFUL,The words are the whole show. You must listen carefully to the words. I enjoyed the show and the album immensly.

Average customer rating:

Very Pleasant
Pure Entertainment
Curtains is hilarious
A Tough Act To Follow
6 stars

Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Manufacturer: Manhattan Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B000PC1QKQ
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Overture
Wide Open Spaces
What Kind Of Man?
Thinking Of Him
The Woman's Dead
Show People
Coffee Shop Nights
In the Same Boat
I Miss the Music
Thataway!
The Man Is Dead
He Did It
In the Same Boat
It's a Business
Kansasland
Medley: Thinking Of Him/I Miss the Music
A Tough Act To Follow
In the Same Boat
In the Same Boat
Show People
Wide Open Spaces
A Tough Act To Follow

Amazon.com

Sadly, Curtains is the final entry in the long and fruitful partnership of lyricist Fred Ebb (who died in September 2004) and composer John Kander. While the show doesn't reach the heights of the team's previous masterpieces, such as Cabaret and Chicago, it's certainly a lot better than, say, their middling 1997 offering Steel Pier. Deliberately old-fashioned (it even features a real overture, something that's fast becoming a rarity), Curtains is a whodunit rolled into a musical--or vice versa. Set in 1959 Boston, it takes place backstage at a singing-and-dancing Western corker titled Robbin Hood. Someone gets killed, and a show tunes-crazy homicide detective (David Hyde Pierce) is called in. The plot is just a pretext for a series of very entertaining, characteristically brass-heavy songs that may not have the bite of old Kander and Ebb but are still very catchy. Above all, Curtains is (both thematically and stylistically) a love letter to old-school showbiz, and it's delivered on a silver platter by a cast of pros that includes the aforementioned Hyde Pierce, Kander and Ebb habituée Karen Ziemba, endearing Jason Danieley and, a notch above the rest, Debra Monk. Unsurprisingly, she chews the scenery and spits it right back in a pair of rowdy numbers: "Show People" and "It's a Business." --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

Curtains is an entertaining play within a play, as well as a "whodunit" new musical comedy featuring one of the last scores by legendary, Tony Award-winning songwriters John Kander and Fred Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago, New York, New York). Starring David Hyde Pierce (Spamalot, "Frasier") and Debra Monk, the Curtains original Broadway cast album is produced by nine-time Grammy Award-winner Jay David Saks.

Customer Reviews:

Very Pleasant.......2007-07-10

Nice, witty and pleasant music. Sadly, as the teams last work, it is not on a par with their earlier efforts. I kept expecting the big, gorgeous, soaring ballad of other shows, but it never really comes. I still think Steel Pier is their best work (tho the show didn't work). However when you are the composers of Cabaret, The Happy Time, Woman of the Year, Chicago, The Act and The Rink (among still more), you go down in theater history as one of the great songwriting teams in American theater.

The performers are all first rate, David Hyde Pierce and Debra Monk are hoots. KAren Ziemba, as always, is wonderful. A major disappointment is that Jason Danielly's beautiful tenor voice is not given more to do. Overall, pleasant fun!!

Pure Entertainment.......2007-07-10

Very entertaining. A fitting finale to the partnership of Kander & Ebb.
The story is immaterial to the music. A strong cast carries off what could be considered a nonsense piece. Plaudits all round to the cast, writers and producers.

Curtains is hilarious.......2007-07-09

David Hyde Pearce is excellent as the detective -- finally breaking away from his Niles Crane persona. He's not a great singer, but he sure can put over his songs. I was particularly impressed with Debra Monk who is delightfully catty and crude and she sings beautifully. The score is not Kander & Ebb's best, but the lyrics are clever and sometimes had be LMAOROTF.

A Tough Act To Follow.......2007-07-09

"Curtians" The Broadway Musical was fun and holds up "pretty good but not great" to the Kander and Ebb reputation but fortunately, their music holds up quite well!
The wonderful thing about this CD is, you can get the jist of the entire show and enjoy the CD for itself.

The music is good and the performing cast on the CD are a scream, with Debra Monk delivering the funniest lines. David Hyde Pierce brought home the TONY, and this CD is so good, it gives you a hint why.

6 stars.......2007-07-07

Since there are a load of good reviews already posted, I am only going to second everyone who gave it top rating. Kander & Ebb are already in the history of American popular song ('Cabaret', 'New York-New York' only two examples of their craft). Unfortunately, Mr Ebb passed on already. This swansong should be his best tribute.
Let Mr Kander live a long productive life (with kudos to Mr Holmes as well!)
This show is fun, funny and loaded with good Broadway tunes and witty lyrics (try "It's a Business" and you will get more than a chuckle.)
Superb production. All the stars possible and more.

The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful musical: Schomberg and Boublil have made it again!!
I Don't Understand Broadway Politics
I wish it stayed a bit longer
Beautiful and Amazing. A FANTASTIC musical gone away too soon!!
Soaring Melodies, Great Voices, Amazing Story!

The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Manufacturer: Sony Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
High Fidelity (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000QTCY72
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Tracks:

Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Prologue
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 1. Clew Bay. The Pirate Queen
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 1. Clew Bay. Woman
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 2. Aboard the Pirate Queen. My
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 3. Aboard the Pirate Queen. Her
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 4. Queen Elizabeth's Bedroom. T
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 4. Queen Elizabeth's Bedroom. R
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 5. Clew Bay. The Choice Is Mine
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 6. The Shebeen at Rockfleet. Bo
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 7. Clew Bay. The Wedding
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 8. Clew Bay. I'll Be There
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 9. The Road to Clew Bay. A Day
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 1. Scene 10. Clew Bay. Sail to the Stars
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Entr'acte
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 1. Aboard the Pirate Queen. Ene
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 1. Aboard the Pirate Queen. I D
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 2. Clew Bay. If I Said I Loved
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 3. The Queen's Court. The Role
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 4. Cistercian Abbey in Clew Bay
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 4. Cistercian Abbey in Clew Bay
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 5. The Queen's Court. Surrender
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 6. The Queen's Court - A Jail.
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 7. Aboard the Pirate Queen. The
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 8. The Queen's Court: The Queen
Pirate Queen, Musical Play/Act 2. Scene 9. Finale

Amazon.com

The Pirate Queen, with a score by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (Les Misérables, Miss Saigon), took a critical beating when it opened on Broadway, but as this catchy cast recording demonstrates, that reception was really unnecessarily harsh. Set in the 17th century, the show (which closed after only 85 performances) tells the story of Grace O'Malley (Stephanie J. Block), an Irish ship captain and pirate who defied Queen Elizabeth I (Linda Balgord). The combination of that setting with the fact that the producers also brought us Riverdance means an overall Celtic flavor. But fans of Boublil and Schönberg should not fear. The duo delivers plenty of the over-the-top, super-emotional power ballads they're famous for--it's hard not to wonder what Celine Dion would make of songs such as "Woman" or "I'll Be There" (the latter sung by a man, but no matter!). Special kudos to Balgord, whose deliciously campy stage portrayal of Elizabeth I comes across well on "The Waking of the Queen," "The Role of the Queen," and two harpsichord-driven, vibrato-laden duets with Block, "She Who Has All" and "Woman to Woman." Also of note to fans of traditional singing is the participation of Áine Uí Cheallaigh (known from Riverdance) on several tracks. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful musical: Schomberg and Boublil have made it again!!.......2007-07-10

The first thing I must say is that after having been looking forward to the release of this recording, I was absolutely impressed the first time I played it on my Hi-Fi. No room for doubt: if you enjoyed Les Mis as well as Miss Saigon and Martin Guerre, this duo of French composers won't let you down at all once more. On the contrary The Pirate Queen sounds incredibly fresh and in my opinion succeeds admirably. We shouldn't forget that Les Miserables was not much hailed by the critics either when it first opened (probably by the same critics that today would place it among the finest achievements in recent musical history). The real pity of this recording is that it isn't a complete recording and although the synopsis of the story at the beginning is quite complete and you can fill the gaps easily, still you very much miss listening to every single word and music from this powerful musical. Let's hope this complete recording is released in the future.
I wouldn't like to finish without mentioning the incredible quality of the voices of this cast. All of them are absolutely fantastic, giving their respective roles a quality of involvement in the story very rare in musicals nowadays. You could say this is not a musical for a single singer to stand out. All of them contribute to a wonderful whole, something you can very well appreciate after the second or third listenings.
All in all a great achievement and I hope that the production finally makes it to the West End because it the recording is brilliant in itself, it must be certainly a sublime treat to watch this musical on stage. Once more bravo to this incredible pair of composers, Schomberg and Boublil!!

I Don't Understand Broadway Politics.......2007-07-09

Can someone help me understand the politics of Broadway shows? It seems to me that, as long as the audiences like a show, it should be ok, right? Did "The Pirate Queen" really close down just because the critics & the Tony Awards didn't like it?

I wish it stayed a bit longer.......2007-07-08

I loved the Musical, and sure, the music is reminicent of many a Boublil & Schonberg works (nothing wrong with that.) However, this show took such a critical beating, it closed on Broadway before it's time. Broadway unfortunately can be brutal.

I find this CD enjoyable associating it (scene by scene) with the show which was I thought was magnificent. I am not sure if a listener who has not seen the Musical can appreciate it. Thus I can not give the CD five stars on it's own merit.

The CD is okay, but it is nothing compared to the spectacle of magnificent acting, music, and dance that was The Pirate Queen on Broadway.

Beautiful and Amazing. A FANTASTIC musical gone away too soon!!.......2007-07-07

The Pirate Queen, i can say since i saw it, was an amazing musical. The cast recording is nothing less. Every part of the music is beautiful. The vocals are amazing, especially the performances by Stephanie J. Block and Hadley Fraser. The instrumentals are also beautiful, displaying traditional Irish music and traditional English music, where each applies. The emotion in the actors voices is clear and touching and leaves you fighting on their side and hating the bad ones. One becomes completely enthralled in the beautiful story of this musical.

This recording deserves nothing less than 5 stars. If you loved Les Mis and Miss Saigon, you will certainly love this. I also recommend this to fans of Riverdance. Anyone who loves musicals at all will enjoy this music. I HIGHLY recommend this!

Soaring Melodies, Great Voices, Amazing Story!.......2007-07-07

The only reason I do not give this recording 5 stars, is that I am a rather harsh critic, and feel that full stars should only be given to CDs that are truly phenomenal (for example- the Dream Cast recording of "Les Miserables", another Boublil/Schonberg musical).

That being said, I highly recommend this CD if:
A) you are a fan of "Les Miserables"/"Miss Saigon"/Broadway musicals in general,
B) you want to hear some of the finest voices in Broadway's recent history,
C) you are intrigued by the amazing, epic (and true!) story of Grace O'Malley, the first female chieftan of an Irish clan (not to mention a fearless pirate, a fierce swordswoman, and a mother),
D) you just love good music- particularly moving ballads with soaring melodies.

Standout performers/tracks: "I'll Be There" and "Surrender" (both sung by the incredible Hadley Fraser, whose voice evokes comparisons to both Raul Esparza and Michael Ball), "Here On This Night" and "If I Said I Loved You" (lovely love duets featuring Fraser and the equally talented Stephanie J. Block- these songs are very reminiscent of "Miss Saigon", for those familiar with that work), "She Who Has All", and my personal favorite, "Sea of Life" (Block with the men's ensemble... AMAZING song, gorgeous lyrics).

Broadway critics were WAY too harsh on this short-lived show. I wish I could have seen it while it was in New York... Or better yet, may this epic show have a more successful revival in store!

Jersey Boys (2005 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

Jersey Boys
Like being there
A step back in musical time
Great music, but missing too much
Jersey boys win my heart

Jersey Boys (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
Ronald Melrose , Ken Dow , Anik Oulianine , Stephanie Cummins , Deborah Hurwitz , Kevin Dow , Joe Payne , Larry Saltzman , Dave Spier , Bill Hayes , Randall Andos , Bob Milikan , Debra Shufelt , Maxine Roach , Belinda Whitney , Cenovia Cummins , Eric de Gioia , Louise Owen , Robin Zeh , Sarah Schwartz , Shinwon Kim , Christian Hoff , Daniel Reichard , Donnie Kehr , Erica Piccininni , J. Robert Spencer , Jennifer Naimo , John Lloyd Young , Sara Schmidt , Tituss Burgess , Steve Orich , and Bob Gaudio
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
The Color Purple (2005 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000BFH2QY
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

Ces Soirees la'
Early Years Medley
Cry For Me
Backups Medley
Sherry
Big Girls Don't Cry
Walk Like A Man
December, 1963
My Boyfriend's Back
My Eyes Adored You
Dawn (Go Away)
Big Man In Town
Dialog: A Little Trouble
Beggin'
Dialog: See How You Handle It
Medley Listen Listen
c'mon marianne
Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
Working My Way Back To You
Fallen Angel

Amazon.com

Although it squarely falls in the "jukebox musical" category, Jersey Boys doesn¹t try to integrate its songs in an artificial plotline. The show tells the story of the early-1960s group the Four Seasons, and the musical numbers tend to be introduced in context, as when songwriter Bob Gaudio comes up with a tune, or the quartet performs a show. This allows Jersey Boys to flow better than some of ill-fated peers, and the actors can shine without having to bend backward to accommodate an inane book. The show's most (only) daring move is to start with a hip-hop-tinged French-language version of "December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)," an actual hit in France in 2000. After that it's all VH1-biopic territory, but it's done with so much flair, taste and energy that the ride's a fun one. The Four Seasons had enough hits ("Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Rag Doll," etc.) to easily fill an evening at the theater, so it's left to the cast to do right by them. And it does, particularly John Lloyd Young as the band¹s star lead, Frankie Valli. Young hits all the falsetto notes and brings real freshness to the part. His "Can¹t Take My Eyes Off You," a second-act peak, is signed, sealed and delivered with a star's acumen. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

Recounting the rich history and reliving the timeless sounds of the phenomenal Frankie Vallie & The 4 Seasons, the new Broadway musical Jersey Boys answers the musical-and philosophical question, "How did four would-be wise guys from Newark, NJ, become one of the greatest chart-topping successes in pop music history?" Jersey Boys celebrates legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, and Nick Massi who, as the 4 seasons, wrote their own songs, invented their own identity, and sold 175 million records worldwide-all before they were 30.

Customer Reviews:

Jersey Boys.......2007-07-08

Purchased CD prior to seeing the show when visiting USA in '06. A fun lively show - the CD now captivates those fond memories of not only the foot tapping music & show but also our special time in New York.

Like being there.......2007-07-05

Have seen the play twice. This album lets me relive the experience anytime anyplace. A great piece of Rock n roll history.

A step back in musical time.......2007-07-05

My wife and daughter didn't know about the Four Seasons but I did. When I told them I wanted to see the musical on stage, there was no interest so I bought this product and they heard it in the car. We went to the stage musical soon after and we have listened to the entire disk so many times I've lost track. I created a Four Seasons monster in my daughter. She's fifteen and has memorized most of the songs and sings along while we are driving somewhere.

Great music, but missing too much.......2007-07-04

I saw this play at age 16 with no idea who the Four Seasons were, but instantly fell in love with it. The problem is, this soudntrack cuts a two hour play into less than an hour on CD. Most of the dialouge is missing, only including enough to let each member of the group at least say something. I know many play soundtracks cut out dialouge, but what confuses me is why this stretches to the music as well. What is there is amazing, but I don't understand why most of the songs are cut to half, and sometimes even a third or fourth of their original lengths. I love this CD, just be aware that you are hardly getting any story, just clips of lots of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons songs. So, great music and dialouge, just not enough for a musical soundtrack.

Jersey boys win my heart.......2007-07-03

what a wonderful album-brings back such wonderful memories
they don't write songs like this enough today

Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Manufacturer: Ghostlight
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
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110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)
High Fidelity (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000R7I3NW
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Amazon.com

Like Wicked, this show is a girl-friendly extravaganza; the main difference--and it's a big one--is that the score of Legally Blonde is better. Based on the hit Reese Witherspoon movie, the zippy, frothy show tells the story of SoCal, pink-loving sorority girl Elle Woods, who enrolls at Harvard Law and goes on to prove that appearances can be deceiving. The opening number, "Omigod You Guys," gives an idea of what the Broadway-pop score by Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy--The Musical) and Nell Benjamin is up to, embracing its over-the-top cheer with goofily infectious energy. Sure, a couple of numbers feel a bit derivative (the show with the witches has "Popular," this one has "Positive"), and the Celtic detour ("Ireland") is rather puzzling, but overall the songs are firing on all cylinders. Just check out the use of a marching band on "What You Want" for instance. Laura Bell Bundy (Amber von Tussle in Hairspray) is a charming Elle, and she delivers numbers such as "So Much Better" with the requisite elan. But this is not a one-woman show, and Bundy is surrounded by a crack team, including the endearing Christian Borle as Elle's love interest Emmett, power-piped Orfeh as hairdresser Paulette and up-and-comer Leslie Kritzer as Delta Nu's Serena. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Average customer rating:

The Swell Season
The Frames "The Cost" is a great record too!
Buy this CD!!!!!
great Accoustics
Loved the movie, Love the soundtrack

The Swell Season
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Manufacturer: Overcoat Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Once
The Cost
Burn the Maps
Set List
Fitzcarraldo

ASIN: B000GH3CVQ
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Tracks:

In The Arms Of This Low
Sleeping
Falling Slowly
Drown Out
Lies
When Your Mind's Made Up
The Swell Season
Leave
The Moon
Alone Apart

Album Description

Frames front man Hansard has teamed up with classically trained Czech vocalist and pianist, Irglova to produce this album of affecting songs and compositions. From straight songs to piano instrumentals, "The Swell Season" affords an insight into a whole other side of Glen/The Frames, as well as offering a perfect introduction to this very talented newcomer. The record takes its name from author Josef Skvorecky's book of the same name. Set in Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia, the story centers on one man's love of music and his pursuit of unattainable women as a country comes unglued. Like the book, the record deals with the pains and hopes of those struggling to make sense of their lives.

Customer Reviews:

The Swell Season.......2007-07-04

Having seen the movie-"Once" I wanted to get this recording. This recording by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova is quite pleasing to the senses. It touches me deep inside. I play this over and over.

The Frames "The Cost" is a great record too!.......2007-06-05

If anyone here does not know that Glen Hansard is the lead singer for The Frames, you are missing out. "The Cost" is an amazing record, you owe it to yourself to check it out!

Buy this CD!!!!!.......2007-05-19

Love Irish music, Indie bands or just want to explore a new sound? Buy this fabulous CD, with many songs from the low budget, highly entertaining Irish film Once.

great Accoustics.......2007-03-09

Most of these CD songs are in the movie "Once". I loved the story line in the movie,and the accoustical songs give meaning and feeling to the near love relationship of the two characters. Listening to this CD, reminds me of the possibility of "What could have been". Easy listening.

Loved the movie, Love the soundtrack.......2007-03-09

After seeing the movie "Once" at the Sundance Film Festival and meeting Glen & Marketa I rushed to my computer to order The Swell Season. The Swell Season contains most of the songs featured in the brilliant Irish musical film written and directed by John Carney. The songs on The Swell Season are beautiful and evocative and the melodies will sweep you away. Glen's voice is like a fine Irish whiskey at it's best and Marketa provides the perfect counterpoint.

110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)

Average customer rating:

It's not 110%
Beautiful music
Great music and cast, needs updated book
A Gentle Musical with an Excellent Cast!
Small show, big emotions

110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)

Manufacturer: P.S. Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)
The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000PMG9GW
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

Another Hot Day
Lizzie's Comin' Home
Love, Don't Turn Away
Poker Polka
The Hungry Men
The Rain Song
You're Not Fooling Me
Cinderella
Raunchy
A Man and a Woman
"She Walked Out On Me..."
Old Maid
Evenin' Star
Everything Beautiful
"Stay and Talk..."
Melisande
Simple Little Things
Little Red Hat
Is It Really Me?
Wonderful Music
The Rain Song (reprise)

Amazon.com

More than four decades after its Broadway debut, the Roundabout Theatre's 2007 revival of 110 in the Shade is a glorious showcase for soprano Audra McDonald, and an eloquent statement for an underrated and neglected work. Based on N. Richard Nash's play The Rainmaker, 110 in the Shade tells the story of a Texas town stuck in a blistering heat wave. Lizzie (McDonald), the daughter of a local widower (Broadway veteran and TV star John Cullum), has resisted all suitors, including the sheriff (Christopher Innvar), until a potential huckster named Starbuck (Steve Kazee) arrives in town promising to bring rain ("The Rain Song"). Just like Marian the librarian, Lizzie thinks she sees right through the scam ("You're Not Fooling Me"). McDonald shines in her solos ("Love, Don't Turn Away," "Old Maid"), but Cullum, Innvar, and Kazee also get their moments either in duets with McDonald ("A Man and a Woman," "Simple Little Things," "Is It Really Me?") or by themselves. 110 in the Shade is obscure compared to Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's most famous work, The Fantasticks--none of its songs ever entered the popular culture like "Try to Remember"--but it's a beautiful, evocative score that is tailor-made for McDonald's rich voice. It's also much more sumptuous than The Fantasticks, even in Jonathan Tunick's pared-down, Tony-nominated orchestrations. (Also nominated were McDonald, Cullum, lighting designer Christopher Akerlind, and the show itself for Best Revival of a Musical.) P.S. Classics puts out its usual first-rate package, with color photos, introduction by Peter Filichia, synopsis, and libretto. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

It's not 110%.......2007-07-05

The CD is well produced and Audra McDonald is wonderful, but most of the music sounds dated and old fashioned. Maybe that's because the show is dated and old fashioned.

Beautiful music.......2007-07-05

I saw this recently on Broadway, and it was an incredibly compelling show. Who knew? I had never heard of it. Audra sounds absolutely magnificent on this cast recording. Her songs alone make it a worthwhile purchase. Add great supporting singers and fun orchestrations, and you have a memorable album to add to your collection.

Great music and cast, needs updated book.......2007-07-01

I've long loved the music of this show and the cast was no disappointment. It's a hidden gem like Most Happy Fella that is often overlooked. I heard online interviews with the Director of this production who mentioned that they took liberty with the original script and revised it to reflect current times. I liked the fact that Lizzie was an independent woman and spoke her mind. I cringed throughout the play when it was constantly brought up that she could face the fate of ending up an old maid. As I explained to my 10 year old daughter years ago there was a stigma for unmarried women even more than today. And it was considerable. But this is 2007 and I would have changed this. While I loved the fact that John Cullum so ably showed his love for his daughter and concern for her as a person throughout the show, I doubt it is realistic that a father would encourage someone like Starbuck to have a one day fling with her. Or that she could be so influenced by his character even though Starbuck, a con man had redeeming qualities. I would have changed the book and story and tried to show her strength of character. Maybe she would have been better off without either of them.

A Gentle Musical with an Excellent Cast!.......2007-06-17

"110 in the Shade" is just a sweet little musical that has been under the radar since its original Broadway debut but this beautifully designed revival has brought the show to new heights thanks to the wonderful and talented Audra McDonald. She not only holds her own but completely steals every scene when she starts to sing. The cast is strong and very talented. Steve Kazee is going to have a bright future on the New York Stage and Christopher Innvar is excellent. The songs are sweet and simple. The down fall is how dated the show feels as far as the social placement of women go. The show is sweet, and Audra McDonald is amazing.

Small show, big emotions.......2007-06-15

I've been a fan of Jones and Schmidt's music since the original cast recording of THE FANTASTICKS came out in 1960. All of their scores for the theatre are wonderful and 110 IN THE SHADE is one of their very best. The original production of 110 was before I lived in New York, but I did see the City Opera revival in the 1990s with Karen Ziemba, which I liked a lot. But the new production is far and away more moving. In the theatre there was not a dry eye in the house at intermission or at the final curtain. To my surprise this new recording had the same effect on me. In a perfect world there would have been a bigger cast. (I think there are five, count `em, five townspeople.) The only place the new recording suffers in comparison to the original is in the choral numbers. These songs demand a bigger chorus. But to my surprise, the streamlined orchestrations work just fine. I always felt that the orchestrations on the original cast recording at times overwhelmed the songs, but I think these new Jonathan Tunick orchestrations really support and emphasize the gorgeous Harvey Schmidt melodies. There have been a few minor lyric changes that I found jarring at first simply because I'm so used to the original ones. I understand that these were made in order to accommodate Political Correctness and to make certain high vowels easier to sing. Fortunately there are only a few of them. There's a song included in this version that was not on the original recording, "Evening Star," sung by Starbuck. It has the same melody as the beginning of "Another Hot Day." I like the song because it adds depth to Starbuck's character. Alas, the overture is not included in this version. (The overture was left off the original vinyl LP because there wasn't room for it, but was included on the CD reissue.) The voices on this recording are for the most part excellent. McDonald, of course, is just terrific. The men's voices took some getting-used-to for me. Christopher Innvar has the right quiet manly presence on stage for the reclusive sheriff and that quality comes across on the recording. I just wish his sense of pitch were more certain in his first song. He hits the notes, but rather tentatively, I think. As Starbuck, Steve Kazee has the show's most difficult role. His interpretation is more offbeat than the others I've seen and it works. His Starbuck faces an uncertain future; he's not a superman who's going nowhere but up. The voice is a little quavery for my taste, but, I don't mind it as much now that I've gotten used to it. 110 IN THE SHADE is a musical, but the emotions are big enough for opera. This recording gets five stars from me because it's extraordinarily affecting on a deep, emotional level. It's gorgeous. I'd recommend it without any hesitation at all.

Average customer rating:

This recording disappoints, especially in relation to the live performance
GOOD COMPANY
Maybe I am partial to Esparza
London Cast Recording Still the Best Ever of "Company"
A great addition to the COMPANY collection

Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Chorus Line - The New Broadway Cast Recording (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B000LV6R4G
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Tracks:

Opening
Company
The Little Things You Do Together
Sorry-Grateful
You Could Drive a Person Crazy
Have I Got a Girl for You
Someone Is Waiting
Another Hundred People
Getting Married Today
"What did I just do?"
Marry Me a Little
Side by Side by Side
What Would We Do Without You?
Poor Baby
Barcelona
The Ladies Who Lunch
"You have a good third husband, Joanne"
Being Alive

Amazon.com

There may be no original Broadway cast recording more iconic than 1970's Company, with its funky organ sound and Elaine Stritch's not-quite-there high notes, but the December 2006 Broadway revival makes its own mark. For Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's piece about a single man observing the benefits and follies of marriage, director John Doyle borrows the same controversial concept he used for his 2005 Sweeney Todd: the actors playing instruments on stage (now referred to in many circles as "Doyle-izing," and not always with affection and delight). But when you're listening to a cast recording, as Bobby would say: What do you get? For one thing, you'll have to adjust to some different sounds created by Doyle and his music supervisor, Mary-Mitchell Campbell. It's a benefit in "Side by Side by Side," which begins with a jazzy double-bass line. It's a drawback in "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," in which the trio's doo-doots are replaced by their saxophone lines. You also get "Marry Me a Little," cut from the original show but by now very familiar and welcome, as well as a lot of the contextual dialogue before, between, and even within numbers. Finally, the strong cast led by Raul Esparza makes this the best-sung Company we've ever gotten (and they play very well too), and Stephen Sondheim's score is still a landmark in musical theater. There will never be a replacement for the original Broadway cast recording, but this revival recording can stand on its own and in some respects may be more flat-out enjoyable to listen to. --David Horiuchi

Album Description

Maverick British director John Doyle, a 2006 Tony Award winner, enjoyed a surprise Broadway hit last year with his radical reworking of Sweeney Todd. He dispensed with the pit orchestra and handed all the instruments over to his on-stage performers, who doubled as musicians in between their turns acting and singing. Doyle has taken a similarly unorthodox approach to his revival of another Stephen Sondheim classic, the revered yet notoriously difficult to stage Company. As with Sweeney Todd, the results of this theatre-as-concert have entranced both critics and audiences. Linda Winer of Newsday called it "the very best revival that Broadway has ever seen of Stephen Sondheim's landmark 1970 musical."Variety described it as "striking, revelatory and thoroughly compelling." For Sondheim fans, the recorded score to Company has long been as much an object of adoration as the six-time Tony-winning play itself. Company on disc functions as a deeply moving song cycle, even apart from George Furth's libretto, about the vicissitudes of marriage and the joys and trials of the single life, seen through the eyes of the coolly dispassionate Manhattan bachelor Bobby on the occasion of his 35th birthday. This is truly the stuff of sex and the city - wry, sophisticated, painfully honest and deeply melancholy, even in a comic seducing-the-stewardess duet like "Barcelona." As with Sweeney Todd, which featured a bravura performance from lead actor Michael Cerveris, Doyle has found in rising star RaÃºl Esparza (Cabaret, Taboo, The Normal Heart) an extraordinary singer and actor who, in the words of the New York Times' Ben Brantley, gives Company "the most compelling center it has probably ever had." "Mr. Doyle and his invaluable music supervisor and orchestrator, Mary-Mitchell Campbell, have shaped Company into a sort of oratorio for the church of the lonely," says Brantley. He also praises the work of the entire ensemble - playing five married couples, three single women and one deeply ambivalent, unmarried man: "It's their work as a team that sounds new depths in Company in ways that get under your skin without your knowing it." Variety's David Rooney concurs: "Angel Desai's `Another Hundred People' nails that quintessential New York song; Heather Laws lands every laugh in the mile-a-minute `Getting Married Today' with amazing speed and clarity; and Barbara Walsh is bone-dry as brittle, world-weary Joanne. She reveals the emotional hunger beneath the character's hard shell and adds fresh nuances to `The Ladies Who Lunch,' a song indelibly associated with Elaine Stritch." As Time Out New York put it, "Sondheim's expert musical etchings, his acid craftsmanship, remain unmatched." Sondheim fans will note that this new version of Company, to be released by Nonesuch and PS Classics, restores the original act one closer, "Marry Me A Little," which was dropped from the show before its 1970 Broadway debut; the song has since taken on a life of its own as an orphaned Sondheim gem. The Company cast album is produced by PS Classics co-founder Tommy Krasker (Sondheim's The Frogs, Saturday Night, Assassins, and Sweeney Todd, among others). Along with Company, Nonesuch has also released the original cast album to Doyle's 2006 production of Sweeney Todd and the Tony-nominated A Light in the Piazza, which features a score by Nonesuch artist Adam Guettel.

Customer Reviews:

This recording disappoints, especially in relation to the live performance.......2007-07-07

I am going to assume for a moment that anybody reading this and the other reviews is already a fan of Sondheim and Company. I am also going to assume that most people reading this are familiar with multiple recordings of this show and, hopefully, multiple performances. This is the best and truest means of judging a show, its score, and its recordings. Of course this isn't always possible, but in regards to this show, I have to say this new recording of Company is probably the weakest of the bunch ESPECIALLY after first seeing the show live. I also saw the "Doyle" Sweeney last year and think the new orchestrations were brilliant and translate well to recording. Imagine my surprise when I recently saw the new Company and found it to not only equal but SURPASS the impact of the Sweeney staging. I had purposely delayed the purchase of the new cast recording until I had first seen the show live and unfortunately the CD doesn't contain the excitement, originality, and freshness that was portrayed by the actor/musicians on stage. I think Company is nearly the ideal show for this minimalistic approach but on the recording, it just seems... empty? The listener is also drawn to shortcomings in the musical performances (instrumentally) that I didn't notice (or forgave) when I was in the theatre because the experience in and of itself was so moving and direct. I also don't want to get caught up in an argument of whether this is the best sung version or not, because it all depends on your personal preference/prejudice. The singers in this show may be the best *trained* from a technical standpoint, but the passion portrayed by the singers of the OBC will never be paralleled. All in all this is a decent recording but certainly not definitive and not the one I would recommend to someone who has never heard the show before.

GOOD COMPANY.......2007-07-01

If you're a Sondheim fan, or if you just like lyrics that challenge the listener, this version of COMPANY is a must. I saw this production on Cincinatti before it moved to Broadway, and it was perhaps the most enjoyable theater experience I've had. The soundtrack is a great listen, even if it's all familiar, much of it having been covered by other artists since the show's first soundtrack in 1970. It all builds to a powerful emotional climax when Raul Esparza sits down at the piano and sings "Being Alive". Magical. Buy it--you won't be sorry, only grateful...

Maybe I am partial to Esparza.......2007-06-29

I love the revival of this show. I think its a beautiful version of Company with lovely vocals. I might be partial to Esparza but I truly think that this was a great revival. I think its a wonderful rendition of the Sondheim classic.

London Cast Recording Still the Best Ever of "Company".......2007-06-11

Stephen Sondheim's 1970 musical, "Company", boasts one of musical theatre's greatest song scores; unfortunately, "Company" also suffers from perhaps "the worst" book ever written for a musical. George Furth's script is almost painful to watch unfold even in anticipation of hearing the wonderful Sondheim songs in between the inane, totally messy scenario which is devoid of any character development or humanity. No one could elevate Furth's convoluted script, not even Dean Jones, Larry Kert or even Elaine Stritch. So the same problem with the 1970 original still plagues all productions of "Company", including the 2006 revival from which this recording derives. Raul Esparza sings well but is not nearly as good as Larry Kert, the best Bobby ever, or even Dean Jones on the Original Cast recording and to make matters worse the new orchestrations actually detract, rather than enhance Sondheim's fabulous score. The greatest recording of "Company" remains the CBS London Original Cast Recording, which features the incomparable Larry Kert as Bobby and is, in actuality, with one exception, the Broadway Cast Recording sessions with Kert's vocals replacing Dean Jones. The same cast as the Broadway version also appeared in the London production, the exception being Julia Mackenzie as April so the song 'Barcelona" was re-recorded and is different from the Broadway Cast album to reflect this cast change. Kert took over the role on Broadway early in Company's original theatrical run, but not soon enough to be featured on the Broadway Cast Album which has Dean Jones, who opened the show. The London Cast Recording has not been released on CD but is worth seeking out on vinyl; in the meantime you can hear Kert's definitive performance of "Being Alive" as a bonus track on the current CD of the Broadway Cast. Kert's rendition can still send chills up your spine with his still unsurpassed combination of great acting and singing, the like of which, alas, we shall not see or hear again on Broadway, if the 2006 revival of "Company" and other recent revivals of classic shows are any indication. Most of these productions seem to rely heavily on some hack director's "creative vision" rather than concentrating on the merits of what made the original show worthy of revival in the first place. In the case of any future revival of "Company", throwing out George Furth's abysmal book would be a welcome step in the right direction as it is not one of the things that made the original production memorable or great.

A great addition to the COMPANY collection.......2007-06-08

This recording of COMPANY, though not replacing my favorite, the original cast recording from 1970, is a great recording of the current revival. Raul Esparza is one of the main reasons to buy this version. There is a bit too much dialogue for my taste. When I listen to cast recordings, I want to hear the music, not rehash the scenes. But all the scene work leads into the songs and set them up rather well, not this turns out to be a minor quibble.

The Sound of Music (1965 Film Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

a classic......
Sound of Music--Still Great
Sound of Music
I love The Sound of Music!
Loved it so much, we bought it twice.

The Sound of Music (1965 Film Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Special Edition)
Julie Andrews , Rodgers & Hammerstein , Marni Nixon , The Sound Of Music (Related Recordings) , and Irwin Kostal
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BFNZAQ
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

Prelude And The Sound Of Music
Overture And Preludium (Dixit Dominus)
Morning Hymn And Alleluia
maria
I Have Confidence
Sixteen Going On Seventeen
My Favorite Things
Do-Re-Mi
The Sound Of Music
The Lonely Goatherd
Edelweiss
Laendler
So Long, Farewell
Ent'acte
Climb Ev'ry Mountain
My Favorite Things
Something Good
Processional And Maria (The Wedding)
Sixteen Going On Seventeen (Reprise)
Do-Re-Mi (Reprise)
Edelweiss (Reprise)
So Long, Farewell (Reprise)
Climb Ev'ry Mountain (Reprise)
Finale
Robert Wise Interview
Richard Rodgers Interview
Charmian Carr Interview

Customer Reviews:

a classic.............2007-05-17

I can still remember the first time I heard this soundtrack. It was on my family's turntable. We happened to own the original vinyl addition. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (AKA THE SOUND OF MUSIC, in the words of Christopher Plummer who was Captain Von Trapp, in the film) is a classic musical that has really spanned the generations of young and old viewers, for (more than) four decades. For starters, the music is catchy ("The Sound of Music," "These Are A Few of My Favorite Things," and "Edelweiss," as just a few examples). Secondly, this cast was just great! Though, I have a personal preference toward the original cast, with Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel. Nonetheless, Julie Andrews is great here. What a beautiful soprano voice.

This edition features bonus transfers of interviews with those involved in bringing THE SOUND OF MUSIC to the screen. What's more, this is the complete soundtrack (instrumental and music featuring vocals is included here). Definitely a "must buy" for true fans.

Sound of Music--Still Great.......2007-05-13

I loved the music when it came on the big screen. I loved it on LP and cassette. Now, I love it even more on CD. The joy I get from listening to it while driving is wonderful. It sends me back to fond family memories. This is a must have.

Sound of Music.......2007-05-07

The CD of the soundtrack of Sound of Music came in good shape and in good time.

I love The Sound of Music!.......2007-04-14

I love this movie so much, it's my favorite! So I recently bought this cd. Wow! If you love the movie, you'll love the cd. The cd has every song from the flic and is so clear. Listening to the songs make me want to watch the movie all over again for the trillionth time. You'll be able to picture every scene listening to this cd. Also, if your stuck in traffic and need a pick me up, play this cd. You'll wake up from your drowsy drive and entertain yourself cause you can actually sing along to a song and know the words, while the movie is replaying in your head.

Loved it so much, we bought it twice........2007-04-11

You know all of these songs and Julie Andrews is at her best. This is a great soundtrack, and the disc got a ton of play in my family. On a vacation trip to California the disc accidentally got left behind in the rental car. After 6 months of the kids asking for me to replace the disc, I finally bought it again. The disc is in heavy rotation, to borrow a term from radio programming, and everyone's enjoying it again.

Monty Python's Spamalot (2005 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

Loved it
Get ready to laugh until you cry!
A Lot of Spam
Love, love, love this soundtrack!
Hamalot!

Monty Python's Spamalot (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
Eric Idle , John Du Prez , Tim Curry , David Hyde Pierce , and Hank Azaria
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0007OY2TE
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Tracks:

Tuning
Overture
Historian's Introduction to Act I
Finland/Fisch Schlapping Dance
Monks Chant / He Is Not Dead Yet
Come With Me
Laker Girls Cheer
The Song That Goes Like This
He Is Not Dead Yet - Play Off
All For One
Knights of the Round Table/The Song That Goes Like This (Reprise)
Find Your Grail
Run Away!
The Intermission
Historian's Introduction to Act II
Always Look On The Bright Side of Life
Brave Sir Robin
You Won't Succeed On Broadway
Diva's Lament (What Ever Happened To My Part?)
Where Are You?
His Name Is Lancelot
I'm All Alone
Twice In Every Show
Act II Finale
Always Look On The Bright Side of Life - Company Bow

Amazon.com

As gleefully silly yet wickedly smart as the beloved British comedy troupe and their 1975 cinematic savaging of the Arthurian legend that inspired it, this adaptation of Monty Python and the Holy Grail by MP's Eric Idle and longtime musical co-conspirator John Du Prez has much more on its feverish agenda than merely trashing King Arthur and firmly upending his Round Table. The film's plot remains largely intact, but its core songs ("Knights of the Round Table," "Brave Sir Robin") and comic thrust have been both expanded and satirically redirected, a musical comedy shotgun that takes dizzy aim at pop culture in general, and Broadway in particular. After typically Pythonesque distractions that somehow find us in "Finland..," stars David Hyde-Pierce, Tim Curry, Hank Azaria and company get busy conjuring the Lady of the Lake with the unlikely help of "Laker Girls..," while cast members Sara Ramirez and Christopher Sieber deliciously skewer contemporary Broadway cliches via the loopy showstopper "The Song That Goes Like This," a tune whose reprise also deliciously sends up every overwrought stage diva from Merman to Minelli. Idle has shrewdly ripped off--well, interpolated--Life of Brian's "Always Look On the Bright Side" for the new show, and even a snatch of "The Lumberjack Song" in "He Is Not Dead Yet." "You Won't Succeed on Broadway" reveals the frankly Semitic secret to stage success, and the French get can-canned on "Run Away!" Meanwhile, our bravest knight is de-closeted on the Manilow-mauling "His Name is Lancelot" before the familiar sound of clomping coconut shells brings down the curtain on the season's goofiest if satirically dead-on comic delight. --Jerry McCulley

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Urinetown
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Zanna Don't
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Avenue Q

Customer Reviews:

Loved it.......2007-06-26

The play was great, and so is the CD. Even my partner, who's generally not a Monty Python fan, says it's "hysterical."

Get ready to laugh until you cry!.......2007-06-25

Being in the unfortunate position of living in a country where Music Theatre is virtually dead, I thought `what the heck' I'll purchase this just to see what it's like. I've never been a huge Holy Grail fan, and have only seen the movie one or two times. This musical is the first musical cast recording that has an independent storyline that you can actually gauge from the recording. It's so refreshing to actually WANT to listen to the entire recording from start to finish more than a handful of times. Most musicals have a few awesome songs that have you keep coming back for more but this musical has so much continuity that I can't help but listen from start to finish.

Don't read what some of the other commenter's have written. This is brilliant and hilarious. And if you have a slightly warped sense of humour you'll love (and appreciate) this musical so much more.

P.S. I love the songs that reference "The song that goes like this." This is supposed to be repetitive to mock its self and Broadway. It is also more comprehensive than some may lead you to believe... however just remember its called `Spamalot' not `Holy Grail' so don't expect too many Holy Grail references.

A Lot of Spam.......2007-05-22

Great CD if you like someone who can laugh at themselves. The play mocks the whole broadway musical experience. Listening to it can almost make sitting in traffic bearable...no I wouldn't go that far, but the songs are funny and will put you in a good mood.

Love, love, love this soundtrack!.......2007-05-18

The show was so much fun, and now getting to hear the soundtrack brings all the funny bits right back. These tunes are infectious! Even my 3-year-old hums them to himself. Any Monty Python fan should own this.

Hamalot!.......2007-05-15

Overall, pretty good. I liked the inclusion of various other Python bits (Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Finland, etc.), but there was an appalling lack of Tim Curry on this album (Um, hello? Rocky Horror, anyone?). Also an over-reliance on songs with lyrics like, "This is how this song goes," or "Every show has a song like this." Some more inventive lyrics would have been welcome. (Mr. Idle, meet Mr. Brooks!)

Still, pretty good. Buy it for $11 or less & you won't feel taken.

Album Review:

Album Review

Album Review

Urinetown	The Rocky Horror Picture Show	The Frogs
Zanna Don't	Hedwig and the Angry Inch	Avenue Q