Illustrated Musical Encyclopedia [Import]

Illustrated Musical Encyclopedia [Import]

ASIN: B000007UF1

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
UK Version (With Different Track Listing) of 1984 Japanese Release 'Ongakuzukan'. Features Contributions from Thomas Dolby and Akiko Yano.

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.

Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

For those who hate musicals...
Spring Awakening Rocks!
I like it, really I do
Haunting
Exciting New Score

Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Duncan Sheik , Steven Sater , Skylar Astin , Lilli Cooper , John Gallagher Jr. , Gideon Glick , Jonathan Groff , Brian Johnson , Lea Michele , and Lauren Pritchard
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B000J3FBFC
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Tracks:

Mamma Who Bore Me
Mamma Who Bore Me (Reprise)
All That's Known
The B*tch of Living
My Junk
Touch Me
The Word of Your Body
The Dark I Know Well
And Then There Were None
The Mirror-Blue Night
I Believe
Don't Do Sadness
Blue Wind
The Guilty Ones
Left Behind
Totally F*ucked
The Word of Your Body (Reprise)
Whispering
Those You've Known
The Song of Purple Summer

Amazon.com

Who would have thought that Duncan Sheik would succeed where Paul Simon and Randy Newman failed, successfully transitioning from the pop-rock world to the Broadway stage? With Spring Awakening, Sheik and book writer/lyricist Steven Slater (who had already worked on Sheik's 2001 album Phantom Moon) have created a thoroughly exciting show that incorporates a contemporary art-indie idiom (including a small rock band instead of an orchestra) into a dramatic musical-theater context. The unlikely setting is that of a Frank Wedekind adaptation, but as it turns out, teenage angst is perennial, whether it's in contemporary America or in a 1891 German boarding school. Songs such as "The Bitch of Living" ("with nothing going on, asking just what went wrong"), "The Word of Your Body," "I Don't Do Sadness," and "Totally Fucked" ("You're fucked if you speak your mind and you know you will") resonate with the rage, frustration, confusion, excitement, joy, anger, and of course budding lust of those hormone-driven years. The show is greatly enhanced by its youthful cast members (they're all pretty close in age to their characters), who sing their hearts out. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

Decca Broadway presents the cast recording for the acclaimed new Broadway production, SPRING AWAKENING. Written by pop music composer Duncan Sheik and playwright/lyricist Steven Sater, the musical explores emotional earthquakes in the lives of teenagers.

SPRING AWAKENING is based on Frank Wedekind's controversial 1891 drama, which was scandalous in its day for addressing sex violence and suicide. The story, dialogue and costumes suggest the 19th Century, and are perfectly wedded to a beautiful alternative pop music score by GrammyÂ® nominated singer/songwriter Duncan Sheik. The creative team also includes TonyÂ® Award Winning director Michael Mayer (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and legendary choreographer Bill T. Jones.

Customer Reviews:

For those who hate musicals..........2007-07-07

This is the rare Broadway soundtrack that lives off the stage as well as on. For those who are not fond of stilted show tunes, this soundtrack rocks! I can't stop listening to it, and I'm sure you will find the same true for you as well. The show was magnificent-totally deserving of its recent Best Musical Tony win. The soundtrack is a wonderful memento-Buy it!

Spring Awakening Rocks!.......2007-07-03

I was lucky enough to see Spring Awakening on Broadway over Memorial Day Weekend (a week before they won all their Tony awards). This show is awesome. And the soundtrack lets me relive the excitemen on my boring commute to work!

I like it, really I do.......2007-06-29

The hype around Spring Awakening grew fast and over the top. Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater have made a beautiful show possible but the fact that its trying to be new in an old fashioned way is a tad over rated. I like the music and lyrics but think the story might be slightly lacking. It's poetic without being overly sensitive which satisfies me greatly. However if you are Broadway Theatre person you might not necessarily enjoy the music and show. I find this show good for releasing some pent up anger and sadness but I feel as for a Broadway show its highly lacking. Although it is the show for this decade, I mean for the teens and young adults it is definitely not the new RENT.

Haunting.......2007-06-29

I am not a usual Broadway soundtrack listener but this recording has changed my opinion.
I can see now why this show is successful. The combination of passion play and rock and roll; parallel time study of past and present mediums.

Buy this product. I had mediocre expectations and, now, it never leaves my car CD or my mind.

Exciting New Score.......2007-06-15

This score is great. Could anyone make a reasonable case that the music is not beautiful? It's unlikely. Two things are troublesome.

1. Why go to the trouble of stating that the time is 1890s Germany. Why costume it that way. Why have the dialogue be stilted so as to identify a time-not-our-own. And then go and mention stereos and calls not being returned. It's just sloppy. If the creators are not going to follow the internal logic of the rules they set themselves, then it's just amateurish. And that's incredibly disappointing because the score is so beautiful. If God is in the details, then there's no God here.

2. The comment in the liner notes about the songs expressing interior monologues. Can it be that Mr. Sheik and Mr. Sater didn't recognize this convention which has been in place for hundreds of years. Again, Mr. Sater went to the trouble of mentioning this in the liner notes. What is he trying to say? That he invented this idea. No one (at least I hope no one) is suggesting that characters moving from dialogue to song is in any way what happens in real life. It's understood that the music expresses emotion and yes, interior monologues, more than simple dialogue could ever hope to do. Is it that so many people share Mr. Sheik's thought that characters could just as easily say what they normally sing that musical theater and opera aren't more popular? Plenty of playwrights use soliloquy rather than song to express interior monologue. Personally, I'd rather hear Duncan Sheik's musical expression than a soliloquy any day of the week. How would he feel if someone leveled the same criticism against SPRING AWAKENING that he made against musical theater in general.

Other than these small things which don't really detract from my enjoyment of the music, it's fantastic. The ensemble writing is amazing. The harmonies are glorious.

If this is a first effort, I look forward to their masterpiece.

Average customer rating:

All DAVID HYDE PIERCE FANS WILL LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!
Very Pleasant
Pure Entertainment
Curtains is hilarious
A Tough Act To Follow

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:

All DAVID HYDE PIERCE FANS WILL LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-10

And even if you are not---the music is great!!!!!! This is the final collaboration between John Kander and the late Fred Ebb--plus throw in the efforts of Rupert Holmes (who wrote the underated MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD--and everyone's favorite guilty pleasure 70's tune--THE PINA COLADA SONG). Anyway, I always thought David was robbed of a TONY nod for SPAMALOT--so his win for this was quite overdue!

Every song is a winner---and it is not just because of Pierce--Deborah Monk also has one of the great show stoppers "IT'S A BUSINESS"!

All theatre buff will enjoy--I certainly did!

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.

The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

The Pirate Queen
A minor effort, but it has its moments
my thoughts
Wonderful musical: Schomberg and Boublil have made it again!!
I Don't Understand Broadway Politics

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:

The Pirate Queen.......2007-07-11

"The Pirate Queen" was a genious yet unique piece of musical theatre that suffered a harsh yet undeserved fate. I was very blessed to see this show twice on Broadway, including its very last performance on Broadway June 17th. Everytime I listen through the cast recording, I have to question why this show got the ratings it did. The cast, including the powerful and haunting vocals from Stephanie J. Block, were all incredibly talented and poured out their hearts every performance. I continue to feel shivers when I hear the Prologue, and can still perfectly visualize the opening scene. Some of the highlighted solos of the show include Ms. Block's "Woman" and Hadley Frasier's "I'll Be There". The conversations (duets) held between Grania and Queen Elizabeth in "She Who Has All" and "Woman to Woman" portray the strength and meeting of two historical women in such a time when powerful females were unheard of. Songs that include the chorus such as "A Day Beyond Belclare", "Sail to the Stars", and "Sea of Life" will surely leave you with the chills from the power and depth of the songs. There are so many other songs on the cast recording, and if I could I would tell you the magic behind each and every one of them, but I'll let you listen to it and experience it for yourself. Even though this show was robbed of the recognition it deserved, we are so incredibly fortunate to have a cast recording to allow us who have seen the show to re-live the magic we experienced, and also portray the beauty of such a wonderful yet short lived musical to those who did not have the chance to see it. "The Pirate Queen" may not be playing on Broadway now, but this CR will allow this enchanting show to forever live in our hearts. Long live the Queen!

A minor effort, but it has its moments.......2007-07-10

Since the ill-fated "Martin Guerre" in the 90's, I've been waiting for Boublil and Schonberg to make a comeback and recapture some of the glory they achieved with their blockbuster 80's musicals, "Les Miserables" and "Miss Saigon." Unfortunately, "The Pirate Queen" is more throwback than comeback. Despite some Irish folk stylings thrown in to fit this story about an Irish female pirate, the music is just too similar to their earlier works, never sounding sufficiently new or original. It's derivative, no question, but fortunately, it's derivative of shows I really like (well, not "Martin Guerre" so much, but certainly "Les Miz" and "Saigon."). Schonberg has a talent for unabashed dramatics, and when he turns it on here in songs like "I'll Be There" and "A Day Beyond Belclare," I can't help but get lost in my nostalgia for the pop opera spectacles that introduced me to musicals and cast recordings. Unfortunately, even nostalgia can't do much about duds like "Boys'll Be Boys," a gratingly corny number that musically is sort of a cross between "Master of the House" from "Les Miz" and "What a Waste" from "Saigon." And don't even get me started on the depressingly banal lyrics throughout, which are never more than functional. But I like the performances of stars Stephanie J. Block and Hadley Fraser, who both have impressive voices that are a perfect fit for this style of musical. Overall, "The Pirate Queen" is the musical equivalent of a summer popcorn movie ("Pirates of the Carribean," perhaps?), and on that level, it works just well enough.

my thoughts.......2007-07-10

well, first off, I was shocked that the stores didn't carry more copies of this...I really had to look around for it but finally got it...This show is not great...It's not what it could be, but it has got a great cast, and some great great music...

Some songs I really enjoy are "The Pirate Queen", "Boys Will be Boys", "A Day Beyond Belcare", Sail to the Stars" One thing this Cd really has is GREAT ensemble numbers. The music really lets the cast's vocals shine, moreso than a lot of shows. I'd say that's one of the biggest highlights.

What REALLY makes this CD, and the song that I will listen to over and over and over and over again is Hadley Fraser's "I'll Be There". This is one of if not the best song for a male character B and S ever wrote. It's gorgeous and Hadley sings it brilliantly. He has the power in both the lower and higher register, he has a gorgeous tenor voice but it is so rich and powerful, yet lyric at the same time...so good.

The rest of the CD is just so so...Get it for "I'll be there" and the great Chorus numbers, but I was disappointed that Block didn't get her equivalent to "I'll be there" and The queen stuff is really annoying to listen to...

Jeff McCarthy does a great job as the dad...he has the perfect Boublil and Schonberg authoritative, legit baritone voice you'd want in a Javert or that type of character. It's not a CD or a show that's flawless, but for sure worth getting because where it's strong it's very strong.

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?

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

Average customer rating:

High School Musical 2
Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000QCTGIE
Release Date: 2007-08-14

The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered)

Average customer rating:

The Wall
Essential recording
More relevent than before...
Pink Floyd's The Wall Looks At The Cost Of Success
Pink Floyd the 8th wonder of the World

The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered)
Pink Floyd
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wish You Were Here
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Animals
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Meddle

ASIN: B000006TRV
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Tracks:

In The Flesh?
The Thin Ice
Another Brick In The Wall, Part 1
The Happiest Days Of Our Lives
Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2
Mother
Goodbye Blue Sky
Empty Spaces
Young Lust
One Of My Turns
Don't Leave Me Now
Another Brick In The Wall (Part III)
Goodbye Cruel World

Tracks:

Hey You
Is There Anybody Out There?
Nobody Home
Vera
Bring the Boys Back Home
Comfortably Numb
The Show Must Go On
In The Flesh
Run Like Hell
Waiting For The Worms
Stop
The Trial
Outside The Wall

Amazon.com Essential Recording

The Wall is less a collection of songs than a single work, which is sometimes frustrating; the plot lacks enough coherence to hold the snippets of music together. However, there are occasional flashes of brilliance on what ranks as Pink Floyd's most ambitious project. Most of these come from the fully developed songs, which have become classics in their own right. "Hey You," "Mother," and especially "Comfortably Numb" are subtle, incredible pieces of music. Though complex, they move at a relaxed pace, allowing the listener to absorb them slowly; this kind of pacing was something Pink Floyd excelled at. Also worth noting is the "Another Brick in the Wall/The Happiest Days of Our Lives" medley, which has become a staple of rock radio. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

The Wall.......2007-07-09

This is a great listening experience. Many of the songs on this classic two CD set are amongst the best Pink Floyd has released. Some of them are just okay; however, the majority make for a five star experience. I suggest making yourself comfortably numb and enjoying one of the more popular rock experiences of all time.

Essential recording.......2007-07-02

All has been said after more than a thousand review. This is a must have double cd, a great conceptual double album. All kind of musical style, rock (In the Flesh, Young Lust, Run like hell), melodic ballads (Mother, Goodbye blue sky), radio hit (Another brick part II), prog classic (Confortably Numb), classic (The Trial)
As Amazon, I agree, this is an essential cd. A must have.

More relevent than before..........2007-05-29

I'm glad to see today's generation getting into The Wall.

I was a teenager in 1980 when this album came out. It blew me away. After listening to Wish You Were Here, Animals, Dark Side of the Moon, Echoes, and their earlier music, I was amazed that the Floyd could top themselves again.

The only thing that disappointed me was the story. At first blush, I thought the story of epic alienation was about an ordinary guy. I thought it shouldn't apply to a rock star. Since when has a rock star ever elicited sympathy anyway? How much of the population has ever been lonely at the top? Most of us scurry at the bottom, enduring the kind of alienation that comes from being "nobodies." It's this kind of pain I can relate to, not the pain of isolation that comes from being more successful and famous than anyone else.

Anyway, the music is constantly gripping, even if it reeks of self-pity at times. The movie is psychedelic and wonderfully animated. This album is an undeniable classic, even if it is ocassionally overwrought. I've listened to it hundreds of times, and I'm sure I'll listen to it hundreds of times more.

Enjoy!

Pink Floyd's The Wall Looks At The Cost Of Success.......2007-05-22

When this album was recorded and released, Pink Floyd were on top of the world having achieved all the success they wanted to achieve. But sometimes success has a price tag. The price tag is the "wall" which sometimes separates yourself from the rest of society. American society in particular worships success and material gain at the cost of one's physical and mental health. It also creates a kind of competition and even hostility between you and the rest of the world. That's what Dark Side Of The Moon looked at. The Wall gets more specific and tells the story of the pressures of being a rock n' roll star. Most if not all rock musicians strive for fortune and fame and hanging out with all the groupies. But sometimes that lifestyle leaves you with all your personal demons and those demons can drive you insane. Those demons may be your own responsibility or those created by family or business issues. The album begins with "In The Flesh?" and the character portrayed is a famous rock n' roll musician getting ready to go on stage. But he is suddenly confronted by all his demons such as his father getting sent off to a foreign land to go to war. This segues into "The Thin Ice". His wife comforts his newborn son telling the baby that his grandfather will be OK. The first brick in the wall is the separation he feels as his father is being sent off to war. The next brick is that of abuse at school by both classmates and teacher when he was a young boy. This type of treatment leads him ultimately to rebel against the educational system. He asks in "Mother" if he should cut himself off from all the people supposedly responsible for his tribulations. "Mother, should I build the wall?" In other words, he is asking if he should ever associate with these people again. In "Goodbye Blue Sky" the horrifying pictures of his father fighting and getting killed in the war are brought to his attention again. He then looks for something to fill in the "Empty Spaces". He tries having sex with all the groupies in "Young Lust" in order to numb his pain. He avoids all communication with the groupie back at the hotel by watching war movies on television in "One Of My Turns". Finally all the violence he sees on the television brings back to memory the death of his own father and he goes insane and starts tearing up the room. He is so beside himself that he hurls the television out of his hotel room window onto the street below. He feels remorseful of his behavior and pleads with his mate, "Don't Leave Me Now". Finally everything that drove him to his current state of mind comes back to haunt him. This is the third brick. He is so angry and upset that he avoids all physical contact with people in "Goodbye Cruel World". This closes the first half. The second half opens with him working hard to overcome his demons in "Hey You". He asks "Is There Anybody Out There?" who can help him. He returns to watching television and tries calling his wife on the phone in "Nobody Home". No one responds. He asks if there is anybody out there who can feel the pain he is feeling. He remembers somebody named Vera Lynn. He cries out against the apparent injustice of war and demands to "bring the boys back home". He then turns to drugs in "Comfortably Numb". He is given an anesthetic by the doctor to calm him down. He arrives at the show and is ready to perform no matter how severe his hardships. At the show, he weeds out the people he dislikes the most from the audience. He becomes kind of a dictator to his audience. The people who are in his favor give him a sort of "Hail Hitler" kind of salute. After the show, he takes to the streets to weed out the "weaklings, the queens, the coons, the reds, and the Jews" of the city. These people to him are nothing but worms in his sight and must be wiped off the face of the earth. Finally, he is tried in a court of law for all the atrocities he has committed. He tells the judge that insanity was the reason for his crimes. He is then sentenced to be "exposed before his peers". The crowd in the courtroom then chants to "tear down the wall" meaning they are glad he is getting his just deserts. The wall is finally torn down and the city tries to rebuild itself. This album applies not only to rock stars but also to anybody at the top of their profession who feels constant pressure to succeed and wants to lash out at the world in the midst of this stiff competition. Such people may turn to drugs, sex, or crime for their escape. Such themes is what makes The Wall such a powerful masterpiece.

Pink Floyd the 8th wonder of the World.......2007-05-18

This music represents the insanity in all of us we are no different than Pink Floyd.As fans of Pink Floyd we share the same genetic genious of these incredible Musicians,however our role is only to consume this music...Being genuine fans of this music clearly indicates that we are all crazy and can be very proud to be a member of this elite club of lunatics.

Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

I want to take my ears off now
Isn't she amazing!
Ebersole's Versatility Lends Landmark Status to a Quirky Character Study in Co-Dependency
Smash Hit!
Ebersole is EXCITING

Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

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

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

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Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)
[title of show] (2006 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000G75A9I
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Tracks:

The Girl Who Has Everything
The Five-Fifteen
Mother Darling
Goin' Places
Marry Well
Hominy Grits
Peas in a Pod
Drift Away
The Five-Fifteen (reprise)
Daddy's Girl
The Telegram
Will You?
The Revolutionary Costume for Today
The Cake I Had
Entering Grey Gardens
The House We Live In
Jerry Likes My Corn
Around the World
Choose to Be Happy
Around the World (reprise)
Another Winter in a Summer Town
The Girl Who Has Everything (reprise)

Product Description

GREY GARDENS proclaimed the #1 Show of the Year by Time Magazine is preserved here in its Original Broadway Cast Recording. The show had been previously recorded following its off-Broadway premiere in the spring of 2006 (and its cast album released by PS Classics in August of 2006), but this new recording features the new songs and new cast members that were added for its Broadway transfer last fall. The new GREY GARDENS opened on Broadway on November 2, 2006, to rave reviews, led by Ben Brantley in The New York Times, who called it an experience no passionate theatergoer should miss! Starring Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole and Tony Award nominee Mary Louise Wilson, it subsequently appeared on over 25 Best of 2006 lists, including #1 Show of the Year (Time), Best Musical of the Year (USA Today, Entertainment Weekly) and Performance of the Year (The New York Times, New York) for Ms. Ebersole. In addition to the new songs and new performances, this Original Broadway Cast Recording also features an all-new 32-page full-color booklet complete with lyrics and Broadway production photos.

Amazon.com

Based on the Maysles brothers' cult 1975 documentary of the same name, this musical is an endearing—-and sometimes genuinely heartwrenching—-oddity propelled by Christine Ebersole's exceptional, for-the-history-books performance. The movie followed the kooky duo of Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter, Little Edie Beale, as they lived with their 52 cats in a derelict East Hampton mansion. The show's first act, set in 1941, is a prologue of sorts, while the second act, set in 1973, follows the movie closely. Ebersole plays Edith in Act I (which she concludes in dazzling manner with "Will You?") and Little Edie in Act II (when Mary Louise Wilson comes in to play the mother). And while Wilson is superb, this is Ebersole's show. Technically, she is flawless—-just listen to the way she changes her voice between the acts—-but she also makes Little Edie a poignant eccentric, a lost soul stuck in a world of deluded, decaying grandeur. It all peaks in the poignant "Around the World," the show's best song and an Ebersole tour de force. Note that this recording documents the Off-Broadway production; the show transferred to Broadway in the fall of 2006 with a slightly altered first act. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

I want to take my ears off now.......2007-06-29

Grey Gardens got good reviews? I honestly don't know why everyone is raving. I have listened to it a few times now and I don't get it. Well I get it, what it's about and what is going on but I don't get why people like it. The music kind of reminds me of Annie, but worse. Don't get me wrong, I like Annie, but it's...Annie.

You might tell me its one of those shows you have to see on stage, but if I don't even like the music why would I even want to sit through it? Please. I can't stand this cast recording the only good thing about it is Christine Ebersole.

They could have done SO much better. I get what they tried to do and I see where they could have improved. I've turned off the music now and have left it for another day, maybe on a day when I can't hear properly.

Isn't she amazing!.......2007-06-28

I mean, can you believe her? I mean, Christine, not Edie. Well, Edie, too. And her mom. But then Christine is both of them, isn't she. I mean...

Ebersole's Versatility Lends Landmark Status to a Quirky Character Study in Co-Dependency.......2007-06-17

I was fortunate enough to catch Christine Ebersole's performance on Broadway last month, and it was indeed as transcendent as people have proclaimed. For those concerned about the future of the American musical theater, your fears can be allayed at least for another day. She gets the opportunity to play two vastly different roles and conquers both with élan and emotional power. Truth be told, the show itself is not as good as her, even though it deals with the fascinating, dysfunctional dynamics between the aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the Beales. Luckily, Ebersole dominates both acts, first playing "Big Edie" in her social register glory in 1941 and then over three decades later, as her daughter, "Little Edie", now a haggard, turban-headed 56-year old recluse. This pristine recording reflects the schizophrenic nature of the score by Scott Frankel and Michael Korie.

Both acts are set in Grey Gardens, a palatial estate in East Hampton that has become a dilapidated, self-imposed prison over the years. Musically, the first act is the weaker of the two as it attempts to provide a fictionalized backstory to the Beales, including a likely exaggerated engagement between Little Edie and Joseph Kennedy, Jr., the eldest Kennedy son who was later killed in action during WWII. Even on record, the entire act feels strung together by a series of derivative faux-period songs like the time management swing number, "The Five-Fifteen", and the Berlinesque closer, "Will You?". However, the disc does allow more time to appreciate Korie's sophisticated lyrics on top of Frankel's WWII-era hodgepodge. The music is much better in the second act, which picks up where the famous 1975 documentary (Grey Gardens) begins with the mother and daughter having become co-dependent eccentrics tied inextricably to their health disaster of a home.

Ebersole finds a poignant, approval-seeking core to Little Edie with a couple of beautiful ballads - the haunting "Another Winter in a Summer Town" and the stunning dual-personality lullaby, "Around the World" - and delivers them with a bell-like clarity and palpable emotional depth. Her sharp comedy skills are also on full display with the obtuse fashion rundown on "The Revolutionary Costume for Today" and the Sousa-like march of "The House We Live In". Mary Louise Wilson provides a funny and affecting turn as the aged Big Edie and even sings the delusional praises of her lunk-headed handyman in "Jerry Likes My Corn". Broadway veteran John McMartin also performs a couple of numbers, but it is Ebersole's show all the way and her seemingly effortless versatility is what brings this quirky, sometimes enthralling score to life on disc.

Smash Hit!.......2007-06-12

With the least bit of imagination, one can visualize much of this musical; but, oh,heavens! this musical's addict would love to jump on a plane, fly to NYC and see this show. This very minute! Tony award winning performances are so evident on this CD. The "Around the World" song is an event to listen to.

Ebersole is EXCITING.......2007-06-11

Having seen the cult film many times, I thought the musical would just rehash old things. BOY was I wrong! Ms. Ebersole is Unbelievable as the mother and the daughter Little and Big Edie Beale. The writing is amazing incorporating direct lines from the film to the score. BRAVO!

Average customer rating:

Relevant Over 30 Years Later
wwords can barley describe
Dark Side Of The Moon Is Rock N' Roll's Definitive Masterwork
EXCELLENT: BUT THE BEST ALBUM EVER RECORDED ?
Very intellectual album 5/5 stars

Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO)

ASIN: B000002U82
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Speak To Me/Breathe
On The Run
Time
The Great Gig In The Sky
Money
Us And Them
Any Colour You Like
Brain Damage
Eclipse

Amazon.com essential recording

Dark Side of the Moon, originally released in 1973, is one of those albums that is discovered anew by each generation of rock listeners. This complex, often psychedelic music works very well because Pink Floyd doesn't rush anything; the songs are mainly slow to mid-tempo, with attention paid throughout to musical texture and mood. The sound effects on songs like "On the Run," "Time" and especially "Money" (with sampled sounds of clinking coins and cash registers turned into rhythmic accompaniment) are impressive, especially when we remember that 1973 was before the advent of digital recording techniques. This is probably Pink Floyd's best-known work, and it's an excellent place to start if you're new to the band. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

Relevant Over 30 Years Later.......2007-07-09

Incredibly, Dark Side Of The Moon, by Pink Floyd, was released almost 35 years ago. The amazing thing is that this excellent CD is still important and relevant today. I can listen to Us and Them over and over again. The hypnotic perfection of this CD is amazing. Most bands would love to have a collection of greatest hits that would rival this one album by this incredible band. If you have not heard this, you are in for a treat. A Five star masterpiece.

wwords can barley describe.......2007-06-28

.........what they made in dark side of the moon. the best phycodelic experience ive heard

Dark Side Of The Moon Is Rock N' Roll's Definitive Masterwork.......2007-05-22

If you are looking for a happy album, this isn't the one. The title of the album should give you a clue as to the mood of the songs. The title could just as easily be "The Dark Side Of The Earth". The recording paints a sad picture of the human condition. It shows the physical and mental consequences when a person is constantly being pressured by the competitive, workaholic society. The person as depicted in the album realizes that the inevitability of old age and mortality are rapidly approaching him as he recognizes that such a lifestyle is futile in the long run. In "Breathe", he is immediately told by society, most likely his parents, while he is very young that he must work hard and never take a break or a vacation in order that he may achieve great success in the world and get rich. The lure of the dollar is a powerful thing and many people, like the person depicted in Pink Floyd's masterpiece, worship it. The stress really builds up in "On The Run". He is constantly being bombarded by all the demands that society places upon him. "I got to perform. I got to catch that plane. I got to get to that meeting on time." He is constantly on the move, never resting or taking time to enjoy all of life's pleasures. He says," I will work until I die. I'll sleep when I'm dead. Retirement is for sissies." In "Time", he reviews his life so far and realizes it was all for nothing. He is left to confront old age and his own mortality and realizes lost opportunities. He could've spent more time with his family or friends. He could've gone to church and learned about God and spirituality. He "runs and runs to catch up with the sun" and has a physical and mental breakdown. Death eventually comes to him in "The Great Gig In The Sky". On his deathbed, he says, "And I am not afraid of dying. Any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be afraid of dying? There's no reason for it. You got to go sometime." "Money" confronts the evils of capitalism in all its ugliness. The song says that the rich and famous are human too and they must also confront the harsh realities of life sooner or later, whether it is the death of a loved one or their own deaths. "Us And Them" looks at the futility of war and competition and says that we are all ordinary men and women and we must all get along and work together for peace because human life is short and fragile. "Brain Damage" shows how normal men and women can sometimes lose their peace of mind and even their sanity when confronted by all the demands of society. "Eclipse" summarizes the futility of working so hard to amass the most wealth because sooner or later everything "under the sun" will disappear and all that will be left is complete darkness. "And everything under the sun is in tune but the sun is eclipsed by the moon." The "eclipse" is one's own death. This album should be listened to by all the so-called "Type A" people or workaholics who are constantly chasing after success and material gain. A great rock masterpiece that should be listened to again and again.

EXCELLENT: BUT THE BEST ALBUM EVER RECORDED ?.......2007-05-19

I know most all of you Pink Floyd fans are going to disagree with me, and nothing I say will ever change your mind about it, but it is now 2007 and this album just does not have any content that would qualify it as the best album ever recorded. Yes, back in early 1973 when this album was released it was groundbreaking and fantastic, which is exactly why it was number one for so long. It was definitely as they say, 'in the right place at the right time'. But it is now almost 35 years later, and while the album does stand the test of time, it is certainly not the best album ever recorded. Sure the album is ambient and brilliant, but you still must truthfully ask yourself two questions:
1) Lyrically is this the best album ever written?
I think not; and can you really disagree with me? You can't honestly believe that there's not been a single artist in 35 years that's penned a better album. Think about it, lyrically there is nothing that is absolutely extraordinary about this album. You must know that since 1973 there are many artists that have presented far better lyrical content in their recordings.
2) Musically is this the best album ever written?
Again the music is excellent, but it is in fact the mood and the sonic soundscape this album creates that has given it its timeless appeal. Well, I know that technicality was not the point of this album, but from the standpoint of technicality, and even musicianship, in 2007 this album contains nothing that has not been greatly surpassed. This is not arguable. Furthermore, since many contend that this is the best album ever recorded, this begs the logical question: are any of the members of Pink Floyd considered to be the best or one of the best in the world on their given instrument? The answer to that question is quite simply: no. I don't like to sound so critical because I too like Pink Floyd and this album, but all of this gushing praise and superlative language use does warrant that someone with conviction submit a differing perspective.
Now, I can certainly understand why many people say this is the best album ever recorded, in most cases this will be because you were there in the era when the album was released, it took you on a musical journey to a place you've never been before, and it holds a special place in your heart. But just ask anyone of a generation prior to yours what the best album ever recorded is and they will almost certainly give you answers you don't agree with, and nothing you say will ever change their minds about it, even though you know their answer is entirely generation related. However, with all of that being said, being born in the 60's I too was there in the era when this album was released, but I just cannot yield to popular opinion or agree with the unquestioning masses that this is the best album ever recorded, when it quite simply is not. This is my honest opinion, and whether you agree or do in fact disagree with me don't be a sheep let popular opinion tell you what you should and shouldn't listen to, or what the best album ever is.

Very intellectual album 5/5 stars.......2007-05-15

These songs and david's vocals were amazingly good mostly this is the kind of material music I use for a nice buzz after drinking some jack daniels when i'm in that mood to get wasted after a frustrating day at work. The only thing I have a problem with is the long intros before the songs start like the clocks and the baby crying they take too long and I don't mind the intros they were pretty good too but not that long but still this is a very good album and pinkfloyd rocks forever.

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

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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.

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