BWW CD Reviews: Sh-K-Boom's THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is Delightfully Intimate

The life of Off-Broadway musicals is unpredictable, and Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS is showing no sign of dying anytime soon. Since its 2002 New York debut this intimate musical about failed romance has been an evergreen favorite. Just in time for Valentine's Day 2015 audiences are being given the opportunity to fall in love with the material all over again. Today, Sh-K-Boom and Razor & Tie released the hotly anticipated THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), and the record is anything but disappointing.

For the uninitiated, the clever musical is told from the perspectives of both Jamie (in chronological order) and Cathy (in reverse chronology). The two versions of the plot overlap in the middle of the story as the central couple gets married. On stage, THE LAST FIVE YEARS is usually performed with a cast of two; yet, the medium of film allows the visual presentation to expand beyond the confines of the stage. Therefore, in the film adaption there is a larger cast. However, the musical integrity of the score has not been altered. The album only features the voices of Anna Kendrick (Cathy) and Jeremy Jordan (Jaime).

With that said, you may be thinking, "So, why should fans of the musical dip into their pockets for a third time for this score?" My first response would be the new arrangements. They aren't drastically different from THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Original Cast Recording) or THE LAST FIVE YEARS (2013 Off-Broadway Cast Recording); however, on this album they sound brighter. That is not to say that the minor chords and dissonance are missing from this new album. Conversely, the capture of the band just has a fuller sound, making it sound like the listener is sitting in the same room as the musicians. Secondly, Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan expertly sing each track and put their own unique signatures on these familiar tunes.

As Cathy, Anna Kendrick utilizes her delicate and bright alto instrument to sing with tonal maturity. She forgoes the signature nasal sound that is associated with Cathy, singing wholly from her diaphragm. Her belted lines sit low in her torso and do not sound as if they resonate in her nasal cavity, with the exception of the end of "Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You." In these moments, she keenly places her belt in her nose, making Cathy sound younger, more naïve, and innocently youthful. Likewise, Jeremy Jordan uses his full bodied and captivating charisma to bring life to Jaime. His vibrant tenor instrument sparkles across the album, showcasing Jaime's confidence and charm.

Unlike the stage, the film allows audiences to draw in much closer to the performers. Both Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan take advantage of this on the recording. For example, on "See I'm Smiling" we hear the anguish in Cathy's heart as Anna Kendrick utilizes audible breaths to illustrate the pain and anger her character is experiencing. Similarly, on "If I Didn't Believe In You" Jeremy Jordan's Jaime's voice breaks as he succumbs to his emotions, and he also aggressively growls with heated passion. It's truly as if we can actually hear the tears running down his cheeks. These touches elevate the performances into brilliance.

I now proudly own all three recordings of THE LAST FIVE YEARS, and I love each one for different reasons. Even if my heart will probably always hold the first album as the definitive recording of the material, there is no denying that this theatrical piece certainly has become the little musical that could. Most importantly, unlike other stage to screen adaptions, the vocal casting for the film is sublime, and I'm excited to share my love of this story and score with the fans that will be drawn to it so they can see the latest Anna Kendrick and/or Jeremy Jordan project.

Sh-K-Boom Records released THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) both digitally and physically on February 10, 2015. The album can be purchased from Sh-K-Boom Records' online store, iTunes, Amazon, and elsewhere music is sold.

For information about other theatrical recording releases, click here.

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