BWW Album Review: SPACE DOGS Is Far Out!March 8, 2022SPACE DOGS is the epic new musical, telling the mind-blowing true story of Laika and the Chief Designer — a stray dog and the top-secret Russian scientist, who sent her to space during the Cold War. Written and performed by Broadway’s Van Hughes and Nick Blaemire, this production is equal parts adventure and intrigue, while capturing the depths of human emotion and the immortal friendship between man and dog, as they journey together to the stars.
BWW Album Review: 'The Sunday Set' Will Keep Your Spirits High All WeekFebruary 22, 2022CLUB44 RECORDS recently announced the release of The Sunday Set, the new album from Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso – including an entertaining selection of urbane standards, jazz favorites, and clever comedy numbers. The album, recorded live at The Birdland Theater, features vocals from Stritch and Caruso, with Stritch on piano and Steve Doyle on bass, and will keep your spirits high all week!
BWW Album Review: FROZEN Star Samantha Barks Bravely Leads Listeners 'Into the Unknown' With Her New AlbumDecember 28, 2021Frozen star, Samantha Barks, recently released her latest album, Into the Unknown, under new record label, Westway. The album features selections from a number of contemporary musicals, including Six, Dear Evan Hansen, Jagged Little Pill, Ghost, Mean Girls, Moana, The Greatest Showman, and more.
BWW Album Review: A VERY DARREN CRISSMAS Serves Up the Perfect Cup of Holiday CheerNovember 12, 2021Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild award-winner, and singer-songwriter and activist, who has graced the screen and Broadway stage in popular acts, including Glee, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and more, Darren Criss is ringin’ in the holiday season with a new album! Ron Fair, multi-Grammy nominee and producer of numerous Grammy-winning hits, produces.
BWW Album Review: Scott Alan's 'Nothing More' Celebrates the Joyous, Fulfilling, and Sometimes Messy Parts of FatherhoodNovember 1, 2021American songwriter, Scott Alan, recently released his ninth album, Nothing More, and partnered with musical director, Ben Cohn, on this special recording that serves as a love letter to his daughter, during her first couple years on Earth. Alan has worked with some of the most talented stars of theatre, TV, film, and music.
BWW Album Review: Barbra Streisand's Release Me 2 Opens Up Emotionally and Offers Clarity, Peace, and Healing for Life's JourneyAugust 6, 2021Legendary icon, Barbra Streisand, recently announced that her new album, Release Me 2, will be available on Friday, August 6th. Streisand's first Release Me album debuted in September 2012, and contained tracks recorded between her 1967 Simply Streisand and 2011 What Matters Most albums. Featuring a personal collection of songs, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Barry Gibb, Paul Williams, Randy Newman, Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Harold Arlen and Carole King, this 10-track compilation brilliantly showcases the vulnerability and beauty of the human spirit – chock full of honest truths and gratitude for the simple pleasures.
BWW Album Review: IN THE LIGHT, A Faustian Tale, is a Shining Example of Truth, Vulnerability, and HealingJune 25, 2021This ultra-talented cast hits their high note, blending strong voices with melodious ones to play to different parts of the story. Just like the main characters, the score is powerful, vibrant, and thought-provoking. It creates the perfect backdrop for this robust tale and creates suspense for the story arc. Another unique feature is that the lyrics also reflect the humanity in the characters and how they struggle with not having all the answers, such as in “Let Go of Me.” They speak candidly and display vulnerability in their words, providing a lens into their emotions.
BWW Album Review: Don't Be Afraid to RIDE THE CYCLONE of LifeMay 11, 2021You’ve been warned: This is one trip you’ll never forget!
Ride the Cyclone: World Premiere Cast Recording was recently released through digital and streaming formats via Ghostlight Records. The show features book, music, and lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell and the album is produced by Brooke Maxwell, who also serves as music director and conductor, and provides arrangements and orchestrations. Kevin McCollum and Morris Berchard are the executive producers.
BWW Album Review: IN PIECES, A New Musical Highlights Album, Makes the Case for Living Life with Arms Wide Open – Despite the UncertaintiesApril 16, 2021Broadway Records recently announced the release of IN PIECES, a new musical by Joey Contreras. This energetic and emotional 10-track highlights album features a robust lineup of talent from popular artists, including David Archuleta, Andrew Barth Feldman, George Salazar, Solea Pfeiffer, Ben Fankhauser, Natalie Weiss, Ashley De La Rosa, Leslie Hiatt, and Emily Kristen Morris. Showcasing their unique and powerful voices, along with their flair for storytelling, IN PIECES brings the musical’s candid themes of our human existence to light.
BWW Album Review: Alex Boniello's Debut EP 'Hi' is the Brave Companion So Many of Us Are SeekingJanuary 15, 2021Broadway favorite, Alex Boniello, most recently seen on stage in the Tony Award-winning Dear Evan Hansen, just released his debut EP, titled “Hi,” written during his last few months of the musical. With COVID-19 changing the state of our world and the theater community, this catalog is extremely relevant for the times that we are currently in as a collective. In addition to the EP, a music video for one of Boniello’s songs, 'I'm So Tired,' has been released. The video, directed by his former Dear Evan Hansen co-star Gabrielle Carrubba, can be viewed on YouTube.
BWW Album Review: Leslie Odom, Jr.'s 'The Christmas Album' Infuses Love, Joy, and Merriment into the Holiday SeasonDecember 9, 2020Tony and Grammy Award winner, Leslie Odom Jr., who originated the role of Aaron Burr in Broadway’s Hamilton, recently released his new holiday album, The Christmas Album, which also features the legendary Cynthia Erivo and Nicolette Robinson, as well as The Walls Group and Michea Walls.
BWW Album Review: Tony Nominee and Emmy Winner, Liz Callaway, Gifts New Holiday Album Comfort and Joy–An Acoustic Christmas That Speaks Directly to the SoulDecember 3, 2020Working Girl Records recently announced that Tony nominee and Emmy winner, Liz Callaway, will release her new holiday album Comfort and Joy–An Acoustic Christmas, on Friday, December 4, 2020. Knowing that this holiday season would look and feel different, Callaway took to social media for inspiration on song favorites and decided to create an entire acoustic album for the end of 2020. Collaborating virtually with Peter Calo, a renowned guitarist and producer, Callaway’s album features ten special tracks – from traditional carols to newer Christmas classics (including songs written by Sara Bareilles, and her sister, Ann Hampton Callaway), as well as a guest vocal from Grammy nominee Jann Klose.
BWW Album Review: Sarah Stiles' You Can Ukulele With Me is the Rejuvenating Vacation We All NeedSeptember 9, 2020Tony Award nominee, Sarah Stiles (Tootsie, Hand to God) recently released her debut EP, You Can Ukulele With Me, via Broadway Records. This recoding is in collaboration with songwriter, Holly Gewandter, and has become a bright spot in these uncertain times. Coincidentally recorded ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic, this EP resonates now more than ever, as we are searching for an escape from the stress and worry and this recording, produced and arranged by Scott Wasserman, is a cheery and humorous antidote.
BWW Album Review: Telly Leung's 'You Matter' Elicits the Humanity That Still Exists in QuarantineAugust 4, 2020Broadway and TV actor, singer, and songwriter, Telly Leung, (Aladdin, Allegiance, Glee) has turned the bleakness of quarantine into the promise of brighter days ahead, with his new EP, You Matter. Made in collaboration with composer and music director, Gary Adler (Avenue Q) and lyricist, Phoebe Kreutz, these five tracks include original music, as well as Leung's one-of-a-kind take on Disney favorites, 'Proud of Your Boy' and 'Go the Distance/Hero.”
BWW Album Review: Melissa Errico's TWO SPRING SONGS FOR SUMMER Finds New Meaning in Uncertain TimesJuly 17, 2020Broadway favorite, Melissa Errico, recently released Two Spring Songs for Summer, featuring two classic hits, newly recorded in quarantine: Michel Legrand's “You Must Believe In Spring”-- including new lyrics specifically written for Melissa by Alan and Marilyn Bergman -- coupled with Alec Wilder's popular hit, “Blackberry Winter.” Tedd Firth, Melissa's accompanist and music director, is her partner on both – creating beautiful music together from a remote distance.