BWW Album Review: BE MORE CHILL (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Does Not Always ComputeMay 9, 2019With a slightly different cast and some changes to the music, it is no surprise that BE MORE CHILL's Broadway production was recorded for Ghostlight Records BE MORE CHILL (Original Broadway Cast Recording). The album is full of energy and teeters on the verge of frenetic, masterfully capturing the best and worst aspects of the upgraded Broadway production.
BWW Album Review: WE ARE THE TIGERS (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording) Bops with Beats and BiteApril 28, 2019Preston Max Allen's WE ARE THE TIGERS Off-Broadway run had music and lyrics that were fully realized and demanded to be recorded. Broadway Records answered that call and released WE ARE THE TIGERS (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording), preserving the show's infectious, toe-tap inducing pop score. And, freed from the book scenes, this music comes across as more poignant and thought-provoking than it did in the context of the show.
BWW Album Review: Ben Platt's SING TO ME INSTEAD Radiates Pure JoyApril 12, 2019Ben Platt's SING TO ME INSTEAD is ready to be the pop album you leave on repeat all spring long, and deservedly so. His soaring vocals, especially those grandiose belts, sans the affectations of Evan Hansen dazzle across the record, making each of the tunes - whether an up-tempo bop or a soulful ballad - command the attention of the listener. Truthfully, SING TO ME INSTEAD is pure joy, making repeat listens more than welcomed; they are essential.
BWW Album Review: CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE '90S MUSICAL (Original Cast Album) Rests On NostalgiaMarch 11, 2019ABKCO's CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE '90S MUSICAL (Original Cast Album) is undoubtedly Kidz Bop for adults. And there's nothing wrong with that (in this case). The album features "Every You, Every Me," "Colorblind," and "Bittersweet Symphony" from the original motion picture soundtrack, and the remaining 15 tracks are comprised of instantly recognizable standards of the era.
BWW Review: WE ARE THE TIGERS Fumbles But Is Still F-U-NFebruary 21, 2019A real curious thing is happening at Theater 80 St Marks. And, oddly, it may be the off-beat, quirky must-see Off-Broadway event of the winter. Not because the show is amazing, nor because it is so terrible that it has to be seen to be believed. Truthfully, Preston Max Allen's WE ARE THE TIGERS makes you forgive its missteps by being infectiously plucky and actually fun.
BWW Album Review: UNBREAKABLE (Original Cast Recording) is Stirring and EvocativeFebruary 9, 2019Broadway composer Andrew Lippa has written a poignant song cycle with UNBREAKABLE, which was premiered by The San Francisco's Gay Men's Chorus at Nourse Theater in San Francisco, CA on June 22-23, 2018. This week Ghostlight Records released UNBREAKABLE (Original Cast Recording), allowing listeners a chance to go inside the Nourse Theater to experience the powerfully moving cycle live and for themselves.
BWW Album Review: RENT (Original Soundtrack of the Fox Live Television Event) Stumbles and Mostly Falls FlatFebruary 2, 2019When it comes to RENT being on broadcast television, it was always going to be a dicey experience. Diehard fans were sure to be disappointed by lines altered to be in compliance with the FCC. Then, casting a handful of pop performers over trained actors was sure to lead to questionable character choices throughout the evening. Sony Masterworks Broadway's RENT (Original Soundtrack of the Fox Live Television Event) drives these points home with all the subtly of a sledgehammer bludgeoning a nail.
BWW Album Review: Brian Gallagher's BROWNSTONE is a Moody, Bluesy Murderous MusicalJanuary 23, 2019Broadway veteran Brian Gallagher recently released the concept album for his new musical BROWNSTONE. The thrilling record is mostly sung by Gallagher himself, but it also features the vocals of Broadway star Megan Hilty. Utilizing his well-honed ability to write jazzy, ambient rock with a 70s garage band vibe, Gallagher has skillfully created, for BROWNSTONE, a moody and haunting piece of musical theatre that excites as easily as it sends shivers down the spine.
BWW Album Review: FOLLIES (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording) Touches the SublimeJanuary 19, 2019Once one of the costliest flops in Broadway history, FOLLIES is now highly regarded as a true classic in musical theater canon. The well-reviewed National Theatre revival, which ran through January 3, 2018, is scheduled to return to the West End this spring, and the sumptuously lush FOLLIES (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording) is now available digitally.
BWW Album Review: THE PROM is the Perfect Blend of Glitter, Confetti, and HeartDecember 21, 2018With moxie, sequins, and indefatigable whimsy, Sony Masterworks Broadway's THE PROM (Original Broadway Cast Recording) perfectly captures the mirth of the heartwarming Broadway production. Masterfully blending Matthew Sklar's toe-tapping score, Chad Beguelin's rib-tickling and heartfelt lyrics, and the stellar performances of the cast, this album is as charming as it is mesmerizing.
BWW Album Review: SCHOOL OF ROCK [Deluxe Edition] Rocks With Whimsy and WitDecember 18, 2018In celebration of its third year on Broadway, Warner Bros. Records released SCHOOL OF ROCK (Original Broadway Cast Recording) [Deluxe Edition]. This "Deluxe Edition" comes across more as a hackneyed marketing ploy since the only differences are changing the cover art to the current logo design and adding "School of Rock: The Musical (Medley).'
BWW Album Review: Lena Hall's OBSESSED: CHRIS CORNELL is Vivid and StirringDecember 10, 2018Lena Hall's ambitious and successful year long EP project - Lena Hall OBSESSED - comes to end this month with her lovely tribute to Chris Cornell, the iconic front man of Soundgarden and Audioslave. The four-track OBSESSED: CHRIS CORNELL stands as a vivid and stirring conclusion to the series, offering listeners the entrancing angst of the grunge era and a delightful reprieve from effusively ebullient holiday music.
BWW Album Review: Barbra Streisand's WALLS is Richly Political and EvocativeDecember 7, 2018I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but WALLS - Barbra Streisand's thirty-sixth studio album - is the first I have ever listened to by the iconic songstress. But I'm not embarrassed to admit that I love it. Alternating between heartfelt ballads and stirring anthems, Streisand's WALLS proves that the luster hasn't worn off of her star; in fact, it's as vibrant and enchanting as ever.
BWW Review: Trafalgar Releasing's Film Capture of THE KING AND I is Sumptuously BeautifulNovember 29, 2018Lincoln Center Theater's sumptuous Tony-award winning production of Rodger & Hammerstein's THE KING AND I transferred to The London Palladium theatre this past summer. Now, Trafalgar Releasing is screening a gorgeous film capture of the London mounting starring Kelli O'Hara, Ken Watanabe, and Ruthie Ann Miles in movie theaters across the globe on November 29 and December 4.
BWW Review: RED in Cinemas Showcases Geniuses at WorkNovember 7, 2018Almost a decade after John Logan's searing, two-person drama RED first held audiences transfixed, Trafalgar Releasing is bringing it to cinemas across the US and UK tonight. This past summer's limited revival at London's Wyndham's Theatre saw Michael Grandage (director) and Alfred Molina (Rothko) reprise their celebrated work while welcoming Alfred Enoch as Ken. This sold out run was filmed and is now being screened.