rOcKS' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels CD review

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 4:08pm

Ive yet to see this show (and yes, I listened to the whole CD regardless of John Ligthgow's hysterical announcment) and I must say if you do not have this CD yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

Overture- Wonderful! Its one of the best overtures Ive heard in a long, long time.

Give Them What They Want- A tad of a let down. I was expecting a huge, brassy opening number but maybe the effect is greater live. It was good but nothing amazing.

What Was A Woman To Do?- Again, a let down. I love Joanna Gleason as much as the next person but she really doesnt sound very good on this song or maybe its just me.

Great Big Stuff- EXCELLENT! Norbert and the cast sound amazing on this song. It made up for the previous two songs and then some!

Chimp In A Suit- A very cute song. Jbara is a wonderful singer (even with his accent)

Oklahoma?- I laughed my way through this song. Its so funny and exciting. Really enjoyable.

All About Ruprecht- Again, very funny. Norbert and John sound great together.

Here I Am- The best song on the CD, IMO. I love Sherie Rene Scott and she really pulls this song off. I fell in love with this CD with this song (not even halfway through the recording!)

Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True- Lovely. The music and lyrics are great. Yazbek manages to be beautiful but throw in some enjoyably entertaining laughs in here.

The Miracle- Great. Although I quite dont get I guess because I havent seen the show yet. Short but very entertaining.

Rüffhousin' Mit Shüffhausen- Absolutley hysterical! Its not so much a song as it seems a comedic shtick on the CD but it is still very funny.

Like Zis, Like Zat- Beautifully sincere. Sounds like it came right out of an old French film. Wonderful. This is where Joanna shines on the CD as does Jbara.

The More We Dance- Not the best song on the CD but it is very catchy and clever.

Love Is My Legs- Once again, I dont get this song since I havent seen the show but Norbert and Sherie sound great in it.

Love Sneaks In- Gorgeous. John sounds wonderful here.

Son Of Great Big Stuff- Even better than it's "parent" . Absolutley infectious.

A Message From John Lithgow- The funniest part of the entire CD. I fell in love with the recording all over again here.

The Reckoning- Very very clever and smart. I loved the orchestrations here. For those of you who know the plot: who wouldve thought!?!

Dirty Rotten Number- I fell in love with the CD for the third time here. Right behind Here I Am as the best on the CD. A great, great, great song.

Finale- Exciting and very smart. The chorus sounds great here.


All in all, this is one of the best Broadway CDs Ive bought in a long, long time. The vocal performances are wonderful here and the orchestrations are great!!!

Grade: A+++++!!

[cserannie]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 4:13pm

I totally agree with you. I didn't see the show just a few clips from it but the cd is awesome. When I frist heard the song "Love sneaks in" from John I started to cry - please, do not laugh. It was so deep and true the way he sang it.
And I like the first and second number either.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 4:17pm

I love "Love Sneaks In", especially live, where Lithgow himself is brought to tears. Gorgeous.

Wickedrocks - go see the show. Almost every joke worth it's salt in DRS is a visual one. The recording, while great, doesn't do it justice.

[cserannie]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 4:21pm

I can imagine it when he sings it, every single audience member starts searching some tissue. It must be very moving.

Updated On: 5/12/05 at 04:21 PM

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 4:22pm

The only track I'm not fond if is Ruprecht's, if only because it's so damn funny live that it's hard to listen to them sing it "straight" through.

[musicnmath]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 4:28pm

Ga -- totally agree with you. The song really seems to be more of a way to get the scene moving and keep it moving, but it's purely physical. I don't think I heard a single sung word when I was there. We were laughing too loudly.

Great Big Stuff...man, I just can't stop listening to that song. So damn funny. All the little things Norb does with voice make it hysterical, even without the great great visuals. My personal favourite: "get me a posse, aaiiigght?!" hee hee.

[cserannie]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 4:59pm

there is one song that not many people like "chimp in a suit". I like it because it's tune is pretty similar to the 1988 film version - the violin music. Don't you think?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 5:25pm

I completely love the entire cd, including those songs so few like. I think the entire cast does such a fantastic job with these characters it is amazing to me. All the jokes are very visual, but I seem to pick up on something new with every listen!
See the show WickedRocks, it will just make the experience all the better.

[insomniak]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 5:36pm

I've heard this show often mentioned in the same breath as The Producers, but if I didn't like that score enough to purchase the OBCR, would I like DRS' music?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 5:39pm

It is not that much like the Producers as far as the music especially, there is a lot more texture and substance to most of the music. It is a little pastichy and crude though, which is like the Producers.

[Alejandra925]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 5:40pm

Yay, some love for "Love Sneaks In." I enjoy that song very much. The clever and witty songs are fabulous (I still laugh even though I haven't seen the show). And Love Sneaks In is a nice respite. John sounds wonderful and puts emotion in the song.

Alejandra

[insomniak]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 5:41pm

*huge grin* I'm in a signature!! I love you, Penguin. <(-:3

I may add DRS to my long list of CDs to buy, but I don't anticipate owning it anytime soon. *counts pennies* Nope.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 5:53pm

is "John's message" going to be on the offical release or is it just on the ones that they gave away?

[freelancer]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 5:55pm

It's on the official release.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:01pm

i have the official one- its on there

[TGIF]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:11pm

Are there any songs that are on the offical release that are NOT on the give away?

[Ladyofthe Lake]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:11pm

"I can imagine it when he sings it, every single audience member starts searching some tissue. It must be very moving."

Uh, well...every single audience member except at least one.

I say that as someone who loved John Lithgow's performance, and who feels he has not gotten his due from an awful lot of people because Norbert's character and performance are so much flashier. However, "Love Sneaks In", although a beautiful song, didn't work all that well for me, and I'm usually a real sap for sentiment. Part of the reason is that it was so different than the cynicism of much of what preceded it that it was almost jarring, and part of it is that *in my opinion* John didn't really have the vocal equipment to do it justice. He acted it well enough, but for that song I really would have loved to hear someone with more of a "legitimate" stage voice singing it. I thought he did fine with the comedic numbers, though.

I don't have the recording yet...I'm just going on what I heard live...but I can't imagine the recording will change my opinion.

Okay, flame away...

[Alejandra925]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:20pm

Regarding the giveaway vs. the official recording...I've read there are a couple of demos, and another version of Nothing Is Too Wonderful to Be True. :)

A.

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:26pm

wickedrocks - "love is my legs" is a total joke in the show. it's made to be a parody of sappy songs. it's absolutely hilarious..especially when they open the curtain and the ensemble is behind doing cheesy gospel-ish choir stuff while holding candles.

i'm glad you loved the recording...but definitely go see it live. john, norbert, and sherie are truly amazing.

lady of the lake - i agree that norbert is getting more praise because his role is more over the top, but he really is fabulous. however, john lithgow's performance should NOT be overlooked. he is also great :) (and a big sweetheart)

[Ladyofthe Lake]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:31pm

"lady of the lake - i agree that norbert is getting more praise because his role is more over the top, but he really is fabulous."

Oh, I wouldn't deny that for a minute, and certainly didn't mean to imply otherwise. But I've seen too many posts here that have been more than a little dismissive of John's performance, and I'll admit that it has bothered me. He deserves better.

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:36pm

good, i'm glad i don't have to yell at you for saying anything about norbert not being awesome. that's waht i thought you meant!!

[TGIF]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:37pm

He does. I wrote in my review (it was awhile ago) that they compliment each other well. John has this subtle slyness about him. Its very precise, which I am sure he mastered from his years on TV.

[Ladyofthe Lake]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:50pm

"good, i'm glad i don't have to yell at you for saying anything about norbert not being awesome. that's waht i thought you meant!!"

Oh, I'm glad you won't be yelling at me...I have clients at work who can manage that just fine. I don't need it here.

[TGIF]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:52pm

So I wasn't to sure about this response....

"Regarding the giveaway vs. the official recording...I've read there are a couple of demos, and another version of Nothing Is Too Wonderful to Be True. :) "


Is there anything on the offical OBCR that isn't on the demo/giveaway CD?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 6:55pm

I know there are three extra tracks on the official release but I dont know if they were on the giveaway as well.