ACL Reival Recording?- Page 6

[Katie2]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 10:04pm

Jessica is hysterical onstage. I think once you see her, you'll fall in love. She had the audience rolling in their seats.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 10:51pm

The audience "was rolling in their seats"? Like, in the handicapped section or the whole audience?

I just listened to the whole thing on Napster Premium and all I have to say is I'm glad I didn't buy it at my favorite cd place today. It's just not very good.

The only thing I really loved was "Sing!" which actually made me laugh out loud. And I didn't expect that. It's also nice to hear the Sally Ketchum and Lola LaTours section of the montage. The Gimme the Ball section sounds good too.

Other than that, I just don't think it's particularly good. There's a lot of flat assed voices on that recording (couldn't they give Jason Tam a second take on "Who am I anyway?"), which in a way is sort of refreshing in this age of electronic pitch correction. There were plenty of flat assed voices on the original cast recording too (I love Donna too, but her Music and The Mirror on that record is hardly flawless), but there was also a real heart and soul that came from the cast performing it for quite a while before recording it. This new recording basically lacks that.

I think one of the problems that is being made nowadays is this recording of cast albums so early in the process. It's a lot like seeing a band toward the end of a tour and realizing that had they recorded their mediocre new album AFTER playing it live 50 times it would have been much better.

I don't think Charlotte does a good job of Music and The Mirror, What I Did for Love sounds awful, and the less said abotu Dance Ten the better. Val should really NOT sound like Mae West the morning after a bender.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 10:55pm

I think Natalie Cortex sounds amazing and hope she gets to do more on Broadway.

Oh, well.

::listens for the millionth time::

[PARISinNYC]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 11:01pm

Not to be rude, but FindingNamo do you EVER have a positive review about anything? It seems that everything I read from is some sort of put-down.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 11:11pm

Why, yes, as a matter of fact Paris, I have posted many positive things. Not to be rude but I posted here for three years before you ever even joined. Not to be rude but I would suggest that in less that four months you haven't taken what statistically speaking is called a "representative sampling."

Not to be rude.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 11:12pm

I think Namo's comments were fine. I have to agree with him here. None of his comments were mean, and none of them were off-base.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 11:14pm

And to add to what's already been said, I went into Virgin Megastore tonight and they didn't have the new recording. Last week, they had dozens of copies of the OBC. Tonight they had 3.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 11:36pm

People are confused?

[PARISinNYC]

Posted: 10/10/06 at 11:53pm

I wasn't saying that Namo was saying anything harsh, but i'm saying all his opinions that I have read he has never thought anything was better than okay.

SECOND OF ALL, I really wish people would stop talking about the fact that I just joined the board. I REALIZE THIS. I HAVE NEVER EVER, EVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT READING EVERY POST YOU HAVE EVER WRITTEN. Would everyone prefer if I just typed something that I said earlier over and over?

from what I have read
from what I have read
from what I have read
from what I have read

I did NOT say:

I have read everything you've ever written.

THIRD OF ALL,

I said 'not to be rude' ONE time. There is no need to mock me. I said it for a reason, because I wanted everyone to know that I wasn't trying to start an arguement, but FindingNamo, you have done this more than once and it is REALLY driving me insane.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:10am

Okay, so what do I think of this new recording? As a whole, I think it's fantastic. It was fun to listen to, and kept me remembering how much I want to see this show now in New York. It made me fall back in love with the cast, and want to visualize every single dancer as they do their piece. Individually, I think it was great as well. Some of the songs didn't thrill me, but overall, it was just a fantastic album, one of the best in my collection (and no, it's not very small).

The OPENING confused me. It just didn't have that same electric spark that the original had. It may be because Michael Berresse doesn't shout "5, 6, 7, 8!" like an overenthusiastic musical rapist, but it's probably the slow tempo, which has been commented on only too much. It's good, but I can't imagine listening to this track when I can listen to the original.

I CAN DO THAT is easily my favorite song in the show, which makes me so angry that it's also the shortest (excluding "Mother" from the Montage). Jeffrey Schecter is PERFECT, and I mean, PERFECTLY cast as Mike. I love watching the little videos of him on Broadway.com, and now I love listening. He's definitely my favorite cast member.

Then talk about having the hell scared out of you. AT THE BALLET made me almost hit a trash can while I was driving because I just was NOT expecting it. Something about it was very creepy in how it began, even more so than the original. Everyone was good, though, especially Mara Davi. She's got a killer voice. Alisan Porter didn't thrill me so much as bore me, but you can't deny the potential she's got. Deidre just bothered me, though. She can sing, but she had that spunky black girl attitude that I didn't like. Sheila's tough, but not in the way Deidre interprets her, I think. That's up to her, but I disagree with how she portrays Sheila in the song, at least.

SING! was the track I was most looking forward to, but sadly, I was disappointed. I love, love, love what Chryssie does with the lines, and Tony Yazbeck has the voice I would dream to have, but the overall song didn't leave me with a fantastic feeling. I loved the moments, but didn't like the overall. Very odd feeling. Still, awesome [vocal] chemistry between the two. Perfect casting.

MONTAGE, I'll address in its entirety. It's energetic, it's fun, it's fast-paced -- it's great. There's something about James T. Lane as Richie that I dislike. Certain notes I feel sounded terribly odd when he sang them ("It's a mess!", for example. He hit the notes, but I didn't enjoy them.). Yuka is fabulous, Michael is hilarious, and Paul is just great. I love Natalie's "Nothing", much more than the original.

10, 3: Val's little number didn't do it for me. I love Jessica's offstage personality, but I don't think she shows enough spunk in Val. She's got the pipes, but it seems like she's holding back, singing softer than should be. Good effort. Enjoyable.

THE MUSIC AND THE MIRROR just bugs me. It's always been my least favorite song, and Charlotte certainly doesn't change any opinions. I don't see a huge problem with her "through", but I can definitely see the annoyance. The song is only so enjoyable when you're listening, not watching. Bah.

ONE (1) was very fun to listen to.

WHAT I DID FOR LOVE was beautiful.

ONE (2) was great. I don't think there's any doubt about these last three. Thus, they're short.

Overall, it's a great album, there's no doubt about that. But individually, the songs are a little less thrilling than they could have been. I don't think there are weak links in the cast, but there are definitely weak moments. Still, they're not enough to outnumber the fantastic, classic moments that are still here. Great recording. One of these songs is definitely becoming my new ringtone.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:31am

I don't have a copy yet, but it sounds like some of the concerns raised in the SF Tryout (and somewhat evident at that time) found their way onto the recording. In hindsight, perhaps it would have been a bit wiser to wait to record until after it migrated from SF to NY and officially opened.

Oh well, I will be buying a copy regardless.

[Jovie24]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:23am

I totally notice the Mike Cannon picture...I was like wait a second that is not Jefferey.


Jovie

[Jovie24]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:33am

Music Stores are very confused with this Recording. I posted something yesterday that I had some major trouble finding the NCR of ACL in San Francisco. Many stores computers said that it was released on the 3rd, put I told them that the press releases since August said that it was going to be the 10th. I went into two stores that had told me yesterday that they dont have it at all and they don't know when they will get them in. But by my surprise, it was on the shelf today.

I think a lot of stores got confused because they also just re-mastered the OBC and that was released about a month ago...so many stores have very very conflicting released dates and shipments.

Updated On: 10/11/06 at 01:33 AM

[jimnysf]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:40am

I am still waiting for Amazon to deliver mine. I ordered it the day it was announced.

[ChiChi]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 2:30am

If it's not too much trouble, can someone on here who purchased the album on Rhapsody drop me a PM?

[ChiChi]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 2:43am

I've never gotten the whole Ken Alan love affair.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 3:18am

Jovie

Where did you see the CD in SF? (Your PM is turned off).

[FrontRowCenter2]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 6:02am

I don't know if I'm the only one who thinks the slower opening of the revival recording sounds better, but I do! The slower opening seems to slowly build to a stronger crescendo and finish which in my opinion sets the stage for the desperation that each of these dancers bring to the audition and the one thing they so passionately want - the job.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 6:43am

I agree with FrontRowCenter2 regarding the tempo. Yes, it's slower than what we are used to hearing, but I don't mind it at all.

Jessica Lee Goldyn as Val... ::sigh:: I was underwhelmed by her performance live and her performance on the recording is just as underwhelming. Out of the entire cast, she is the only one that I do not understand how in the world she was cast. She's talented, yes, but I don't think she fits the role of Val at all, physically or vocally. I will probably get shot down by some people for that, but so be it.

Updated On: 10/11/06 at 06:43 AM

[Joshua488]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 6:43am

Pardon me... double post. Updated On: 10/11/06 at 06:43 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 8:38am

I am still waiting for Amazon to deliver mine. I ordered it the day it was announced.

- That is weird. Mine came from Amazon yesterday, and I only ordered it last week.

[Humberto_Luna]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 10:07am

It's impossible for me to get AND since I live in Mexico city and Rhapsody does not sell outside the States. I just get my copy today and love it but I'mad because after all this years, after the OBC (wich I adore) and they finally record the show again and they DO NOT include the "extra" track in the cd. It's simply stupid. If someone can send me AND I'll be thankfull. Please PM me.

[theatahguy]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 10:53am

I completely agree about Ms. Goldyn as Val. I've always seen Val as a no-nonsense, "tell-it-like-it-is" broad, and it's referenced in her lines: "I never saw The Red Shoes...I dont give a *(#% about The Red Shoes." "I heard that, you b*tch." ...and this attitude CERTIANLY came thru in Pam Blair's version of the song. This song should NOT be "cutesy," which I feel is how Ms. Goldyn is performing it...and it's also not the powerhouse showstopper that it should be.

Re: the tempo in the opening number...
Are we sure that the original was not performed at approximately the same tempo that's on the OBC? I "saw" the original cast (and *saw* them again last night) and while it may not be *quite* as fast as the recording, it's close.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 10:56am

I don't recall it ever being that slow, originally at the Shubert or on the subseqent tours. It sounds as if everybody's on some heavy duty cough medicine.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 10:58am

Please spell check your title. I just keep seeing it and it buggs me everytime. Sorry!!