I've replaced Finneran's track with Jane Lynch. I normally love Finneran but I cannot wrap my head around her interpretation of this character.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
Shame about the overall sound of the recording being not easy to listen to, but the score sounds wonderful. And I feel happy to not have seen Finneran, since based on the recording alone, I think she's wonderful. And I'm happy for it to stay that way.
I've seen the show twice, both with Lilla, and the recording...just doesn't sound like her. I don't understand. It's a big difference. Do you think the producers were pushing the accents too hard on the recording? Seems detracting (even more-so) overall.
Just from the recording and clips I've seen, I'm even more determined to see Lilla in the role, although Taylor Richardson does a fabulous job, as well.
"Anybody that goes to the theater, I think we’re all misfits, so we ended up on stage or in the audience.” --- Patti LuPone.
Those accents are so atrocious, they border on being offensive. I listened to this recording once and have no desire to ever subject myself to it again.
"I've replaced Finneran's track with Jane Lynch. I normally love Finneran but I cannot wrap my head around her interpretation of this character."
I'm so happy someone else agrees! I love Katie, but I was so confused by how she was playing the character. I feel like she isn't even singing in "Easy Street" she is just talking in some weird voice the whole time. I FOR SURE prefer Jane Lynch. If they were smart they would have cast her in the first place!
I'm also loving the new orchestrations. They certainly add something new. A New Deal For Christmas is probably my favourite because I actually prefer this version of the song over the original, though I wish they recorded the tap aspect as well.
I enjoyed hearing Lilla singing, "Maybe" with such a heavy accent. It surprised me that I'd never heard it done to that extent before because it really seems "right".
I'm very used to Andrea McArdle (who really sounds more like a Chicagoan when she sings on the OBC recording), and I think her vocals have consistently been "cloned" by many Annies that followed her. If it weren't for the addition of the accent, I wouldn't hear any difference between McArdle and Crawford.
I do agree that the accents are an inconsistent and inaccurate MESS throughout this recording, though. Although the orchestrations are fresh, I don't see any reason at all for not simply being content with the OBC I already own.
These girls are presumably locked in an orphanege all day, so where they would pick up the Brooklyn accents is something of a mystery. Call in J. Edgar
Seeing Lilla in the tribute concert for Hamlisch, I thought she was fantastic. I'm afraid I didn't feel the same way listening to this recording. I like much of the orchestrations and it's nice to have another recording with the quicker tempo to Hard Knock Life, but I found the excessive power-belting of Maybe to be a huge distraction. It's such a sweet melody of introspection, so I couldn't figure out why she was shouting it so LOUD. Perhaps it is the new staging or a new book? Is she hoping her "parents" can hear her voice from wherever they live however far away?
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Lila does sound rather different here than she did back in October, but you know there is also a change that happens to girls' voices around the time of puberty. I don't think she sounds bad on the recording, but I would argue she almost sounds too mature.
Listening to this....not being a huge Annie fan in the first place, I think I can live with the accents.
Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you.
--Cartman: South Park
ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."