Posted: 8/26/16 at 8:23pm
Well, it was released today. What do you think of it? After two casual listenings, I'm liking it. Think I'll have to pop into Target this weekend to get their exclusive version with extra tracks...
Posted: 8/26/16 at 8:58pm
The Target exclusive is the way to go - Fifty Percent has always been a favorite song from a gorgeous musical Ballroom
Posted: 8/27/16 at 1:26am
I've been listening to this album pretty much every day since it was previewed on NPR (Thanks again, Jordan!)
For me, the key to making this album palatable is Audacity (google to find your own, trusted source for the free software download). Immediately after my iTunes purchase, I edited out all the horrible, horrible scripted vignettes.
In Jordan's thread, EricMontral22 asked, "Couldn't they have an alternate release with them edited out?"
YES, PLEEEEEEZE!
Tracks I didn't edit: Who Can I Turn To?, The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened, Anything You Can Do. For my tastes, those numbers worked well with the addition (or absence) of patter. Truth be told, I purchased three more Anthony Newley scores on iTunes after being reminded of his brilliance upon hearing the Who Can I Turn To? virtual duet.
I also right-clicked and selected "uncheck selection" for At the Ballet so that I NEVER have to hear that monstrosity again. I won't delete it because I paid for it...
The only thing I regret about making that choice is that I feel Anne Hathaway did a marvelous job as Maggie - both vocally, and with her interpretation of that horrid re-scripting of the dialogue.
Updated On: 8/27/16 at 01:26 AM
Posted: 8/27/16 at 4:14am
John Adams, I've always felt THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT-THE SMELL OF THE CROWD is one of Newley and Bricusse's very best scores. In fact it's one of my favorite sixties musicals and the music still holds up today. I've also been pleasantly surprised at how often the song "Feeling Good" has resurfaced recently on newer artist's recordings. If you don't have it yet, I highly recommend it.
Posted: 8/27/16 at 9:40am
What in the world was she thinking when she decided to include that dialogue? For me, it ruins the album. It's not something I want to hear more than once...
Posted: 8/27/16 at 10:12am
Demitri2 said: "John Adams, I've always felt THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT-THE SMELL OF THE CROWD is one of Newley and Bricusse's very best scores. In fact it's one of my favorite sixties musicals and the music still holds up today. I've also been pleasantly surprised at how often the song "Feeling Good" has resurfaced recently on newer artist's recordings. If you don't have it yet, I highly recommend it."
I purchased The Roar of the Greasepaint..., Stop the World..., and The Good Old Bad Old Days. Their (Newley/Bricusse) music was everywhere when I was growing up. I heard it in adult media (TV and radio) via his amazing ballads from Stop the World and Roar of the Greasepaint. It also showed up in my elementary school choir via "Gonna Build a Mountain" and songs from Dr. Doolittle and Willy Wonka.
It's a shame their work is not more often sung or credited. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman are (rightfully) named for the current Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but I wish there were a few retrospective press pieces about Newley/Bricusse running alongside. "Pure Imagination" is the hit from this new version of the show, yet I don't feel like they're getting their due.
Do young people know who they are - particularly Newley, who was the media "frontman" of the team? He used to be the male equivalent of Ethel Merman regarding being vocally mimicked. Females could trot out their Ethel for fun, and men could do their Newley for a laugh.
Updated On: 8/27/16 at 10:12 AM
Posted: 8/29/16 at 9:28pm
Sort of surprised this thread has fizzled out. I noticed that the album was still #1 today on Amazon...even in Rock. The tour got a lot of feedback on this board, but it's looking like the new album doesn't mean much here...
Posted: 8/30/16 at 10:30am
Nah, we've moved on. Love Barbra. Nothing personal. Everything we've needed to say has been said. Nothing more to add. Her tour happened. It's over. It's been discussed. Dissected. Now we're onto other things.
Posted: 8/30/16 at 10:37am
Capeguy said: "What in the world was she thinking when she decided to include that dialogue? For me, it ruins the album. It's not something I want to hear more than once...
from EVERY interview Babs has given regarding this new album, she has stated she wanted actors who could sing...so that means there were going to be acting lead ins in some cases...why is that so hard to understand?...at this stage in her life/career Barbra obviously enjoys new challenges...:)
"
Posted: 8/30/16 at 11:44am
At first I hated the added dialogue, however, some of it has grown on me and so far the duet with Baldwin is my favorite on the entire album-not even sure why!
Posted: 8/30/16 at 1:36pm
Hello from a Streisand novice,
Including Encore, Ms. Streisand has now released 3 albums with a Broadway focus.
The Broadway Album, Back to Broadway, Encore
Are all of them essential? What thoughts do we have on these? Are there any I'm missing?
-Eddie
Posted: 8/30/16 at 1:44pm
The only essential Streisand cd is The Broadway Album. Back to Broadway suffers from mediocre vocals and poor song selection. Encore, while good, suffers from the dialogue, strange duet partners and a 74 year old voice that makes one yearn to hear what these songs would've sounded like 20 years ago. I'll continue to buy every cd she puts out until she is no longer recording, however it has been a long time since she's put out anything near essential.
Posted: 8/30/16 at 2:21pm
For me, the essential Streisand albums are those from the 1960s and 70s. After that, she's just too careful and over-produced for my taste (even the famous Broadway Album). I have to say, I understand people's being bothered by the dialogue on the new album, but I welcome the return of a looser, less uptight Streisand for whom not everything has to be a Perfect Masterpiece for the Ages. It's one of her most enjoyable albums in years.
Posted: 8/30/16 at 3:59pm
The Broadway Album is wonderful and was an excellent primer for 12 year old me on Stephen Sondheim.
Back to Broadway and Encore do not measure up. Whoever produced Broadway Album was far superior, IMO.
Posted: 8/30/16 at 4:34pm
I've been going back to her first 3 albums. It's really interesting to hear the difference in her voice -- so strong and full of raw emotion. There are also songs from broadway shows scattered throughout.
Posted: 8/30/16 at 5:32pm
Her first three albums really are incredible. The Third Album, in particular, has such power and her signature eclectic song selection: some popular hits and standards, and other less known songs that are gorgeous to hear with her legendary voice (back then, her break was almost non-existent: she belted and that power stayed when she was in head voice). I have all of her albums on my laptop but I listen to her first couple mostly. I enjoy her concerts (A Happening In Central Park is wonderful). However, while I really enjoy Encore (I actually don't mind the dialogue - if she wants to have actual characters singing songs, let her. She's Barbra Streisand and the album is selling just fine without anyone's critiques), the best part about it is the four exclusive solo tracks. While she doesn't let loose like she did in her early years, her voice in in incredible shape and with her constant training, I'm sure it will stay that way for some time. I'm looking forward to another Broadway album where she just sings solo, without relying on stars to sell. She's Barbra Streisand - she doesn't need anyone else to make a hit.
Updated On: 8/30/16 at 05:32 PM
Posted: 8/30/16 at 6:36pm
i just bought the Target edition of this CD which includes 4 new tracks and one of them is "NOT A DAY GOES BY"...which in my opinion now becomes a Barbra Streisand classic!...it was worth the trip to Target!...Barbra sings on this cd 5 SONDHEIM songs...5!!...and each one becomes hers to own now!
Updated On: 8/30/16 at 06:36 PM
Posted: 8/30/16 at 7:21pm
Peter2 said: "For me, the essential Streisand albums are those from the 1960s and 70s. After that, she's just too careful and over-produced for my taste (even the famous Broadway Album). I have to say, I understand people's being bothered by the dialogue on the new album, but I welcome the return of a looser, less uptight Streisand for whom not everything has to be a Perfect Masterpiece for the Ages. It's one of her most enjoyable albums in years."
As John Adams quoted me--I can only kinda appreciate the horrible written and acted "scenes" as camp, but...
I do agree with you that I prefer her early albums--as you say even the Broadway Album, which I do enjoy, sounds ridiculously over-produced to me. That said, while I don't follow her releases all that closely, I really did like her album of standards from 5 (?) years back, even if it was a bit sleepy and produced by Diana Krall who in general is too sleepy for me--Love is the Answer. It felt production and arrangement wise like a bit of a return to form (and the bonus disc of stripped down jazz-combo versions even more so).
Posted: 8/30/16 at 7:30pm
lovebwy said: "The Broadway Album is wonderful and was an excellent primer for 12 year old me on Stephen Sondheim.
Back to Broadway and Encore do not measure up. Whoever produced Broadway Album was far superior, IMO.
"
As far as producers--Back to Broadway was mostly the work of David Foster who was ubiquitous of course for adult contemporary pop when it came out. He did produce one track on the Broadway Album--Somewhere. Otherwise that album is a complete hodge podge of producers--none other than Bob Esty and Paul Jabara, who of course wrote and produced The Main Event, Paul wrote Enough is Enough, and Esty has done a zillion classic disco tracks like Take Me Home, did the King and I medley. Bob Esty is a facebook friend and has posted the extended dance mix of the King and I medley on his page that ultimately was never released. It's... something. (Around the same time he was trying to get Babs to team up again with Donna Summer to do It's Raining Men, a new dance track he had... Both camps refused--what could have been 
)
Posted: 8/30/16 at 7:35pm
A note from Barbra as to how it all started --
Updated On: 8/30/16 at 07:35 PM
Posted: 8/30/16 at 7:43pm
So i happened to flip the channel by LOGO and I saw there is a special called "ENCORE: Behind the Scenes With Barbra Streisand" on right now. I'm sad I didn't hear about this, as it will be done in 17 minutes...if anyone finds a link online, please post it!
Posted: 8/30/16 at 8:14pm
I forgot to cancel my iTunes pre-order and meant to get the Target version. I NEED her Fifty Percent and the other tracks. I wish Target would let you download. Guess I will be trekking to a Target tomorrow and hope it is on sale and in stock. The Target at Atlantic Center in BK is always a crap shoot!
Posted: 8/31/16 at 2:39pm
The Barbra solo tracks on the Target edition are the way to go. They are the standouts. I'm totally cool with Barbra's new raspy voice-it adds new emotional layers. I do like the rest of the album well enough, but its terribly fussy and overdone.
I sense that Barbra worries she won't sell anymore so she peppers her projects with singing partners from every demographic group (Daisy Ripley? Star Wars fans?). This makes the projects feel bloated and overproduced. The dialogue is too much.
There was a time when the voice was the highlight and she chose stark, daring material that was often avant-garde or ahead of its time. It was thrilling and primal. Those days are long gone. Her material choices are very pedestrian and sadly, dated. It's enjoyable but I found Duets just insufferable. This is better.
Like Midler with those atrocious cover albums, it feels like pandering to sell music to people who are less interested in the performer now.
I'd much prefer a solo Streisand originals album even at this age. I think she's worried that won't release at #1.
Posted: 8/31/16 at 3:55pm
Agree 100%, Betty Boy.
I would love an all Sondheim album (She and he are made for each other. Her "I Remember" from her second Christmas album is gorgeous.) Or even a album full of the newer musical theatre composers stuff, like Audra's album. She loves theatre songs and her voice is still in tremendous shape. I think she wants to stay on top as long as her career is still going on, so she plays it veg saw and doesn't take risks. Of course, legends like her are the artists that can afford to take risks and often end up with greater success.
Posted: 8/31/16 at 6:12pm
"Bob Esty is a facebook friend and has posted the extended dance mix of the King and I medley on his page that ultimately was never released. It's... something. "
Your post sent me off to scour Facebook for the link--there were a couple, both dead! (Did Streisand order them removed?) If anybody knows where to find this thing, please advise!
