Dirty Rotten Scoundrels CD Review

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 3:08pm

One word: Brilliant.

First off, I want to say there is not one single person in the cast who is weak. Every one is amazing: John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, and Sherie Rene Scott; Joanna Gleason and Gregory Jbara; and Sarah Gettelfinger. John Lithgow also sounds very good on this recording - his voice sounds a lot stronger than onstage.

Overture - this overture is great. Very fun. I usually skip the overture, not this one. It is short, but fun at the same time.

Give Them What They Want - a great song, of course. More information on each song can be found in my blog.

What Was a Woman to Do? - Great song. Gleason and the ensemble to a great job with this hilarious song. Yes, the usher is included. The song, however, on the CD seems to lose the fact that each woman was "the only one" 'conned' by the "Prince."

Great Big Stuff - Norbert Leo Butx is jut great in the song. Overall, however, it is lacking some energy that was heavily apparent in the show. Nevertheless, it is still a fun song. (and, Bar Mitzver...?)

Chimp in a Suit - Jbara does a great job, as he does in all of his songs. "Buy him a castle/He'll still be an ASShole" gets me every time.

Oklahoma? - Gettelfinger is glorious in her only song! Some of the dance music and the gun shots have been taken out. She still does her hilarious squeal, however. Again, this song is lacking the energy from the ensemble (though I wouldn't say it is the actors' fault).

All About Ruprecht - while the lyrics are very witty and hilarious, and Lithgow and Butz do well, the song loses a lot from seeing it staged. It is a song that will be appreciated more after being seen onstage.

Here I Am - Scott's great ensemble song that loses much from the staged production. However, Scott is, as usual, in great voice as she belts out that last note. I guess I never realized how effective O'Brien's direction was until now.

Nothing is Too Wonderful to Be True - Aside from the long title, the song is beautiful. Scott, who sings the more beautiful lyrics is great. Butz and his comedy also does a great job. ("They held up that midget with Krazy Glue/Nothing is too wonderful to be true")

The Miracle - which is nothing more than a reprise of Nothing...True and introducing Lithgow as Shuffhausen. The music, as it is in the overture, is again fun to listen to.

Ruffhousin' mit Shuffhausen is a great song by Lithgow and Butz. The wip sounds are there, as is Lithgow walking away, out the door, then running back to smack Butz's legs. This song is funny and retains some of the stage comedy - although physical expressions, as can be expected, are lost.

Like Zis/Like Zat - one of my favortie songs. Jbara and Gleason are great in it.

The More We Dance - A lot of fun. I got this song stuck in my head very quickly and went around singing it...not always the best thing.

Love is My Legs - an incredibly hilarious song sung by Butz and Sherie.

Love Sneaks In - another beautiful song. Lithgow sounds very nice in this song. In the show, he sounded a little off during this song. He is definately sounding like a "singer" and not just a "comedic actor."

Son of Great Big Stuff - probably just as funny as it's father, Great Big Stuff. Norbert does very well, and a lot of the energy of the show seems to be returning.

A Message from John Lithgow - just too funny NOT to mention. Lithgow just cautions the casual listener to be careful with the last three songs.

The Reckoning - finally! The energy and hysterium of the show has been captured by the CD. The song is not only hilarious, but full of energy.

Dirty Rotten Number and the Finale are bothe full of energy and a lot of fun. I won't ruin it, but if you've seen the show, you know how great this song is.

Overall, this CD is very easy listening ans soothing. I didn't realize it before, but it as that air of Frech Riviera that relaxes you.

(The above was edited into this review. The rest of this is from the original review. Some of these things have been said, so just bear with me.)

There is one thing, however, about this CD that bugs me each time: It is lacking the energy of the staged show (such as in Great Big Stuff). I don't mean the comedy (which is obviously not as prevelant), but the ensemble is just lacking energy. It is hard to describe if you haven't heard it, but it doesn't do anything for the comedy and enthusiasm that can be found in the show.

The music, (Yazbek) of course, is great - and the lyrics are spot on funny. Yazbek is one of my favorite composers - two shows - both with great scores (the other being The Full Monty). Just about all the music is included with very little dialogue - which is nice.

Any questions, just ask!

-bso

[This review can be found in my blog]

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 03:08 PM

[iwearshoes]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 3:11pm

nice :) i can't wait to get it!!!!

[WickedShopofQ]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 3:25pm

seeing the show on the 25th of May and getting my free CD then, cant wait!~!!!~

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 3:37pm

Review updated!

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 3:50pm

Agreed on almost everything you said. What it's missing is the energy the cast gets from the audience! Still, it's wonderful to have in my playlist!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 3:51pm

When does the DRS CD officially come out?
And the Little Women CD?
And the Spamalot CD?

Sorry, Im impatient with these things :)

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 3:52pm

When does the DRS CD officially come out?
May 10

And the Little Women CD?
May 3

And the Spamalot CD?
May 3

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 3:54pm

Thanks so much!
Updated On: 4/30/05 at 03:54 PM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 4:11pm

I think they should record the music on a CD for easy listening - like massage...mainly the intro music to The Finale and Give Them What They Want, as well as the "love" songs...

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 04:11 PM

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 4:12pm

While I wouldn't want to see DRS turned into musak, I'd love a CD of some of the orchestrations...

Re-listening to it right now... the only one that doesn't translate well, of course, is "All About Ruprecht". I just needs to be seen to be believed.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 4:58pm

I pretty much completely agree with BSo, just adding a couple of points.

I don't think GBS is underenergized, there's something I remember liking much more in the show, the way he said "I Just Wanna Be Loved" at the end, but other than that, sound was fine, again only bits were lost was not seeing it. And I knew going into the CD that it wouldn't be the same, especially with a number like Ruprecht, but also Great Big Stuff, and a couple others. Totally agree about the direction.

However, I'm not sure it's a terribly bad thing the show is more appreciated seeing. Of course I love Avenue Q but by the time I went back a second time, I had the entire CD memorized so it was much harder to laugh at jokes in the songs as I had been singing them for awhile, and my second time was nowhere near as enjoyable as my first. I don't think this will happen at DRS because of the fact that seeing it is so much funnier.

Lithgow is certainly helped by the CD. Not that he's a singer or he isn't a singer, but he at least isn't known for being a singer and he was definitely helped out at getting to do songs numerous times as opposed to one live time on stage.

And though you can tell on stage, Sherie's amazing voice is certainly shown off more than ever on this CD, it's just gorgeous. Some things did transfer nicer to CD such as Ruffhausen mit Shuffhausen(probably because they kept the whipping scenes) and Norbert sounds great in any song he's playing "Buzz." I especially liked his "umm, umm, grandma?" at the end of "The Miracle."

[ACTlete676]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 5:22pm

so what is going to be different with the "official" one?

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 5:31pm

The three extra tracks and the booklet with lyrics.

It's on amazon