My initial thoughts ...
The music is a LOT stronger than I thought it was from that (badly edited) trailer. There are a million better cues, melodies, and phrases to use and grab people than the ones in that teaser clip. Very solid music throughout.
The lyrics, on the other hand, are SERIOUSLY ordinary. So disappointing. Way too many "together forever" rhymes. Also a lot of weird narrative lyrics ... like "This is the part where ... this is the time ... this is the moment when ... "
Who talks like that? Who even thinks like that?
"I stand here ... I sit here ..." That's not a lyric, it's a stage direction.
The voices are really good. So are the orchestrations. So are the vocal arrangements. Some excellent moments.
That lead guy totally BUTCHERS "Unchained Melody," sucking the very soul right out of this classic American song in the name of riffy, show-offy American Idol singing. Terrible, terrible, terrible. Even if he's being playful, why sing it that way? He craps all over it.
Not crazy about Oda Mae Brown's big psychic medium number. Generic gospel music with a forgettable melody. It "sounds" right, but is pretty thin and, well, generic.
Best song: With You -- best lyrics in the whole show, too. Finally, they rise to the quality of the music. Sung beautifully, too.
Ultimately, I think there is enough talent shining through here to overcome most of the faults and have a nice, healthy run on Broadway with decent enough reviews. If the lyrics were better, this could really be one for the ages.
But OH ... those amateurish lyrics! They drag things WAY down. Together with the music, it's a pretty good score, but it could have been great. There are also far too many rock-power-ballads, especially toward the end. It becomes ponderous. Cut one or five. Have more moody-action music, or, even better, let the dialog and acting shine. Sometimes a great score is knowing when NOT to have music (see Maria's final scene in West Side Story).
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Updated On: 7/12/11 at 02:02 PM