I got my ASSASSINS CD today....

...and it's absolutely perfect, except for one thing. This time around they decided not to include the full scene between Booth and Lee. It just starts with "Take a look Lee..." and I must say it totally and completely ruins the impact of the entire thing. But, what can we do??? Nothing. Whoever made this decision should be shot! Do I get a prize??? haha.

Anyway, the orchestrations are mind blowing and the cast is outstanding. The sound quality, too is impeccable. What are they using now? Is it something new? lol. We get more dialogue sprinkled through out the recording this time around including the scene prior to "Another National Anthem" that Byck talks us through that has been dubbed "Have It Your Way." I had never heard it before and it's great. Brilliant. But nonetheless without that final scene the recording is flawed. You'll still need to get the original off-Broadway one so you can listen to that scene. Otherwise like I said everything else is perfect. "Something Just Broke" will be stuck in my head forever. And it made me cry a little, so fu*ck those who say it doesn't belong or that it slows down the finale. It deserves to be included.

Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Cerveris and James Barbour are the standouts here. The packaging is very nice. You get a dust cover, a 48 page full color booklet with essays, complete lyrics and TONS of pictures from the show. It must have been a great night of theatre. But alas, I can't say it enough ... without that scene this otherwise godlike Broadway cast recording is just mediocre...

Updated On: 7/24/04 at 04:38 PM

CATS, you wouldn't have gotten the Byck monologue without the shortened Oswald scene. And it does differentiate the two recordings- I guess they wanted to give people a reason to buy the second recording other than the fact that it's different actors.

I think they included Byck because right now Mario is arguably the most well-known cast member to the outside, non-theater, world...thanks to Sex in the City. I'm not knocking him, at all. In fact, I'm glad that it was included.

I've listened to the original recording so much that it's a little difficult for me to step back and assess what is or isn't better or worse...as opposed to just being different. The short version of what I think is that there seems to have been considerably more time put into the recording and production of the original. The new CD has much more of a "you at at tonight's performance" feel to it. The other difference of which I am now more aware, is that the orchestration is very different. I miss the strings...especially in The Ballad of Booth. It didn't matter to me during the live performance, but I notice it much more on the recording. The CD also underscores what I knew all along...that neither actress was strong vocally...but again...I'm not logging that as a complaint because their portrayals of their characters was perfect. Priceless. Were I in casting, I can only hope to have chosen as well.

The bottom line is that I am just plain grateful that this recording was made at all. And the booklet that accompanies the CD is outstanding. Lots of great pictures from the show.

And in the minutiae department. My favorite line...the one that gives me chills...remains the same on both recordings: "Let them cry dirty traitor. They will understand it later..."

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Updated On: 7/24/04 at 05:31 PM

Yay! The mailman just dropped mine off! I'm so excited, I can't wait to play it! I really miss ASSASSINS!

I was actually suprisingly unimpressed with the recording. iflitifloat hit the nail right on the head - there is no sense of being in the experience of the show due to the crystal clear vocals. It literally sounds like all the people are standing right in front of you singing - not on a stage presenting the piece as it was meant to be heard in the theatre. These vocals are so loudly mixed that they detract away from the BRILLIANT orchestrations.

On the plus side - the packaging is EXCELLENT - lots of cool information and photos. And on the whole, the CD is a really neat new take on the show -- but I'll never be complete if I don't have both the new and old CDs at my side.

Amazon.com says that the estimate shippment date is August 4th. Will I still get it before that? Does it just say that because the official release date is the 3rd?

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BwayTheatre11, the CD is on sale at PSClassics.com so cancel your pre-order at Amazon and order it at PSClassics and you'll get it before the third. It only takes about three days. Unless they sold out...

Updated On: 7/24/04 at 10:40 PM

I ordered mine right after midnight on Thursday morning and got it this afternoon! I don't think it's going to be leaving my car for a looooong time. Absolutely wonderful! I was having a terrible day, and this is exactly what I needed. The booklet is wonderful, but I am very disappointed they didn't include my favorite pic of O'Hare and Baker. Oh well.

I sent an e-mail to psclassics expressing how I feel. I'm sure they won't respond, but at least someone will read it...

A full synopsis IS included. You pretty much get the idea from listening to the CD, but if you don't get the off-Broadway CD as well, then at the least get the book and read that final scene. It's so important to the piece. I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY LEFT IT OUT!!!!!!

Yes, it is.

It was available on the psclassics website, but I'm hearing rumors that they already sold out...

Well, you're werid. I'm so over this now. It's just a shame. End of story.