Posted: 9/28/22 at 5:46pm
The digital booklet is up for download now.
https://found.ee/intothewoods
Posted: 9/28/22 at 6:19pm
CATSNYrevival said: "The digital booklet is up for download now.
https://found.ee/intothewoods"
I'm very excited for this recording, but I still hate everything about the artwork.
Posted: 9/28/22 at 8:40pm
I think the artwork is serviceable. It suits this production just fine.
Posted: 9/28/22 at 10:08pm
The cover looks like a program used for a community theater production. Then again, the sets for this revival also look like a community theater production. I've always been a fan of elaborate stage shows vs bare bones [personal opinion] but at least it's something...different...
Posted: 9/29/22 at 10:50am
It’s officially/definitely out 12am Apple Music local time!!!!
Posted: 9/29/22 at 12:02pm
Some quick thoughts:
Julia Lester's "I Know Things Now" sounds much less nuanced and crasser than her live performance. If you are disappointed, this does not represent her magical Litte Red Riding Hood you would see at St. James.
Sara's a perfect fit vocally. Her "No One Is Alone" reprise is pure magic.
Cole Thompson's Giants in the Sky! One of my favorite performances this season.
No More has been one of my favorites and this rendition does not disappoint.
Posted: 9/29/22 at 12:57pm
Dancingthrulife2 said: "Some quick thoughts:
Julia Lester's "I Know Things Now" sounds much less nuanced and crasser than her live performance. If you are disappointed, this does not represent her magical Litte Red Riding Hood you would see at St. James.
Sara's a perfect fit vocally. Her "No One Is Alone" reprise is pure magic.
Cole Thompson's Giants in the Sky! One of my favorite performances this season.
No More has been one of my favorites and this rendition does not disappoint.
"
Where is it up already?
Posted: 9/29/22 at 1:31pm
You can use VPN and stream it on spotify, but it's dropping very soon.
Posted: 9/29/22 at 1:47pm
I guess people always say this and get lost in the hype of new releases, but for me I think it will become my definitive Into the Woods recording. The strong vocal and acting performances across the board, full-sounding orchestra and crisp quality just does a bit more for me than the OBC, which I must admit is not one of my favourite Sondheim OBCs (including Bernadette's work, though I don't think anyone can really capture her vulnerability in "Stay With Me"
.
Posted: 9/29/22 at 2:20pm
I was re-listening to the OBC recording today, and I had forgotten how bad the sound quality is. It almost sounds like a recording of a live performance, or at least like it wasn't recorded in a studio. Was that what they were going for? I confess I don't know much about the recording process and why certain choices are made, but I definitely prefer listening to the 2002 revival cast recording.
Posted: 9/29/22 at 2:40pm
Rentaholic2 said: "I was re-listening to the OBC recording today, and I had forgotten how bad the sound quality is. It almost sounds like a recording of a live performance, or at least like it wasn't recorded in a studio. Was that what they were going for? I confess I don't know much about the recording process and why certain choices are made, but I definitely prefer listening to the 2002 revival cast recording."
I personally really dislike the 2002 recording because of the incessant tinkering with the lyrics and arrangements. Even Benanti's "never never never knew beforeeeee" and phenomenal opt up at the end Steps Of The Palace doesn't make it worth it for me.
Posted: 9/29/22 at 3:22pm
Valentina3 said: "Rentaholic2 said: "I was re-listening to the OBC recording today, and I had forgotten how bad the sound quality is. It almost sounds like a recording of a live performance, or at least like it wasn't recorded in a studio. Was that what they were going for? I confess I don't know much about the recording process and why certain choices are made, but I definitely prefer listening to the 2002 revival cast recording."
I personally really dislike the 2002 recording because of the incessant tinkering with the lyrics and arrangements. Even Benanti's"never never never knew beforeeeee" and phenomenal opt up at the end Steps Of The Palacedoesn't make it worth it for me."
That's fair. I came to know it long before getting familiar with the OBCR, so the tinkering never bothered me.
Posted: 9/29/22 at 3:48pm
I agree there is something terribly wrong with the Into the Woods OBC quality. It's especially weird because in my opinion the Sunday in the Park with George OBC recording from a few years earlier is an incredibly, incredibly luscious recording and has some of my favourite sounds (if not my favourite) of any piece of music that has been recorded in any genre.
I assume the Producers are partly responsible for whatever choices led to these outcomes. The Sunday in the Park OBC is a Thomas Z. Shepard special, who has recorded some of the most important/iconic/best Broadway cast albums we have ever seen* (e.g. Company OBC, A Little Night Music OBC, Pacific Overtures OBC, Sweeney Todd OBC). For some reason, he didn't do the Into the Woods OBC (which was Jay David Saks). Jay David Saks has made some EXCELLENT recordings himself that are probably equally iconic, at least to me (Patti's Anything Goes, Assassins OBC, Chicago Revival, Cabaret Revival, Ragtime...even Bernadette's Gypsy!). However, Into the Woods appears to be one of his earlier recordings (8th) whereas Thomas Z Shepard did Sunday I believe after having done FORTY EIGHT previous recordings. That kind of experience probably means something.
* Not that Thomas Z Shepard always succeeds. For example, I have no idea what happened at the recording session or mixing of 'Song and Dance' but that recording sounds AWFUL, the levels between the orchestra and the vocals don't seem right. It doesn't help that Bernadette probably is not at her best vocally and that she is singing that awful, atonal, repetitive, childish ALW melodies and amateur, wince-inducing orchestrations. I guess that show and Bernadette's performance was probably something you had to 'be there for'. I prefer her in almost every other show and ironically it's perhaps the least Tony-worthy performance I would describe of hers (cf. Mack & Mabel; Sunday in the Park with George; Anyone Can Whistle; Sondheim etc; Annie Get Your Gun; Gypsy; A Little Night Music; Follies; Hello, Dolly!) - all of which I think could have won Tonys if the competition was right and/or they were actually eligible for Tonys (i.e. I've included non-Broadway shows and replacement shows there, which I realise may not make sense to some).
Updated On: 9/29/22 at 03:48 PM
Posted: 9/29/22 at 4:42pm
This album is a joy to listen to. It's difficult to single out any one performance because they're all so good but I'll shout out Gavin anyway because I always do. The sound quality is obviously an improvement over the OBCR but I still say the performances on the OBCR will never truly be matched. This cast is easily a close second over the others preserved on cast albums thus far. If I had to nitpick I'll say I wish they would have recorded a single version of "No One is Alone" as heard on the OBCR and revival cast album instead of ending the song with the Giant's footsteps approaching. It works in the show to cut the song off but it's anticlimactic on an album. The London cast recording does the same thing and I kind of just like to hear the end of the song on cast albums. Also, I think it's clear why "Second Midnight" is generally left off cast albums. It doesn't really add much here and ends with the narrator describing Milky-White's death and then no explanation later on the album that he's brought back to life. Poor Milky-White.
Posted: 9/29/22 at 8:42pm
My God, this is glorious. Nothing will ever match the OBC and I’ve said before it’ll always be my go-to, but this is the first recording of the show ever besides that one that I will actually choose to listen to.
And I actually like “No One Is Alone” ending the way it does. *shrug*
Posted: 9/29/22 at 9:10pm
How are people already listening to it?
Posted: 9/29/22 at 9:17pm
Wonderful recording. Crisp, clear, glorious and everyone sounds outstanding. This is not a show I love in any capacity but this cast recording is very special. Bravo!
Posted: 9/29/22 at 9:31pm
Most of all, I'm thankful this didn't get recorded with NPH.
Posted: 9/29/22 at 10:42pm
binau said: "I agree there is something terribly wrong with the Into the Woods OBC quality. It's especially weird because in my opinion the Sunday in the Park with George OBC recording from a few years earlier is an incredibly, incredibly luscious recording and has some of my favourite sounds (if not my favourite) of any piece of music that has been recorded in any genre."
Both original recordings sound like they were recorded in a tunnel to me. It really bothers me because the original casts are so amazing.
Posted: 9/30/22 at 12:00am
It's out now — keep those thoughts coming, everybody!
Posted: 9/30/22 at 1:26am
I need to go to sleep, so I'll save a full listen-through until tomorrow, but the songs I've listened to have been glorious!
To be rather cliche for a second, Sara B. definitely is THEE moment in these woods. She just sounds INCREDIBLE. Instantly my favorite recording of the Baker's Wife's songs.
Patina sounds amazing as well! I still long for the world in which Heather was able to transfer and we got her renditions on this recording, but I think I actually enjoy listening to Patina's songs more than I enjoyed them when I saw her perform them live.
Everyone else sounds great as well, but I haven't gotten to their big songs yet! I can't wait to listen in the morning.
Posted: 9/30/22 at 2:38am
It’s really, really good. It sounds glorious all around. There are so many layers in the orchestration I haven’t noticed before. There’s such attention to detail, especially when it comes to the lyrics. And not enough can be said about Sara Bareilles, whose effortless voice and comedic chops really shine. A wonderful representation of this wonderful production, and this is an album to return to time and time again. It might be the definitive cast recording of this musical.
Posted: 9/30/22 at 3:04am
Has the orchestra been expanded at all? I'm surprised at how full it all sounds to be honest.
Posted: 9/30/22 at 3:58am
Patina's voice is so hard to listen to if I'm honest. It's jagged and kind of unpleasant. Maybe her performance makes it worth it visually but I so wish we had Heather Headley's beautiful creamy voice on this album. Her Children Will Listen was so very special at Encores!
Posted: 9/30/22 at 6:46am
Echoing that Sara Bareilles is absolutely the highlight of this recording. I’ve quite literally been a fan since I first heard Love Song in 2007 so seeing her reach these great heights on Broadway honestly makes me emotional. I love her so much.
But, for me, Julia Lester is so grating. The way she is singing makes my brain itch, I hate it so much.
I too am a disciple of the 2002 revival cast recording, so maybe I’m just so used to Molly Ephraim. Hopefully Lester’s take will grow on me.
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