LEGALLY BLONDE cast recording thoughts...

[daspazoo]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 10:35pm

Got my copy in the mail Saturday from Ghostlight. Here goes:

THE BAD:
-The orchestrations. Christopher Jahnke, there are instruments other than the electric guitar. The 'marching band' section of "What You Want" could have particularly used some more punch. Where is Stephen Oremus when you need him? Though very smiliar, I liked the charts on the demo better.
-The sound mixing. In general, it's good, but when there's overlapping vocal lines, everything gets muddled together. I would have liked for key lines to be brought out some. The best example is Orfeh's riffing at the end of "Bend and Snap." I had to bring the bass all the way down and the treble all the way up to make out what she's doing (more on that later).

THE OK:
-Laura Bell Bundy: There's a reason she got this part and I'm not denying the way she fits the character. But I just wish her upper register was stronger. Most noticeably in "Legally Blonde" (where the orchestrations are softer), all of her high notes seem a little strained, whether fortissimo or piano. It might just be her co-stars in this cast, but I look forward to seeing a replacement with a stronger belt. (I think she sounded stronger on the demo, to be honest.)
-The score: It's really, really fun. Especially for driving and singing along too. I'm really glad I have this in time for my road-trip next weekend. But at the same time, nothing about it really grabs me and says "I'm terrific!" like previous cast albums have. My favorite song is not one of the show-stoppers, but "Ireland." For the money, the best music and lyric in the show.

THE GOOD:
-The cast. Michael Rupert, a welcome treat back on Broadway. He gets the weakest material in the show and really makes in fun and enjoyable--a consummate professional. Christian Borle, I really hope good things continue to happen to this guy--he's such a talented and honest performer. Orfeh and the rest of the female ensemble--some crazy fun performances and some crazy fun riffing going on here. At times, they upstage Ms. Bundy with the vocal pyrotechnics, but what can you do?
-The packaging. Once again, Ghostlight has done an admirable job with pictures, full credits, synopsis, and lyrics. If only they did all cast recordings...


ZANNA in Chicago!

[Alison88]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 10:38pm

Christian Borle is god. His voice is just heavenly. There's reason him and Sutton are together.

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 11:33pm

LBB is sensational on the cd.
Wish Gavin Creel was on it instead of Borle... eck.

[sweeneyfan1]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 1:11am

first i want to say i love this show...now my comments

the thing that gets me most is that Laura Bell Bundy has a problem finishing words in some songs. also some of her lyrics are very unclear (which is a pain for those of us who like to rock out in our cars). i wish they had given Michael Rupert more singing i think he is amazing. another thing that i don't like is how there is so much dialog in some songs, i can see how they thought it would be important for people to know whats going on when listening but its a pain. Borle AMAZING love his voice. i think in the song Legally Blonde his voice blends well with Laura Bells. i also think it is a shame that Kate Shindle (sp on last name) only got to really belt in legally blonde remix, shes soo good. Orfeh, i am in love with her, shes fantastic, i'm glad that they changed the end of Ireland reprise so she could belt its fantastic.

over all i like the CD it still feels like its a work in progress and this is just the demo CD but what can you do.

[yankees1253]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 1:27am

i love the cd totally.

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 7:01am

I checked iTunes and it's not on...

[...5678]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:13am

LOVE this cast recording...always puts a smile on my face.

My ONLY issue with this is the sound quality...don't know if anyone else feels this way too. I find that I have to turn it up a lot more to hear it compared to all my other cd's and radio. My volume is normally at a 10 but when I listen to LB I have to jack it up to a 16. Anyone else notice that?

[TWSFan4Ever]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:29am

Yeah, ...5678, I have to turn it up, too.

[...5678]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:38am

Ok...I didn't know if it was just me. Thanks!

[LB525]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:54am

Its on Itunes now. Go to soundtrack, and it's in the 'Just In' box next to the Hairspray movie CD.

[Lm4dham052]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:11am

I've had the recording for some time now and I adore it. I mean yea there are things that could have made it better. But I enjoy it almost on an everyday basis.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 11:01am

The cast recording's very fun and makes you happy. I almost like it better than the show itself.

[Dre2387]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 11:10am

My least favorite song is Bood in the Water, and though I love Michael Rupert, I really don't like that song and wht he does with it.

But I love him in Whipped Into Shape! Fantastic!!

The cd overall is pretty good.

[sh-k-Zan]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 11:15am

Heres the link for iTunes

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=259019334&s=143441

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 11:21am

"Blood in the Water" bores me. It's a meh song and the scene is basically just copied from the movie. If you know that Elle gets kicked out, you're like "Okay, just happen already."

[crzyray]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 11:28am

Am i the only one who really loves LBB? I think she's great and I LOOVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEE her voice

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 2:27pm

Grr my cd was due tomorrow but its been put back until the 20th so i just got it of Itunes

Great cast recording was really impressed

I started to listen to it on my laptop and thought urgh it sounds bland, but after i burnt in to CD and put it on my surround sound player it sounded awesome.

Everyone has been saying that the music etc sounds weak but listening to it blasting through my speakers it sounded great(even my partner was impressed and he hates musicals lol)

The cast sound spot on (LBB sounds a little pithy in a few places but nothing major, nothing what warrants the nasty snarly remarks about her).

Orfeh and Christian sound great as does Michael and the Greek Chorus.

Stand out songs for me are Ohmigod (what a great recording of this ridiculously catchy song,The writers of this song were bloody clever knowing damn well this song would be stuck in your head for ever)

What You Want (the energy comes through on the recording , shame the cut so much out of it though)

Blood In The Water (brilliantly recorded with him sounding fantastic, and i normally hate this song)

Ireland(so glad she has an ending to the song now, how much does the Celtic Moods line make me laugh hehe)

So Much Better( people can say what they want about this show but this is one hell of a song and finishes act 1 off really well, the build in the song is fantastic , bundy is a little strained but all in all very good)

Whipped in to Shape (brilliant , my partner loved this)

There Right There( i LOVE this , its such a funny song and the cast sound wicked)

Legally Blonde(WOW , bundy sounded great here , a lot better than she did when i watched her perform this , the song is also beautiful and i love the orchestrations in this song)

Legally Blonde Remix( i was thinking this recording wouldn't be great as the song is very visual but it surprised me.)

Was not impressed with Serious at all, i don't know what it is it just sounds flat, i think with the dialog missing as well it kinda flat lines.I also did not like Bundy's Voice on this song.

And Positive is just an awful song, it seems like its all over the place with no where to go.Why the hell did they drop Love and War ?? that song was great.

All in all its a great recording but DON'T listen to it on your Laptops etc as everything sounds so diluted , put it on a great system where you can here everything.