MERRILY 2023 Broadway Revival Cast Recording dropping 11/15 at midnight!- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 9:06am

How Groff says the one word “Everything” in “Our Time” made me just spontaneously start crying. 

[Boq101]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 9:41am

The fact that the music and the ensemble sound so crisp. I know it's less instruments and less voices than Sweeney, but you also get the feeling this wasn't as meddled with. I'm over the over-produced sound of most modern cast recordings. 

[lopside]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 9:54am

I find it hard to stomach the cheese in this musical, an effect only amplified in the absence of the visual. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 9:59am

lopside said: "I find it hard to stomach the cheese in this musical, an effect only amplified in the absence of the visual."

cool.

[schubox]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 10:02am

I love that they surprised us with this. This is one of my favorite shows of all time and seeing this version in person was almost overwhelming. I never thought I would like anyone's version of Franklin Shepard, Inc. as much as Raul Esparza's but I loved Radcliffe's take on it. I'm not sure I'll be able to get back and see it again unless they maybe extend one more time. But I'll be wearing this out.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 10:16am

I didn't realize they'd changed the "chinese laundry" lyric in Opening Doors. About time, I say, that was the one blemish in a masterpiece of a number.

This is a hell of a recording. The horn section sounds incredible, it's so well mixed and feels so rich.

Daniel Radcliffe's accent work is insane. He must have gone over Franklin Shepard Inc. with a dialect coach syllable by syllable.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 10:17am

Jordan Catalano said: "How Groff says the one word “Everything” in “Our Time” made me just spontaneously start crying."

One of the best acting choices I’ve ever heard come through in a cast recording. You can tell how important it was not just to capture the sound of this production, but the feeling. That moment alone made me actually want to buy a ticket finally.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 10:28am

My ear is not fine tuned enough to take issue with most recordings, but gosh, I really love it.   

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 10:40am

Fabulous.

I'm thankful to have the Encores one and this.

Encores album you get to really hear the crisp lush full original orchestration.

This album has the best Merrily acting choices album yet.

Lindsay Mendez needs to become our next Patti LuPone or Bernadette. She is so singular like one of the greats and stands out from homogeneity

[schubox]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 10:48am

Jordan Catalano said: "How Groff says the one word “Everything” in “Our Time” made me just spontaneously start crying."

I've pretty much just listening to Our Time over and over this morning

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 10:57am

I have to say that this doesn't feel quite as definitive as I had hoped. There are definitley a lot of songs where I'd rather listen to a previous version. But, it's so worth it to get Groff's takes on his songs. He really is the perfect Frank. 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 11:35am

Lindsay just screaming "AAAAAAHHHHEYYYYYYY" straight into the final key change and chorus of "Old Friends" is SO funny.

[slow_the_rain]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 1:34pm

This is one of the better revival recordings in the last couple years, but I still very much prefer the 1994 recording.

My only quibbles are minor: I miss having Frank/a male voice on a few of the high harmonies (Mendez has the moving part on the last "damn few" in Old Friends, and there are some lower options taken in the Our Time harmonies between Frank and Charley), and the tempos are a hair slow for my taste. I haven't seen the current iteration of this production, but Growing Up and Franklin Shepard Inc. lacked a bit of pep and urgency. I also miss the piano noodling leading into Growing Up.

I audibly groaned a few times when lyrics were earnestly spoken instead of sung, including Groff's "everything" in Our Time.

Krystal Joy Brown is a standout (and seems to have a lot of the same vocal affectation that Michele Pawk brought to the role, I feel). Katie Rose Clarke sounds fine, and Reg Rogers actually got a chuckle out of me in Opening Doors.

Anything's better than that Encores recording...

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 2:59pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Encores album you get to really hear the crisp lush full original orchestration. This album has the best Merrily acting choices album yet."

Wish there was a fantasy world where we got this cast with the full orchestration. Or at least augmented with a few more brass and strings for the album.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 3:01pm

CRYING AND SOBBING (or at least tearing up). Finally, this show gets the Frank it needs, wow!! The gentle, bittersweet vamp in Our Time has never hit me harder.

[jpbran]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 3:40pm

Crazy to see the polar opposite reactions to “everything.” 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 4:23pm

I’m glad they recorded the full Overture and I don’t miss the tuba playing the “Good Thing Going” melody. I liked the piano playing it on the 1994 album. Is it a clarinet on this one? Anyone know? I like this too. Why does Tunick change it? It’s always a surprise.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 4:29pm

At least I’ll have this recording to see how Lindsay sounds, since she wasn’t in the show today. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 4:30pm

slow_the_rain said: "Krystal Joy Brown is a standout (and seems to have a lot of the same vocal affectation that Michele Pawk brought to the role, I feel)."

Agreed! She'd number 2 on this album for me. I LOVE her renditions!

[mshalo18]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 4:31pm

jpbran said: "Crazy to see the polar opposite reactions to “everything.”"

It makes me tear up every time. I’ve listened to “Our Time” an unhealthy number of times today. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 4:37pm

Do we think there’s a chance this production goes out on tour? I know it’s heavily relying on its stars, but if they end up winning the tony award for best revival I think it could help them launch a tour? Similar to the Company revival, if they hadn’t won the tony award it probably wouldn’t have gone on tour.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 5:06pm

jpbran said: "Crazy to see the polar opposite reactions to “everything.”"

Huh? I only see a single negative reaction to that one line in this thread. Are the polar opposite reactions in the room with us now?

Updated On: 11/15/23 at 05:06 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 5:31pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Do we think there’s a chance this production goes out on tour? I know it’s heavily relying on its stars, but if they end up winning the tony award for best revival I think it could help them launch a tour? Similar to the Company revival, if they hadn’t won the tony award it probably wouldn’t have gone on tour."

Anything is possible. Maybe it could get 5 months in big markets like Into The Woods or Falsettos. Might also depend on how Company is selling on the road –– anyone have any intel?

This doesn't really mean anything, but worth noting that none of the "usual suspects" of touring are co-producers on the Broadway production (John Gore/BAA, Independent Presenters Network/Nocciolino, Nederlander, ATG, Networks).

I wonder if they might even find a C-list "name" willing to do the tour who could get some press & boost the numbers.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 5:36pm

Imagining a world where Merrily, Company, and Sweeney are all touring at the same time.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 5:54pm

Just listened to it all the way through. It is a really good recording. Crisp and clear. The balance between the vocals and music is near perfect. I am also enjoying hearing Radcliffe tackling Sondheim.

As good as it is, I still prefer the original and Encores! recordings. (I saw the Encores! production) The orchestrations are more open and a bit softer. Having not seen this revival yet, but from what I gather it is a more intimate production,  these orchestrations may work really well for it live. Also, Ms Clarke's version of "Not A Day Goes By" is my least favorite. Loved Wolfe's version much better. It just had more passion to me. Our Time also feels a bit rushed in this revival to me.

Just my opinions. I really had no desire to see this revival but if I get the chance, I think I will.

Updated On: 11/15/23 at 05:54 PM