POLL: Do You Care About Kritzerland's Release of Sugar?

[A NIce Macaroon]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:39am

I sure do. I'm thrilled.

And maybe I should just get over it, but I'm kind of annoyed that so many people don't care (or don't even know the show) and would rather discuss banal details of shows I wouldn't see if they paid me. I don't get it. I'm prepared for the backlash, but I hope some posters care that this board has deteriorated and no longer honors fascinating, quality shows/scores throughout musical theatre history.

[binau]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:48am

The only reason I'm contemplating getting it is because of Jule Styne's name and because I enjoyed the two Promises releases.

But the problem is I don't like shelling out a lot of $$$ on something I don't know anything about. I took a chance with the PSClassics Kitty's Kisses yesterday, so I will see how that goes as a precedent (even though it seems silly to make a decision based on this).

Updated On: 9/7/10 at 01:48 AM

[A NIce Macaroon]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:56am

Kitty's Kisses is divine, hon! I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It feels like something Man in Chair from Drowsy Chaperone would bring to life in his apartment.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 5:11am

I agree...KITTY'S KISSES is a charming 1920's piece. As for SUGAR, it is another great Jule Styne score - brassy, catchy tunes and a delicious comic performance by Robert Morse. (Listen for his asides in "We Could Be Close.") Add to this Tony Roberts, Elaine Joice and Cyril Richard in one of his last musical comedies and you have a very entertaining show album.

[tazber]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 7:11am

Yes!!! I love the score for Sugar.

Two Penniless Bums, Sugar, and It's Only Love are 3 of my favorite Styne tunes.

[bryan]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 7:35am

i have suger but put out something that is not on cd.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 7:40am

SUGAR has a good score. In my mind, though, it was hampered by an ugly physical production. The sets and costumes aren't visible on the CD.

[After Eight]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 7:44am

I plan to get the Kritzerland cd, though I wouldn't call "Sugar" a great score by any means. It was a fun show, though, with some fun songs like "We Could Be Close," "Sun on My Face," and "The Beauty That Drives Men Mad." And it's certainly heads and shoulders above the kind of scores we get nowadays.

[explorer]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 8:26am

Looking forward to this CD. Saw SUGAR 5 times on B'way. I'm sure it will be worth the price.

[newintown]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:28am

I have the Sugar CD already, and am wondering if I need two more discs that differ only in remastering. I read the description of the bad reverb on both original versions, but I'm not sure if it's enough to buy it again.

If there were additional tracks, I would be more inclined to buy.

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:31am

So excited.

[A NIce Macaroon]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:38am

Have you heard the sample remastered tracks newintown? The difference is astounding.

After those 1,000 copies are gone that's it. Unless he works out a 1 disc reissue ala the Promises OBC. I'm sure the 2 disc version will sell out soon.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:41am

I've never even heard of this show. Was anyone from Wicked in it?

[A NIce Macaroon]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:44am

Yes, Idina Menzel played Tony Roberts, Kristin Chenoweth was Robert Morse, and Shoshanna Bean made a brilliant Cyril Ritchard.
Updated On: 9/7/10 at 10:44 AM

[twinbelters]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 12:22pm

I am all for it, and can't believe how great the samples sound on the K-Land website. I listened to the MGM CD reissue this weekend and it is completely buried under reverb which I never even paid attention to because, I believe, the distortion influenced me to dismiss the score fairly immediately (also not helping is that my first exposure to the score was the lackluster Tommy Steele's "Some Like It Hot" cast recording).

I love Jule Styne so I feel that I'm getting a new Styne score I've not heard. Annnd, Robert Morse is a doll; I've become newly fascinated by him after becoming a Mad Men devotee.

Can't wait!

[Almira]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 12:42pm

BIG Jule Styne fan. BIG Robert Morse fan.

So this is good news all around for me.

My biggest problem with the score is Bob Merrill's lousy lyrics.

The songs go nowhere. They have one idea each that Merrill keeps repeating in forced un-clever ways.

Granted, Merrill's lyrics for all his shows are pretty much in this "just filling lines" style. But SUGAR having such rich comic material to mine and Styne's tunes so full of vigor, Merrill's shortcomings as a lyricist are really pronounced.

Updated On: 9/7/10 at 12:42 PM

[twinbelters]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 12:59pm

I caught a few false rhymes in Merrill's lyrics over the weekend. Wish I could remember what they were. It's so funny to me, upon reflection, that I've listened to Prettybelle so many more times than Sugar and I think it might be due in part to the better sound quality.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:09pm

[Almira]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:18pm

It's not just false rhymes with Merrill.

It is truly how un-dramatic his lyrics are. I've only seen one production of SUGAR/SOME LIKE IT HOT and the momentum just grinds to a halt when they start singing.

The songs are fun to listen to on the cast recording.. but in the show they become instantly stagnant. I feel sorry for the actors struggling to put them over.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:19pm

Not everyone got the Ryko CD edition which at any rate has been out of print for quite a while now, although Amazon still has it available as a download.

[bk]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:41pm

newintown - did you read the press release at all? We haven't just remastered the thing, we've completely remixed it from the original tapes. That is something wholly other than mastering. And, of course, you're getting a two CD set for the price of one CD - we don't really have to do that, but I do it because times is hard.

And the people who say they don't write like this anymore are completely correct. Styne was one of the best B'way melodists who ever lived and this score is filled with unbelievably catchy tunes.

And the show must have fans because this is selling faster than the 2CD Promises. That one sold a certain amount in preorders, but really took off after word got out about the remix - that's remix, newintown - not remastering. The only thing that's been remastered is CD 1 - the original album mix, available for the first time on CD. While that sounds better than it's ever sounded, it's disc 2 that's the major (and I do mean major) improvement.

[tazber]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:43pm

There is also the Tommy Steele version which was named after the film "Some Like It Hot". I only listened to that recording once, but I recall that they jettisoned about half the score for some reason.

ETA - I just checked the track listing for that cd on amazon and it looks like most of the songs are there. Don't know why I always thought that it was truncated.

Updated On: 9/7/10 at 01:43 PM

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 2:33pm

Is it just me.....or does the actor (on the right of the picture that BrodyFosse123 posted) look just like Jackie Hoffman?

[twinbelters]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 2:47pm

Tony Roberts? Sure, I can see that. Now Robert Morse (r.) in drag is looking like Leland Palmer to me.



Is there a cast recording of Tommy Steele in "Some Like It Hot"? I hadn't noticed. =)

[tazber]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 3:26pm

I just did the comparison on the K-Land website with "Penniless Bums" and WOW! what a startling difference.

I hardly consider myself an audiophile and many times I honestly just don't expect great quality from cast recordings especially older ones. I have the Ryko version and was content.

Or so I thought.

It sounds like an entirely new shiny score.

So glad I ordered this. Can not wait!

I probably won't even load CD1 into itunes. What's the point?

belters, I'm not sure if you were being serious or not but in the event that you were: