I'm still trying to take it all in.
Some of the arrangements on these songs are improvements over what was originally done on the 1996 stage recording.
Songs on this soundtrack version rock *harder* than their stage counterparts.
Stand outs:
RENT - Miss the "Benny" and "Joanne" sections of this song but overall it really doesn't affect the song. Anthony and Adam do the song justice. The drums on this track are *kick-ass*.
ONE SONG GLORY - I love how Adam subtly starts this song. He sounds like a broken man trying to re-gain himself and through every line he slowly gains more force and power. I personally loved this song.
TANGO: MAUREEN - Incredible. Miles ahead of the stage version! Anthony and Tracie are just amazing! From beginning to finish a real winner! Tracie Thoms and Anthony Rapp outdid themeselves!! The latin influence is *right on* in this track. It sounds like a real tango now!
OUT TONIGHT - The musical arrangements on this track had my hair standing on end. I'm loving that guitar riff right when Rosario sings:
"Don't forsake me. . ." Another *kick-ass* song. Rosario sounds like she is having fun with the song. I like some of her vocal choices. For example, the way she purrs "Meow"...the sexy way she says: "Don't forsake me..." but overall the music and the arrangement are overwhelming her voice. She should be *on top* of it. It sounds like she's deep in the mix. Not what I expected and I'll be honest a little disappointed.
WILL I? - This one was great. You can hear very clearly which character is singing what part on this track. Rosario's voice sounds very pretty on this track.
LA VIE BOHEME - Now this one sounds so late '80s/early '90s grunge!! So much better than the Broadway version. The feel of the song, the guitar riffs, drum rolls...everything about this track was *on the money*!!!
SANTA FE - I love Jesse's vocal choices and fresh interpretation of the song. Another song that in my book is light years ahead of the Broadway recording.
WHAT YOU OWN - Anthony Rapp! Anthony outdid himself on this song and virtually this whole CD. He sounds so much better here than on the OBC.
LIGHT MY CANDLE - This was cute. I do like Adam's delivery more on the OBC though. Rosario is cute here and I like the very subtle latin influence of the arrangement.
GOODBYE LOVE - Anthony, Adam, Taye, Tracie, Idina are all good on this. Rosario on the other hand is missing the urgency and desperation and anger her character should be giving at this point in the story. Am I being unfair if I said that I really missed Daphne when I heard this song?
WITHOUT YOU - I love, love, love the musical arrangement of this song! It's so much better than the stage arrangement except for two things: Adam sings it so much better on the OBC and although Rosario does a decent enough job I still prefer Daphne Rubin-Vega singing this.
ANOTHER DAY - Adam and Rosario are fine here. Not a bad track at all. On par with it's stage counterpart.
TAKE ME OR LEAVE ME - Tracie Thoms! Tracie Thoms! Tracie Thoms! The woman is unbelievably gifted. She's toe-to-toe with Idina on this one and more than holds her own. They both ripp into this song and make it one of the soundtrack's highlights.
OVER THE MOON - Idina's performance of this song is so much better on the OBC. She wasn't bad, I just felt her stage version had more passion. She was fierce on the OBC.
FINALE B - Amazing! Amazing finish the harmonies here are light years ahead of the original recording. This one moved me.
All in all it wasn't bad. Overall it improves and enhances the score from the original ones recorded in 1996.
The standout performers on this CD to me were Anthony Rapp, Tracie Thoms and Jesse L. Martin.
Updated On: 9/22/05 at 05:22 AM
