SPAMALOT OCR

Posted: 8/30/05 at 4:59pm

Oh my god.. I downloaded it from iTunes and why is this SOOO BAD? Everytime I buy a new album, I listen to the entire thing once just to say I alteast listened to it. I want to push the "next" button.

How is this crap the best musical of 2005? I don't understand.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:00pm

The cast recording sucks because the show sucks.

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:03pm

Thanks. Just making sure i wasn't the only one.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:04pm

I think it's fun. I imagine it's not as grating if you've seen the show.

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:07pm

Must be. I don't like how it's so "real" and how the characters actually know they're characters... I'd give examples, but every song is a freakin' example.

[zztop]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:17pm

Thank you captain obvious! sorry someone had to say it

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:31pm

zz, do you have a beard?

[zztop]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:34pm

haha no i wish.....i lack the abilty to grow a beard

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:36pm

Interesting fact: the only member to not have a beard in ZZ Top's last name was Beard.

[Cabchic]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:56pm

I have seen the show and loved it but wasn't as crazy about the OCR. If you haven't seen the show, you definitely miss stuff though. Spamalot is not for everyone but it does help if you've seen the show.

[kangaroo]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 6:02pm

You don't necessary have to be a Python fan to enjoy the show's songs... but you definitely understand the jokes better. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I thought that LITP should have won best musical... but that's just my opinion. Spamalot is still a fun show and I would watch the show, but with the majority of the OBC.

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 6:25pm

You're not alone, I think the music sucks too, its funny once, but then boring. This show didn't deserve to win best musical.

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 6:32pm

My friend's mom even got offended with the song about not being able to be on Broadway if you don't have any JEWS..and my mom won't let me listen to it except for on my own personal CD player..I do think it's something you just have to watch to get it. Because when she went to see it she came back loving it.

Updated On: 8/30/05 at 06:32 PM

[HBP]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 6:37pm

I love Spamalot and the OBCR. However, I saw the show first so I can see how the OBCR might not be funny or make much sense...

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 7:53pm

Meh Spam was just OK, for me. No I did not see it, but it doesn't seem to me like it should have won best musical. I have the OBCRs of Spam, Spelling Bee, and DRS, and have heard clip from Light. Out of all those, DRS desrved it most, I think.

[theatrebabe]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 7:58pm

Maybe you should just give it time Captain,when I first lstened to the Spelling Bee OCR,I HATED it,but now I love it. However,I have not heard the Spam OCR,so I don't know...

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 8:19pm

There are a few songs that I can listen to over and over and over; however there are some songs that are cute the first time and are great when you see the show live, but other than that. Meh.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 8:38pm

From my blog:

Spamalot Recording Review

I posted this on a previous blog but unfortunately it didn't stay so I'm reposting it!

Well being a Monty Python fan (fan not fanatic) and an enormous fan of Messrs. Curry, Azaria, Borle, Sieber and Hyde-Pierce I decided to skip the reviews of the cast recording and buy it anyways.

Now let me say I am in no way judging the content of the stage show. This could be the funniest show on Broadway right now. I was hoping that perhaps I could get an indication of that on the cast recording. Unfortunately my ears were treated to a rather bland and sticky show.

The ensemble of actors is perfect and they work off of each other marvelously but that just isn't good enough in this show. I'll cut right to what I perceive as the problem with this recording. No heart or soul. That's right I said it. William Finn once wrote "Heart and Music make a song." The music is there, at least the notes, but the heart isn't. The closest thing to a heart lies in three individuals.

The most notable is Ms. Sara Ramirez and let me say, this woman is fantastic. Effortlessly doing upwards of ten impressions (I counted Barbara, Celine, Whitney, The Merm, Sarah Brightman among others). She is a gem on this recording pulling off songs such as "Divas Lament" and "Find Your Grail" that in the hands of a lesser actress may have been wasted. The songs themselves are nothing special but the delivery is priceless. Ramirez's voice is filled with such comic subtleties when necessary and in your face power at other times. She glides from operatic to pop to musical theatre to power ballad. Where this woman came from I don't know, I certainly did pay much attention in A Class Act. Shame on you Drama Desk Awards! Sara Ramirez is a fantastic actress who needs something better than the songs she has been given here. Finally and actress who can do belt her brains out, have an outrageous sense of humor but still show some tenderness. Donna Murphy is one of the few who possess that talent and I see a new Donna in Ms. Ramirez.

The other performers at the "heart" of this show are Mr. Michael McGrath and Mr. David Hyde Pierce. Both are perfect in their respective roles. McGrath especially shines in "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life" and "I'm All Alone". His Patsy is wonderful in "I'm All Alone" and I wish I could see his face. The song, as is the case with Ms. Ramirez, is just not good enough for the talent on stage. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Mr. McGrath is Mr. Hyde Pierce. I don't have to mention his being on Frasier. I completely forgot who Niles Crane was after the recording got going. Showing a remarkably strong singing voice especially in "You Won't Succeed On Broadway" I was surprised how controlled he was. Great work!

The rest of the cast is wonderful with special mention going to Christopher Sieber in "The Song That Goes Like This" (his high note is hilarious and listen for a Colm Wilkinson impression) and Christian Borle as the Historian, A Minstrel, Not Dead Fred and Prince Herbert. Listen to Borles little "Ah" During "Where Are You" and you will begin to understand the subtle hilariousness I wish there could have been more of. Tim Curry is also very good and in excellent voice, Hank Azaria is painfully underused on this recording.

Glen Kelly needs to be given an honorary Tony for his musical arrangements. He made The Producers shine and now he makes Spamalot sound fantastic! Grand work! The technical aspect of this recording is one of the best I've ever heard. The sound is crystal clear and gorgeous. The orchestra sounds marvelous under the skillful baton of Todd Ellison and the Overture is lovely. Unfortunately I was just underwhelmed by the meat and potatoes of this show. I know that Monty Python is not known for their subtle senses of humor but the lyrics are just not very funny.

I believe it was Ben Brantley who said this show is like Forbidden Broadway with a 13 million dollar budget and I have to agree from what I hear. The music can't sustain the show. I'm assuming the book can, unfortunately there are so few actual book parts in this recording that I can't really tell and those that are in with the exception of the Historians speeches are quite dull. Eric Idle has crafted songs that all sound the same to my ears. The performers make the most of them but I wish they could be fresher, smarter, more Pythonesque. That is where we go for a heart. The Pythons have heart, the heart of the original Grail was the cheap production values and the way they relished in them.

Mel Brooks understood the need for a heart and provided it with Leo Bloom and even Max Bialystock and he made it apparent in the recording. That is what this recording lacks (I say recording and not show because I have yet to see the actual stage show) Even The Boy From Oz had heart on its recording.

There is just nothing that makes me want to care about any of the characters and though that may not be important for the Pythons of film it is a necessity in any Broadway musical.

So I give this recording 4 stars out of 5. I really wanted to give it 3 but the performers are so fantastic I don't have the heart. Great performers poor music hope you enjoyed the review!

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 8:47pm

wow, and i just ordered this and its coming in next tuesday along with the little shop revival cd...o well, its good to try new cds! ill report back on how i like it next week when i get it!

[Cabchic]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 8:08am

As far as people saying LITP should have won best musical. I did not see it and the reason I didn't see it was my friends saw it and said they were bored out of their minds. They wanted to leave after act 1. Now I am sure the music is beautiful and the story may be as well, but Spamalot has more mass appeal and I think more people will enjoy that as opposed to Piazza. I am not saying Spamalot is better, as I didnt' see Piazza like I said, but I think more everyday people would prefer Spam over it. A true Broadway or music lover, might prefer Piazza. BUt I think it's great that both are on Broadway so people have a choice as to what type of show they want to see.

[Ladyofthe Lake]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 10:14am

I don't mind when people say they don't like the show. It gets more annoying when they say it's "crap" and that it "sucks". It's not to everyone's taste - no show is - but it makes a *lot* of people very happy (and no, I don't mean just the people who stand to gain financially from it). There's a lot of talent involved, both onstage and behind the scenes, and many people believe the end result reflects it. To anyone who doesn't...hey, that's fine. But the venom is unnecessary and unfair.

For what it's worth...I don't know how much I'd enjoy the OCR if I hadn't seen the show, and I think it actually sounded better live (and I know the songs worked better when you could see the performers, and heard the dialogue leading up to the songs). I'm not saying the songs are for the ages, but they work very well in the context of the show.

[Cabchic]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 10:36am

I agree with you. I liked the live version much better than the OCR.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 10:39am

I've had the cd for over a month and still can't get through the end.

[BrdwayObsessed]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 10:50am

Lady of the Lake, very well said.

I haven't had the opportunity to see the show on Broadway but I love the OCR. There are a few songs that I don't get, and probably won't until I see the show, but overall it is very funny and entertaining.

[Urban]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 11:02am

Monty Python and British Humour is come and go in terms of people liking it. It isn't exactly "Married... With Children" in its humour. Having seen most Python movies several times over I get all the little in-jokes and references and where each of the songs comes from and all that.