SUNSET BOULEVARD 2024 West End Cast Recording Thread

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/29/24 at 12:39pm

I don’t normally do these for London cast albums, but because all four principals in this production are coming to Broadway, here goes…

Releases October 25 digitally, physically, and on vinyl! Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton

*Recorded live at the Savoy Theatre*

Updated On: 9/23/24 at 12:39 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/29/24 at 1:02pm

Track listing:

• ACT I
• 1. Overture
• 2. Let Me Take You Back
• 3. Let’s Do Lunch
• 4. Betty’s Pitch
• 5. The Car Chase
• 6. Surrender
• 7. With One Look
• 8. Scene: Did you say you were a writer?
• 9. Salome
• 10. The Greatest Star of All
• 11. Schwab’s Drugstore
• 12. Girl Meets Boy
• 13. Scene: Where have you been?
• 14. I Started Work
• 15. What’s On This Evening?
• 16. New Ways to Dream
• 17. Scene: Today’s the day
• 18. New Year’s Tango
• 19. The Perfect Year
• 20. This Time Next Year
• 21. Scene: Happy New Year, darling

 

• ACT II
• 22. Entr’acte
• 23. Sunset Boulevard
• 24. There’s Been a Call / It Took Her Three Days
• 25. Arrival at Paramount
• 26. Norma in the Studio
• 27. As If We Never Said Goodbye
• 28. Paramount Conversations / Surrender (Reprise)
• 29. Girl Meets Boy (Reprise)
• 30. Scene: Who’s Betty Schaefer? / I Should Have Stayed There
• 31. Scene: The Back Lot
• 32. Too Much in Love to Care
• 33. Scene: I made her a star
• 34. New Ways to Dream (Reprise)
• 35. The Phone Call
• 36. What’s Going On, Joe?
• 37. No One Ever Leaves a Star
• 38. Max, Where Am I?
• 39. End Credits

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 7:10am

Super excited for this recording (and the production itself)!

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 4:04pm

This looks like it will be the most complete recording of the show yet. Love how many tracks this is split into. While I love recordings that include scenes and/or dialogue, I really love when they are separate tracks. What is usually one long track for 'the Final Scene' is now 3 tracks. Amazing. And love that they are including the exit music.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 6:38pm

FANtomFollies said: "This looks like it will be the most complete recording of the show yet."

How can you call this more complete? It seems likely to be the complete show as performed in this production but this production doesn't use "The Lady's Paying" or "Eternal Youth." The American Premiere Recording is pretty much complete it's just missing some scene change music and the exit music, though the Perfect Year promotional single with Glenn has a suite which is essentially the exit music.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 8/31/24 at 7:25am

CATSNYrevival said: "FANtomFollies said: "This looks like it will be the most complete recording of the show yet."

How can you call this more complete? It seemslikely to be the complete show as performed in this production but this production doesn't use"The Lady's Paying" or"Eternal Youth."

Honestly I completely forgot about those songs.

 

[binau]

Posted: 8/31/24 at 8:28am

I never want to see or hear the show another way now. It’s like the Sam Mendes cabaret has happened and there is no going back. 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 8/31/24 at 11:18am

I may just be stuck in my ways, but I prefer the longer tracks for the last few scenes. Regardless, very happy to have preordered this recording! Love that it was (supposedly) recorded live. 

[greensgreens]

Posted: 9/1/24 at 12:38am

I understand the massive cost savings, but I hate these live recordings. 😢

[Parth Salat]

Posted: 9/1/24 at 10:15am

All four? I might have to listen closely to this one, just to be sure...

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/17/24 at 11:03am

The title song — and a music video for it — will be released on Friday. 

Updated On: 9/17/24 at 11:03 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 12:00am

Tom Francis (Joe Gillis) performing the title song:

 

 

Updated On: 9/20/24 at 12:00 AM

[binau]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 2:47am

Im not sure if that song fully works without the visuals haha. Bring on Nicole’s songs!!!

[OhHiii]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 8:25am

The title song has always been one of my least favorites. When I saw it staged for the Glenn revival me and the person I went with had to stifle back laughter at how horrible the song itself is. The pyrotechnics of this production’s staging is what has seemed to elevate it. The Olivier’s performance made me forget all about how horrible I thought the song was previously. 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 9:23am

Jamie Lloyd does everything in his power to distract us from the actual quality of the material, which is one of the reasons why his production is so brilliant.

[yyys]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 9:38am

Agreed. Sunset score pretty much blows except for "With One Look" and "New Ways to Dream"  

 

QueenAlice said: "Jamie Lloyd does everything in his power to distract us from the actual quality of the material, which is one of the reasons why his production is so brilliant."

 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 10:18am

Pyrotechnics? There’s nothing on stage and the costumes are pathetic and the cast barely make eye contact. What pyrotechnics? 

[EvanstonDad]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 10:23am

Agreed. Sunset score pretty much blows except for "With One Look" and "New Ways to Dream"

QueenAlice said: "Jamie Lloyd does everything in his power to distract us from the actual quality of the material, which is one of the reasons why his production is so brilliant."

Awww....I love the score to Sunset. It's probably my favorite ALW score after Jesus Christ Superstar. Aspects of Love is great too, but the book is so horrible I never feel like listening to it.

[Lot666]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 10:26am

EvanstonDad said: "Agreed. Sunset score pretty much blows except for "With One Look" and "New Ways to Dream"

QueenAlice said: "Jamie Lloyd does everything in his power to distract us from the actual quality of the material, which is one of the reasons why his production is so brilliant."

Awww....I love the score to Sunset."

Me too. #hatersgonnahate

[kdogg36]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 11:11am

Count me in as another admirer of the Sunset score, including the title song, which I think has vivid lyrics and a lot of energy. (And this production cuts the two songs I don't really care for!)

[OhHiii]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 11:21am

iluvtheatertrash said: "Pyrotechnics? There’s nothing on stage and the costumes are pathetic and the cast barely make eye contact. What pyrotechnics?"

It doesn’t take a genius to know what I was referring to. To say that the technical feat of how the title number is staged is extraordinary in scope. Stop being obtuse. 

[binau]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 11:48am

Exactly, I mean he walks outside of the building and sings a live performance while it is live streamed inside the theatre the whole time for god sake. That is obviously quite a visual feast and I think a major reason why the song works in this productions (my previous reaction to this song is boredom at best or cringe at worst). I think people watch to try to trip people up/split hairs on small details to try and find someone to argue about but it’s pointless to do this when it contradicts the obvious intention everyone can see. 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 12:19pm

I'm not saying I  don't have a personal affinity for the score to SUNSET, but Jamie Lloyd's production makes it seem stronger than it actually is.  Part of that is because, in this staging, a substantial amount of the "Hollywood/ Joe-Betty" lyrics have been rewritten (for the better) and of course he cuts the afore mentioned two songs that have always been cringeworthy.  But in other instances, what he does with staging underscores and highlights the intention of the songwriters (in some way distracting from thei quality of the actual songs) so that the material, as a musical suddenly feels visceral and thematically tight in a way it simply never has before. I hope the Broadway staging captures the London production which was electric.

[chernjam]

Posted: 9/20/24 at 1:45pm

I stayed up past midnight to hear the full track and have listened at least 3 times already - not counting watching the video twice.  The freshness and vitality that we've been hearing about the production is reflected already. The orchestrations are so crisp, Tom Francis sounds perfect - cannot wait to hear the full recording (and to see it) ... and cannot believe how great live recordings have come in terms of quality 

[Dolly80]

Posted: 9/21/24 at 6:08am

That BWW article about the cast filming outside is so dumb. “It’s not clear if this is how the number will be staged..” (or words to that effect)… erm- it’s LITERALLY how the number is staged in this show.