Some Cast Album Opinions Needed On...

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 12:17am

Canterbury Tales
Christine
Dance a Little Closer
Johnny Johnston
Last Sweet Days of Isaac
Make a Wish
Onward Victoria
Robert and Elizabeth
Very Good Eddie (revival)

These have been on my list to get for a while. Any I should get asap?

Updated On: 6/20/10 at 12:17 AM

[Paul Bland4]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 1:30pm

Just one fan's opinion, and only on the titles I have personally heard:

"Canterbury Tales: - dated, but a fascinating concept show. Would be fun to try to update?

"Dance A Little Closer" - Some great tunes, some awful lyrics from Lerner. Cariou is excellent, but Mandelbaum hit the nail on the head when he suggested that Goulet would have been a better lounge lizard.

"Last Sweet Days of Isaac" - Loud, noisy, forgettable.

"Onward Victoria" - THIS is the title you should snap up first. Some really wonderful music and lyrics at the beginning. It may fall apart long before the end, but there's many treasures to be had up front. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Hope I was helpful, feel free to PM me if you want more info.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 1:49pm

Dance a Little Closer was a guilty pleasure a few years back, but I haven't listened to it in a long time. The music's good. Lyrics are so-so, but I've always found Lerner sloppy. Cast is quite good.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 2:45pm

The original cast of "The Last Sweet Days of Isaac" is a great cast album, and I think it is Cryer/Ford's best score. The song "Love You Came To Me" is among my favorite musical theater songs of all time. If you are a fan of musicals in the 1970s you should definitely get this one.

"Onward Victoria" is a campy delight with some sumptuous orchestrations. "Canterbury Tales" is not a priority in my opinion, but worth getting. You may want to hold off on "Make A Wish" as the Sepia issue is from 78s and you never know if Broadway Masterworks will reissue it using the master tapes. The sound is fine with Sepia, but it is not worth rushing.

I like "Dance A Little Closer," but don't listen to it much. It has been a while since I listened to "Robert and Elizabeth" but I remember the score being quite lovely.

"Christine" never grew on me but I've thought of giving it another chance.
Look at this weird Make A Wish item on ebay.

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 3:05pm

If I were you, I would skip those and just buy the Cry-Baby cast album! True genuis!

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 4:26pm

Canterbury Tales- Not great, but with some good songs. The rhythms and sound are very much of their period, which is what makes it interesting. If you can find it. I'd get it.


Christine- Some pretty songs interspersed with some duds. The title tune is lovely. Maureen O'Hara sings beautifully. I love her rendition of "My Indian Family." I would get this.


Dance a Little Closer- Not great. Not much to say about it.


Johnny Johnston- You can do without it.


Last Sweet Days of Isaac- Interesting relic of a bygone era, which it captures faithfully. Some catchy melodies. Worth having.


Make a Wish- A very good score, with tuneful, infectious songs. I recommend it.


Onward Victoria- Little to recommend.


Very Good Eddie (revival)- Excellent. Fresh, bouncy, charming, delightful. By all means worth having.

[Not Enough Time]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 5:02pm

"Robert and Elizabeth" is a lovely score. "Isaac" is dated in a wonderful way.