Worst cast album- Page 2

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 8:13am

Several minor shows from the 50's and 60's got recorded with poor sound quality. 

However the most recent major show I can think of is "Billy Elliot." I was shocked when I heard the album for the first time. Surely a show this successful can't have this weak a score I thought. Yes it's a dance show but imagine how much better it would be if someone had bothered to develop the central relationship between Billy and his teacher through... oh lets say... songs. Songs about how Billy feels in the dance class and why the teacher devotes her time to him? Perhaps he and his best friend could express their complicated relationship through a song that didn't sound like a bad out take from La Cage Aux Folles.

There's a reason "Electricity" was performed at all the promotional events. It's nearly the only section of the score interested in developing a character through music.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 8:25am

Not getting all the hate for the Seventies JCS albums. "Too Seventies"? You do know that's when it was written, right? The '96 studio cast, and the productions that resulted after it came out, have always made me feel like Andrew Lloyd Webber is ashamed of the original and wanted to mold it more into the shape of his later work. I'm reminded of what Stephen Sondheim said when Saturday Night was unearthed at the end of the last century: "It’s not bad for a 23-year-old. There are some things that embarrass me so much [...] but I decided: Leave it. It's my baby picture. You don't touch up baby pictures -- you're a baby." I wish Webber and Tim Rice had taken similar thoughts into consideration.

 

Having said that, it should come as no surprise that I'm with AEA AGMA SM on the concept album. True, it has imperfect notes, rough moments, the orchestration's a little primitive -- it doesn't have that acrylic slickness and polish that marks Webber's later work (especially revivals of this show). There's a rawness you'll find the way you might find in certain points of the best classic rock albums. And not all of the later material that expanded and further deepened the piece is there (I, for one, welcome the extra lyrics in "Hosanna," "The Temple" and "Trial by Pilate," and enjoy what "Then We Are Decided" and "Could We Start Again Please?" bring to the show). But it has passion and drama, in spades, to say nothing of some of the best rock vocals and instrumentation on any album anywhere.

 

Back on topic... the worst cast recording I believe I've ever heard is the Jay/TER recording of JCS with Dave Willetts, Clive Rowe, and Issy Van Randwyck. Damn, did John Yap ever miss the point of that show.

Updated On: 10/18/15 at 08:25 AM

[RagzJr]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 9:44am

Cupid Boy2 said: "Next To Normal is one that comes to mind for me. While its one of my favorite shows, it comes off as so flat and lifeless on the recording. I feel the same way about the OBCR of Xanadu. "

Xanadu ranks up there for me, too.  I had a GREAT time watching the show and truly enjoyed it for what it was.  But that cast album is rather difficult to listen to... I realize it was a rather minimal production, all things considered, but this cast album only highlights that aspect and, therefore, sounds flat and cheap.  The only thing that works on that recording is Cheyenne Jackson...

[Ranger Tom]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 10:38am

Adore the show and always wished that the OC of Godspell was better.  I like raw but it was a little too raw and unbalanced.  Guess most of my complaint was that they didn't use Original San Francisco or Toronto casts instead of NY; they were far superior.

Also, original concept album of JCS is dynamite compared to the cast albums I've heard.  Saw the original tour of the concert version with the concept album cast.  Grandstand stage right for the chorus, rock and roll show in the center.  I even stopped making out with my girlfriend in the last row of upper deck of the Oakland Arena to watch and listen.  Amazing experience.  

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 10:49am

The Wicked recording is lifeless, dull and sounds awful!

[hork]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 11:11am

MrsSallyAdams said: "Several minor shows from the 50's and 60's got recorded with poor sound quality. 

 

However the most recent major show I can think of is "Billy Elliot." I was shocked when I heard the album for the first time. Surely a show this successful can't have this weak a score I thought. Yes it's a dance show but imagine how much better it would be if someone had bothered to develop the central relationship between Billy and his teacher through... oh lets say... songs. Songs about how Billy feels in the dance class and why the teacher devotes her time to him? Perhaps he and his best friend could express their complicated relationship through a song that didn't sound like a bad out take from La Cage Aux Folles.

 

There's a reason "Electricity" was performed at all the promotional events. It's nearly the only section of the score interested in developing a character through music.

 

"

I love Billy Elliot, but I think this hits the nail on the head when it comes to explaining why the score is the worst part of it. I can't listen to those songs encouraging us to "shine" or "boogie" or whatever. And even "Grandma's Song," which is about developing the character, is kind of terribly written.

[hork]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 11:14am

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "Not getting all the hate for the Seventies JCS albums. "Too Seventies"? You do know that's when it was written, right?

 

Of course. That's why it's too '70s. I also think the original production of A Chorus Line is too '70s, even though I love the show, as well. I'm just not a fan of the era's musical styles.

 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 4:07pm

Roscoe

 

Your description of Wicked cast recording could also be used to describe the show.

[Fred Casely]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 11:57pm

Add me to a ditto about the original King & I.  I recently bought the CDs of the original 50s GUYS & DOLLS and DAMN YANKEES.  Aside from some of the vocals of the stars (OK -- just Gwen), the productions seem to lack the energy and liveliness of the recordings of subsequent revivals.

[james_1980]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 12:25am

The original west end recording of Martin Guerre: one of the male performers is out of tune.

[metropolis10111]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 1:15am

I'd like to add the Actor's Fund recording of HAIR. If ever an album was lifeless it's that one. Everyone is phoning in the movie arrangements 

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 5:08am

The original west end recording of Martin Guerre: one of the male performers is out of tune.

I never noticed that before.

I find the Sister Act album very disappointing, after the sheer joy of the show. Should've done a live recording, IMO.  

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 10:45am

I have to agree that the COCO recording is dreadful.  There's some nice music in the score but the quality of the recording is so pathetic it seems like the cast is singing in a tin can.

(Wouldn't it be nice if Encores! revived the4 show so we could judge the score more accurately?)

[JRybka]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 11:00am

I love Memphis (I know I know) and the OBCR seems to lifeless.... I do however LOVE the London Cast. 

 

The one cast recording that annoys the HELL out of me is Metropolis. Some of that music is stellar and amazing and blows the roof off vocally but it is so poorly recorded. 

[The Barricade Babe]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 11:16am

The aforementioned Spring Awakening for sure, but one I haven't seen mentioned yet is the OBC of Rent.

 

The production is very flat, very lacking in energy. And I know she's got her fans, but Daphne Rubin-Vega's voice on that recording drives me up the wall. I prefer some of the arrangements from the film, not to mention Rosario's Mimi.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 11:28am

To those who are complaining about the edited albums of Dreamgirls and The Wiz, please know that the producers were right. Both were successful recordings, especially Dreamgirls. I too wish they had a two disc option for each, but that simply was not done back then. Shows only got one recording for the OBC and a few might get a LCR as well..but rarely, and only if it was a hit in London, and a Soundtrack if it was lucky enough to be made into a film.

Trust, that I would love the full score of both original casts to have been recorded, but Geffen made the right choice, imo, on the Dreamgirls recording.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 11:30am

I meant to mention the awful OBC of "Song and Dance". How did they say to Bernadette, "Well that last note is a real clunker, but let's keep it!" referring to "Unexpected Song".

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 12:04pm

I disagree. I realize this is all in hindsight but I don't see why they couldn't have recorded a more legitimate album of The Wiz and also released the separate radio version of "Ease on Down the Road" that became so popular similar to the way the film released a two LP soundtrack of all the songs from the film and also released singles of "Ease on Down the Road" and "You Can't Win."

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 1:03pm

Different versions simply weren't recorded back in those days for OBC recordings. Could they have done it? Of course, but it wasn't a hit musical when they made those decisions.

Also, 8 track was popular back then as well. That was how I had my first recording, and "Soon as I Get Home" was cut into two separate tracks! Recordings needed to fit on 3 formats, Album, 8 track and cassette. Double albums rarely worked.

I'm on your side, remember...I hate that we don't have Effie's "please don't go away from me, stay with me, stay with me..." It's Holiday's best work in the song, imo. It's a shame, but business decisions had to be made, and they made a smash recording at a time when OBCs were not popular and it's the last time an OBC won a Grammy in a vocal performance category.

[Sorry-Grateful]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 2:17pm

The cast album of LaChiusa's "Little Fish" has always been hard for me to make it through. And I love both LaChiusa and Alice Ripley. This should be right up my alley. But the music commits a far worse sin than than being bad; it's boring. I wish this weren't the case, but it is.

Updated On: 10/20/15 at 02:17 PM

[ZellMorrowsPledge]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 5:55pm

When I first heard Hamilton I expected it to sound completely different. 3 weeks later and I can't stop replaying it.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 6:01pm

One of the most poorly-recorded cast albums I've ever heard has to be COCO with Katharine Hepburn. Terribly engineered. The original vinyl was unlistenable and the CD is just one notch above that.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 6:10pm

Another one that bothers me is the Original Cast Recording of The Secret Garden for one track: "I Heard Someone Crying" (I adore the rest of the album). The mix at the end of the song, when Mary, Lily, and Archie are all singing is not balanced well. Mandy's vocals are kept so far in the background during that trio that his lyrics are pretty much indecipherable, and the balance between Rebecca Luker and Daisy Eagan seems to shift to the wrong person at the wrong time.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/20/15 at 6:52pm

Doodle, I dunno, I know it was a different case, but Geffen released a 2 disc and a 1 disc recording of Cats, knowing that the one disc would sell better, not long after Dreamgirls.

We seem to all be discussing different things--some people are mentioning scores they dislike (I love Little FIsh and while not ideal, I'm glad it was finally recorded, but it may help that I first saw a very strong regional production several times,) and others are discussion poor cast album production or engineering or other decisions.

I don't get the anti 1970s thing for 1970s musicals either. A Chorus Line IS so 1970s that I don't really think the "fixed" revival orchestrations are an improvement (I miss that groovy guitar in many of the numbers, though I do think Tunick's new What I Did For Love works.) And I don't want to hear a Company without that rolling Rockshichord in the orchestra!

[chewy5000]

Posted: 10/21/15 at 2:10am

Yeah, the orchestrations on both of the 90's recordings of Company come across as tacky and cheap to me (not to mention the vocals on the London album, ugh). Also, the '06 revival recording seems really dray and flat, especially compared to the video.