Taboo (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Taboo (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: AWESOME
Hit: 5 Stars
LOVE THIS SCORE....SAW THE MUSICAL TWICE..THE WORDS ARE EMPOWERING AND HAVE CHANGED MY LIFE...Free Music Review: Sadly Maligned Broadway Flop Yields a Fine Show Album Well Worth Saving
Hit: 4 Stars
In hindsight, it seems ironic that the infamous Rosie O'Donnell-produced 2003 Broadway flop has left behind such an infectious cast recording full of heart and humor. Anyone who has seen Dori Berinstein's recent 2007 documentary, "Showbusiness: The Road to Broadway" knows the myriad of struggles faced in mounting this elaborate production. My understanding is that the chief problem was Charles Busch's viewpoint-challenged book, which is of little relevance when it comes to the recording itself. What is left here is a stellar cast whose characters inhabit the London club underworld, the most noteworthy being Boy George whose meteoric rise was eventually followed by a career free-fall. However, his more significant role here is as the show's composer and lyricist, and this is where he truly triumphs.
The disc opens strongly with the one-two punch of the extravagant cabaret number, "Freak/Ode to Attention Seekers" led by Raúl Esparza's dazzling vocal turn, and Euan Morton's poignant crooning of "Stranger in This World", which nicely sums up the Boy's emotional solitude at the outset. As Boy George, Morton offers a plaintive singing voice spotlighted on the gently rolling "Pretty Lies", the rhythmic pop of "Guttersnipe", and the edgier sarcasm of "The Fame Game". It seems inevitable that a few familiar Culture Club hits are included, and Morton approximates the Boy's sound reasonably well on "Church of the Poison Mind/Karma Chameleon" and of course, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?". The wildly talented Esparza plays the campy, cross-dressing Philip Sallon, the show's narrator, with aplomb, and the show's shining moment is his with the heartbreaking Act II ballad, "Petrified".
Under his real name (George O'Dowd), Boy George himself has three diverse tracks playing flamboyant performance artist Leigh Bowery - the comic romp, "I'll Have You All"; the eighties-dance fire-up, "Everything Taboo"; and the Teutonic dirge, "Ich Bin Kunst". As cross-dressing pop singer Marilyn, Jeffrey Carlson growls his way through "Genocide Peroxide", while Cary Shields rocks out on "I See Through You". Sarah Uriarte Berry shines on the funky "Safe in the City" and the especially beautiful "Il Adore". As Big Sue, Liz McCarthy has a belter's voice which she shows off on "Talk Amongst Yourselves" and the catchy "Sexual Confusion" in which she duets snappily with Esparza. The cast comes out in full force on the fitting conclusion, the gospel-tinged "Come On In from the Outside". If the multitude of characters came across as rather perplexing onstage, it seems to work much better within the context of a recording.
Free Music Review: I like it...
Hit: 4 Stars
...although the guitar tones sounded flat and the chorus wasn't miked or mixed well with the orchestra and the leads. But overall, I found this work invigorating and entertaining.
I think Boy George's debut into musical theater writing is very successful with Taboo. His ballads "Stranger in This World" and "Talk Amongst Yourselves" are particularly beautiful and effective. Overall a good score, having not seen the production. (Would love to see it in Atlanta, if it tours.) I hope he will do more theater projects in the future. Look out Elton!
IMHO, the Broadway version of the score is better orchestrated and developed over the London version (barring NYC's flat guitar sounds and the muddy sounding chorus). And as with all Broadway transfers, the vocals tend to sound more "New York Shrill" than "European Chic" (compare Julie Covington to Patti Lupone's Evita, for example) but that phenomenon isn't all that bad, with many of the actors from the London production singing on the Broadway recording. And with the recent additions of "Come In From the Outside," "Church/Karma" and the "Fame Game," I prefer the Broadway version over the London version.
My two cents.
Free Music Review: There is still humor in Art
Hit: 4 Stars
A really great cast album. I saw the play twice and loved it. I laugh every time I play the CD remembering the wit in a very fond look back at the 80's. Boy George was almost as over the top as Leigh Bowery and his musical numbers are quite a treat. Euan Morton's voice on "Stranger in this World" is moving and seemingly heartfelt. And I just cannot say enough of Jeffrey Carlson's rendition of "Genocide Peroxide" Fabulous!
For the life of me I could not understand why the play was not so well received but after the recent Presidential election I realize that there are not as many open minded people out there as I thought.
The way that "Out of Fashion" uses a line from each previous song I thought was unique and shapes a very interesting song. But the whole CD is really, really worth a listen.
Free Music Review: Everything Taboo!
Hit: 4 Stars
Excellent recording captures the feel of the show better than the London recording, as it includes bits of dialogue and is performed in the same style as on stage. BUT, I prefer the London recording as an album to listen to,it's pop-music formula is more to my taste, more fun to sing along with. There's something about the Broadway cast recording that just doesn't seem as inviting- maybe it's a little over the top? And why shouldn't it be? It deserves a Tony, nevertheless, but you if you can't decide which csat recoding to buy, and don't want to buy both, I'd go for the London recording instead. The fabulous "Touched By The Hand Of Cool" didn't make it to Broadway, and is probably the best song from the entire score. Aw, who am I kidding? Buy them both! You know you want to!