Xanadu on Broadway (Original Broadway Cast Recording 2007)
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Free Music Notes for Xanadu on Broadway (Original Broadway Cast Recording 2007)
Free Music Review: rather listen to the original
Hit: 2 Stars
not having seen the broadway show (yet), i understand that it must be great fun in the theatre with a silly storyline, great send-ups, excellent voices. But to my ears (and believe me, they've heard a lot of broadway cast recordings :-) this cast album sounds at points rather annoying. Best parts in it are Cheyenne Jackson and Kerry Butler, but, as much a i usually love the work of Mary Testa (especially in "new brain" and "lucky stiff" here she is a complete pain in the... sorry. I always have to skip "evil woman" for it's terrible, and everytime she and Jackie Hoffman are in the chorus it sounds like painful screaching. The Titlesong is also not half as good as the original. Well, I guess this is a piece only to be enjoyed live. I stick to the classic film soundtrack.Free Music Review: PRETTY BAD
Hit: 1 Stars
I just purchased this CD. I always in some way enjoyed the movie and was quite supprised when I read they were making a musical of the movie. I'm a pretty big ELO fan and always enjoyed the music in the movie.
Well thats not the case with the original broadway cast. To start with. Kerry Butler tries to imitate Olivia Newton John and does a really poor imitation and in my opinion she can't sing. The same thing with Cheyenne Jackson. His singing is terrible. The orchestraions are dull. This kind of music should be exciting.They really killed the music. I've heard that the musical is pretty good.I haven't seen it yet, but after listening to the CD I think I will pass.
Free Music Review: A film flop goes from a "XanaDON'T" to a "XANDU"!
Hit: 5 Stars
This cast recording is wihtout a doubt the most witty, clever, and hilarious cast recording that I have ever purchased, and believe me, I have many. Kerry Butler's muse Clio is a delight, especially when she does a horrendously overdone Austrailian accent to give a nod to Newton-John. Cheyenne Jackson is also very good, as is Tony Roberts. However, it is Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa, who, as Clio's jelous sisters,will have you doubled over laughing, especially in their rendition of "Evil Woman," complete with guitar riffs, complimetns of Ms. Hoffman, and a fan dance. Don't miss this recording, or the show itself if you have the chance to see it.Free Music Review: Cheesy Heaven : Roller Blades + Greek Goddess = Paradise!
Hit: 5 Stars
"Xanadu" was totally unknown to me upto two months ago, which is when I downloaded it online. What a treat, and what a great example of a show coming to life on CD. For the record, I've never seen the show, nor will I probably get a chance to this year, but the CD does more than a great job of opening up new worlds for me. On disc, the melodies positively soar.
I heard that many of the tunes here were rehashed numbers by a defunct group called ELO - but I have no idea if this is true. Either way, the songs are way too catchy to be left alone. Its amazing that this wasn't a stage musical sooner. The various musical genres blend well, but they are all layered with a 1980s-inspired 'synth-sound' that dates the musical beautifully. It sounds purposefully vintage, and purposely so! Wonderful!
My favorite track here is "Strange Magic" (sung by Cleo's sisters). I also love that the lead actress had to sport an Australian Accent. This accent comes and goes in patches and you can tell she had a huge task maintaining this! There is one time where she is speaking about the phone book and her accent sways between American and Australian, though she tries really hard!
The final song "Xanadu" is an explosion of pink-80s-pop, in the most Olivia Newton-John meets Michelle Pfeiffer from "Grease 2" way that you can think of. A Greek Goddess sent to earth to get a man to open a roller disco is one thing, but making it a classic musical that will last forever on disc is quite another. On both counts, the producers of the show have succeeded. Take it from me, I haven't even seen the show, but the soundtrack is now firmly on my Ipod and I can't ever possibly delete it. I love how the show closer number can bring me out of any bad mood almost immediately - the power of music!
Five Stars - if this isn't in your collection, then, well, it should be! An Essential Purchase.
Free Music Review: Xanadu, Xanadu, Now that we're here in Xanadu
Hit: 4 Stars
A place where nobody dared to go
The love that we came to know
They call it Xanadu
What a blast for the past is this Broadway musical based on the disaster of a movie. Olivia Newton John stumbled after the mega hit "Grease" by ending up in a few film fiascos. She made a strong comeback in Del Shore's black comedy about white trash, "Sordid Lives" as country singer Bitsy Mae Harling. She will soon be seen in the TV series of "Sordid Lives" on the Logo Channel this spring.
Once I heard the CD I knew I wanted to see the show. I have my ticket now to see then show when I am in New York. The fun disco songs are there will great tongue in cheek touches which was certainly the way to go in making a stage musical. The show sounds like a blast.