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: A Star is Born!
Hit: 4 Stars
While listening to the CD cannot come close to approximating the giddy experience of seeing Xanadu on stage, this CD does capture Kerry Butler's star quality. Her singing and comic timing are impeccable and she definitely has IT. This is a very well produced cast recording of a show that is a campy tribute to the days of disco....Free Music Review: This CD can just barely stand alone
Hit: 3 Stars
Saw the show - Loved the show: The cast is the best that ever was! (In fact, the one saving grace on this CD is Cheyenne Jackson.) The CD however, can hardly stand alone. This is one of those cases where it is almost hideous to listen to the music unless you are relating it to a show you have seen.
Yes, it is supposed to be campy, but I still do not really like the CD, though the show is fabulous!
Instead of this CD or in addition to this CD, may I suggest -
"Magic: The Very Best of Olivia Newton-John."
Meanwhile, when you are in NYC, do see Xanadu the Musical. Xanadu the soundtrack CD from the Musical is just okay.
Free Music Review: Doin' The Xanadu-Rag!
Hit: 5 Stars
As of this review, I haven't seen the Broadway production of XANADU yet, but if this soundtrack gives any indication, there's one word that might lazily describe what's in store for me: insane!
Sure, the movie and its longevity may top off the insane scale, but leave it to Broadway, in it's hyper-active sensibility, to bring the movie to it's main street and napalm that scale.
Okay, I may have exaggerated a bit on that last line, but that's the norm with the production and leading into this CD.
Even though the movie may not be as over the top compared to it's late 70's bad musical brethren like Can't Stop The Music and The Apple, this hasn't stopped the cast and crew to take the sudtle kinks in Xanadu's system and lovingly milk it for it's entertaining worth.
Kerry Butler's performance as Olivia Newton-John/Kira/Clio/whatever is a clear example of this. In tracks like 'Suddenly' and 'Suspended In Time', Butler comically turns ONJ's breathless singing into desperate gasps for air and morphed her accent into Paul Hogan in drag.
Even though Michael Beck's wooden performance might not have worked well in this theatrical format, Cheyenne Jackson's turn as Sonny manages to effectively nails the character's stubborn gumption.
I've also gained a new level of respect for Tony Roberts. Not only for his bravery for taking on this show and filling in Danny McGaguire's shoes, but actually singing some of the ELO songs. Being a fan of the group, I have to joyfully giggle to hear him sing his share of 'All Over The World' & 'Don't Walk Away' (sounding like Louis Armstrong on the former).
Jackie Hoffman (Melpomene) and Mary Testa (Calliope) apply their collective panache to turn ELO's early hit Evil Woman into a real Broadway showstopper. After hearing this track, I thought of checking my calendar to see when the rest of the ELO catalog will have their own turn on stage. If Mr. Blue Sky isn't made and ready for Broadway, I don't know WHAT is...other than that Out Of the Blue spaceship.
Of course, I can rant off about snippets of the brilliant and hilarious dialogue spread through out this CD, but I better pace myself and wait until I see the show in April. I will note here that my favorite line thus far is uttered by Sonny during Suddenly: "You make me feel so invincible, I feel I can go into Downtown LA without a weapon!"
All of this giddiness might sound over barring, but, by appropriately mirroring the movie's almost naked sincerity, the performances are respectful and honest, which gives this whole production needed dramatic weight; 'Don't Walk Away' almost turns into a gospel tune towards the end and 'Whenever You're Away From Me' is just as heartfelt as the original. Kerry skillfully manages to balance the humor of her performance and the drama of the lyrics, especially with 'Suspended In Time'.
The recording production carries it's own surprises. The four-piece band covers all the song's original elaborate arrangements very well and, with tracks like Suspended and Whenever, add a level of intimacy. Not forgetting additional bits of fun with Strange Magic and Have You Never Been Mellow?
Even if you've seen the show a coupe of times (and to the more selective few, many, many, many, MANY times), read all about the show's history and know it ALL by heart, the CD booklet will surprise you, too. Not only are there pictures galore, there's the wonderfully detailed, informative and funny liner notes by the show's scribe himself, Douglas Carter Beane. (Imagine my surprise to learn that one of the original Xanadu screenwriters is an associate producer of this staged production! Good for him, he suffered long enough)
After listening to this a few times to get use to hearing...aw, screw it, sucking in Xanadu being amped up to a Spinal Tap 12, I think I ready for the face to face challenge of actually seeing this movie that I loved since 1980 being lovingly and sincerely mocked to such insane levels.
Thanks to this CD, I can now take it like a man, or a thick skinned fanboy (which you have to be after years of people question you sanity thanks to this Xanadu deal). The only thing I fear now is that while I'm in NYC to see this show, I'll be forced to see The Little Mermaid on stage, too. That Disney dude maybe insane, but he takes himself a little TOO seriously...and nothing kills an insane party than a moody drunk."
Free Music Review: Is This What Broadway Has Come To?
Hit: 1 Stars
Wow, I could not believe how dreadful this album was! The movie had a kitschy charm that rested soundly on the talents of its performers and tunesmiths. Here you are missing all the star power and the melodic riches are squandered on terrible vocalists.
Is this what Broadway has come to -- recycling material that was marginal to begin with, spoiling any appeal the original had going for it, and offering it to deluded audiences and critics? This isn't a matter of diminished expectations -- it's more like a tailspin.
Twenty-seven (!) years after the film opened, it seems we all underestimated the contributions of the original artists. Who would have thought that innocuous, trite pop tunes were actually so hard to pull off? Who would have thought that Olivia Newton-John's voice had so much depth, strength, and grace? Well, listen to her next to Kerry Butler's brittle, shrill, hyper-aspirated instrument and you'll know.
Check out the youtube video of Kerry Butler and Curtis Holbrook performing Suddenly in Bryant Park in New York City -- badly off-key and just as charmless as on the soundtrack. Butler does the same ugly hissing thing with her voice -- "Look at me" -- that she does on the recording. Is this supposed to be part of the characterization?
To avoid at all costs.
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P.S. A friend of mine whose taste I trust implicitly told me yesterday that he loved the show, and loved Kerry Butler -- he thought it was clever, funny, and tuneful. So there you have it! I suspect that seeing the show might make me more appreciative of the cast recording. As a listening experience unto itself, however, I can't say that it would ever grow on me .... In other words, take the above review with a hefty grain of salt. I'm the sort who can't like a show unless I am in love with the music (even so-so music doesn't cut it for me), and good musical values trump all other production values in my book. If you're more into the total experience, you may indeed love the show and its OCR as others seem to!
Free Music Review: Just Meant to be Fun!
Hit: 4 Stars
Expectations for the Broadway musical "Xanadu" were not especially high. Based on the wretched, cult-favorite 1980 motion picture, starring Olivia Newton-John, the show instead pokes fun at the motion while maintaining its terrific soundtrack of songs, composed by Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra) and John Farrar. In fact, a couple of other well-known songs by these composers ("Evil Woman", "Strange Magic" and "Have You Never Been Mellow") were added to the production. The show became a hit with the critics.
Taken in this less-serious context, the show's score sounds fun (and it is), though there are a couple of duds in the score (and its a bit short overall). The cast, however, led by Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson, Mary Testa & Jackie Hoffman, sound great throughout!
Best tracks include:
I'm Alive
Magic
Evil Woman (a hysterical interpretation by Testa/Hoffman)
Suddenly
All Over The World
Xanadu