Fame the Musical (1999 Original American Cast Recording) Review

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(More customer reviews)This Cd is pretty good, but I do need to compare it to the Original London Cast Recording (which is hard to find.) The new Cd certainly has its high points but it also has many weak spots, namely the vocals of the character Carmen (Natasha Rennalls)and Tyrone (Dwayne Chattman). Just for the record, I saw Natasha Rennalls (now Natasha Neary) play the part of Carmen in Los Angeles. She was PHENOMENAL. But this recording does not do her justice. The vocal director has her sing it too bubble gum pop. When I saw her live she didn't sing like that. Also, her dancing was AMAZING, and her stage presence was very commanding. But I do have to complain about the song "In LA" when she takes the key higher to sing, "oh, they know how to do it in L awww." Not LA. L AWWW. What were they thinking? I was so disapointed. If you wanna hear the definitive version of "In LA" get the London Cast sung by unknown DIVA Loraine Velez who belts the song like there's NO tomorrow!
On the plus side there are a lot of great singers on this CD. Miss Sherman (Regina Le Vert) and Miss Bell (Kim Cea) belt their way through "The Teacher's Argument" like it's some kind of singing contest. It's amazing and sung better here than the London Cast. Also Le Vert belting her soulful rendition of "These Are My Children" is wonderful too.
Serena and Nick are great too played by Jennifer Gambatese (Tarzan & All Shook Up) and Gavin Creel (Millie, Mary Poppins). "I Wanna Make Magic" definitely sounds better sung by Creel. His voice is strong and smooth. Gambatese does well with the bulk of the songs "Let's Play A Love Scene" & (reprise), "Think Of Meryl Streep". Although I am partial to the London Cast sung by Gemma Wardle.
One of the roles in this show that always gets the audiences attention is the lovable Mabel, the girl who can't stop eating! Dioni Michelle Collins (Little Shop of Horrors) does well with her one hilarious song "Mabel's Prayer". But if you wanna hear it belted out of this universe, definitely get the London Cast. It's sung by now Sonia Swaby (Gigi MISS SAIGON COMPLETE RECORDING, Nancy "As Long As He Needs ME" from OLIVER in HEY MR PRODUCER! VIDEO) She really knocks it out of the park.
As a whole the Cast works well together to produce a fun filled album but it's too bubble gum, and not dark enough for my liking. Lots and lotsa of energy but maybe too much. Once again, since the London Cast was the first to perform the show, that's the way it was originally intended to be. It's sounds darker.
But on the other hand, a notable plus is that this album features the song when Carmen and Schlomo are rehearsing "Bring On Tomorrow" which is NOT on the London Cast.
I'd give this CD 3 1/2 stars if I could. So there are good and bad, now it's time for you to decide. Now, there is also FAME on 42nd Street. I say get them all to compare, and to enjoy!

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I Stand Review

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(More customer reviews)Famous for creating the role of bisexual performance artist Maureen Johnson in "Rent" as well as for her Tony Award winning triumph in "Wicked," Idina Menzel has been principally known as a performer of the stage and screen. However, she has been active as a singer/songwriter since those early "Rent" days and has three albums of her own material. "I Stand," however, provides her first real chance of gaining vast exposure as a solo artist. The album debuted at #58 on the Billboard top 200 albums chart.
Those who cherish Menzel for her glass-shattering vocal range will find much to appreciate here with the chugging, widescreen title track, replete with powerful lyrics and a life-affirming message, or "Better To Have Loved," a passionate ode to lack of regret in an unpredictable world. Producer and co-writer Glen Ballard, best known for helping Alanis Morissette unleash her inner warrior woman on 1995's landmark "Jagged Little Pill," however, hands Menzel a double-edged sword - her sound here is sweetened and ripe for mainstream audiences, but some of her unique, quirky personality that informed 1998's "Still I Can't Be Still" and 2004's lo-fi "Here" EP is lost in the shuffle. Granted, the former album had some oddball lyrics and embarrassingly dated production for a late '90s effort, but Menzel sounded like herself and no one else. Nevertheless, that album made no dent in the marketplace, so it's hard to fault Ballard for helping Menzel channel her creativity in a more marketable fashion, and the results, if not revolutionary, are rich, vibrant and entertaining.
"Gorgeous" yields a joyous, effervescent melody and pearls of wisdom in its philosophic sentiments, and "Brave," like the title track, is wholly inspiring without stooping to hackneyed, maudlin sentiments. James Blunt contributes the stirring "Don't Let Me Down," while the bittersweet "Forever," by far one of the album's strongest moments, was written entirely by Menzel. She also digs deep to unearth inner torment in the haunting "My Own Worst Enemy."
With "I Stand" Menzel succeeds in proving she is just as viable a singer/songwriter as musical performer. It's not every day that someone with such a dynamic vocal talent is also a gifted writer, making the results particularly impressive. Admirers of her stage work will agree.

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Amazon.com Already a star on Broadway, the charismatic Idina Menzel ("Rent," "Wicked") is ready to star on album. To make that happen, she has enlisted the man responsible for launching, or continuing the phenomenal careers of other recent major female artists. Glen Ballard, best known for Alanis Morissette’s 16-times-platinum Jagged Little Pill and who has worked with Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Annie Lennox and Celine Dion, produced and co-wrote all but one of the songs on I Stand with Menzel.
Idina Menzel Photos

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