Unsuspecting Hearts

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley follow up their successful 1998 collaboration Duets with Unsuspecting Hearts. As in the previous album, the talented duo sings female duets from Broadway shows old and new, familiar and unfamiliar. In addition, each singer gets three solos, most notably Skinner's amusing take on the woes of singing middle parts in Heisler and Goldrich's "The Alto's Lament"; Ripley's "Losing Track of Time," from a musical based on Summer of '42; and Ripley's "She's Gone," a number cut from Side Show, the 1997 production in which these two first made their name together by playing Siamese twins. Also adding some variety are a couple of duets originally written for men, Sweeney Todd's "Pretty Women" and Martin Guerre's "Live with Somebody You Love." The title track is a previously unrecorded song from Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford's 1988 show Carrie. Those who enjoy Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley should also try the cabaret collaboration of real-life sisters Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway, Sibling Revelry. --David Horiuchi

Tracks:

Friendship/Friends To The End
She's Gone
Pretty Women
The Alto's Lament
Unsuspecting Hearts
I'm Past My Prime
Losing Track of Time
What You Don't Know About Women
I Don't Know How to Love Him
Solid Silver Platform Shoes
My White Knight
The Miller's Son
Live With Somebody You Love
The Last Duet/Enough is Enough
Old Friend

Amazon.com

Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley follow up their successful 1998 collaboration Duets with Unsuspecting Hearts. As in the previous album, the talented duo sings female duets from Broadway shows old and new, familiar and unfamiliar. In addition, each singer gets three solos, most notably Skinner's amusing take on the woes of singing middle parts in Heisler and Goldrich's "The Alto's Lament"; Ripley's "Losing Track of Time," from a musical based on Summer of '42; and Ripley's "She's Gone," a number cut from Side Show, the 1997 production in which these two first made their name together by playing Siamese twins. Also adding some variety are a couple of duets originally written for men, Sweeney Todd's "Pretty Women" and Martin Guerre's "Live with Somebody You Love." The title track is a previously unrecorded song from Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford's 1988 show Carrie. Those who enjoy Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley should also try the cabaret collaboration of real-life sisters Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway, Sibling Revelry. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Best sounding duo together again.......2002-09-14

This is the best sounding duo in the history! I saw them both in Side Show and I was hooked. Their voices just blend together like they really are conjoined twins. Songs like Unsuspecting hearts is one of the great ballads that they sing. THere is everything in this album, you also have more of a rock sound with the song,Solid Silver Platform Shoes. There is and older sounding song witch is I'm past my Prime. Then you have solos which cannot be beat. You have to own this album! It's the best broadway album ever!

Awesome selections!!!!.......2002-03-29

I immediately like Unsuspecting Hearts, because it's fun to listen to- Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner definitely make the songs their own, and sound like they're having a blast recording every minute of the album. Alice Ripley is awesome in "She's Gone," a number cut from SIDE SHOW. "The Alto's Lament" is great, and the strains of hit songs from other musicals running through it makes it even more fun to listen to. I especially enjoyed "Solid Silver Platform Shoes" and "What You Don't Know About Women," because these two rock my socks off. And my socks don't rock easily. I caught the bonus segment at the end totally by accident, as I left my stereo on when I made toast. All I can say is that I hope Emily gets her shot at Petra, and they definitely deserve Anita and Maria in West Side Story!

Masterpiece.......2002-03-07

These two offer a combination never heard before and throw in humor and emotion understood only by those involved in theatrical music. BRAVISSIMA!

Simply wonderful.......2001-05-25

Is there anyone out there right now that can harmonize better than Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley? I don't think so. I recently discovered Side Show, and fell in love with these beautiful voices. Emily's strong alto beautifully complements Aice's soaring soprano. Great cd.

Something of a letdown.......2001-01-31

After the almost perfect "Duets," I found "Unsuspecting Hearts" to be something a disappointment. Overall, the material selected isn't nearly as good, there are a couple tracks that beg to be skipped, or won't bear repetition, and some are downright annoying.

That said, there are at least two cuts that make this CD worth every penny: Ripley's killer "Losing Track of Time," which I usually have to play three or four times straight, and "Old Friend," the tear-evoking closing duet.

All in all, recommended, but plan on using your track button a lot.

Music:

Music

Music