The Original

Track Listings
Disc: 1
1. I'm Going On    
2. Unworthy    
3. Love Isn't Love    
4. Victory    
5. Running Back to You    
6. How Can We Sing (In a Strange Land)    
7. Go Tell Somebody    
8. Life That Shows    
9. 'Tis So Sweet    
10. More Than You'll Ever Know    
Disc: 2
1. So Good to Know    
2. Ordinary Just Won't Do    
3. Cry On    
4. Lord Jesus Help Me (Help Somebody Else)    
5. If My People    
6. City    
7. Will You Be Ready    
8. Save Me Now    
9. Back in the Saddle    
10. Praise for You    

The Original, Music, Commissioned, Contemporary Gospel, Gospel, Gospel/Christian Music, Pop, Urban
Once
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • awesome
  • Once
  • Best film score of the year..
  • Once
  • Amazing Film Amazing Songs
 Once
Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000PFU7OO
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

  1. Falling Slowly
  2. If You Want Me
  3. Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy
  4. When Your Minds Made Up
  5. Lies
  6. Gold
  7. The Hill
  8. Fallen from the Sky
  9. Leave
  10. Trying to Pull Myself Away
  11. All the Way Down
  12. Once
  13. Say It to Me Now

Amazon.com

Even those allergic to musicals may be won over by Once, a tender-hearted Irish romance with songs by Czech Republic-born Markéta Irglová and Frames frontman Glen Hansard. (The film's director, John Carney, actually used to play bass in the group.) The trick here is that Irglová and Hansard also play the leads; because their characters are shown busking, writing music, or rehearsing, the songs are smoothly integrated in the film. The overall acoustic mood won't surprise fans of the Frames--some tracks ("Say It to Me," "When Your Mind's Made Up") have even popped up on the band's albums, though the arrangements are more pared-down here, befitting the scruffy, street-musician setting. Being the lesser-known entity, Irglová feels like a revelation; she sounds a bit like a folkie Björk on "If You Want Me," and her song "The Hill" is downright heartbreaking. Irglová and Hansard had already made the 2006 album The Swell Seasontogether, so their collaboration here feels really organic--they sound particularly good together on the title track, for instance. Now that's the kind of magic you want from musicals. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars awesome.......2007-07-15

The music was almost as good as in the movie. I loved the CD!

5 out of 5 stars Once.......2007-07-13

I saw the movie and immediately ordered the soundtrack. I play it all the time. The music is great and the CD well balanced. I can't wait for the DVD.

5 out of 5 stars Best film score of the year.........2007-07-12

I agree with the critics that this lovely movie has the best music of any film in years.

5 out of 5 stars Once.......2007-07-12

This CD captures the beauty and power of the songs from the movie. I still get goosebumps when I listen to Say It To Me Know and When Your Mind's Made Up. You will not be disappointed by purchasing this soundtrack.

5 out of 5 stars Amazing Film Amazing Songs.......2007-07-12

Once you see the film "Once" the music will stay in your head for days. The soundtrack captures the magic of the film and the music is 85% of the story. Wonderful music.
Wicked (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Defying Gravity and all expecations...
  • The Wicked Witch of the West is misunderstood.
  • A Wicked musical
  • Wicked Wonderful!
  • Wicked Soundtrack
 Wicked (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
Stephen Schwartz , Kristin Chenoweth , and Idina Menzel
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  4. Avenue Q (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
  5. Wicked - Piano/Vocal Arrangement

ASIN: B0000TB01Y
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Tracks:

  1. No One Mourns the Wicked - Cristy Candler
  2. Dear Old Shiz
  3. The Wizard and I - Idina Menzel
  4. What Is This Feeling? - Kristin Chenoweth
  5. Something Bad - William Youmans
  6. Dancing Through Life - Michelle Federer
  7. Popular - Kristin Chenoweth
  8. I'm Not That Girl - Idina Menzel
  9. One Short Day - Kristin Chenoweth
  10. A Sentimental Man - Joel Grey
  11. Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel
  12. Thank Goodness - Kristin Chenoweth
  13. Wonderful - Idina Menzel
  14. I'm Not That Girl (Reprise) - Kristin Chenoweth
  15. As Long as You're Mine - Norbert Leo Butz
  16. No Good Deed - Idina Menzel
  17. March of the Witch Hunters
  18. For Good - Kristin Chenoweth
  19. Finale - Kristin Chenoweth

Amazon.com

One of the most common complaints about musicals is that the books are flimsy pretexts from which to hang numbers. Wicked runs into the opposite problem: it has a great plot, but too often the songs just get in the way. Based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, Wicked tells us what happened between Glinda the Good and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy showed up in Oz. And the show is lucky to boast a pair of ace leading women in the main roles. As Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth delivers a sensational star turn, displaying a crystal-pure voice and sharp comic timing; Idina Menzel lends her powerful pipes to the tricky role of Elphaba. Unfortunately, you wish they had better material to work with. Stephen Schwartz's pop score is often dragged down by overly synthetic orchestrations and sentimental lyrics (think Chicken Soup for the Witch). Still, at its best Wicked is a seductive slice of popular entertainment that could well give a younger audience a lasting taste for musical theater. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Defying Gravity and all expecations..........2007-07-16

As someone who loves Broadway musicals-- this soundtrack/songs include some of the best out there- the original cast soundtrack is amazing with songs you will eventually memorize and sing along too-
The CD comes with the lyrics as well as the other important information for each song (producer, etc). If you haven't already seen Wicked, you may have trouble following what the show is about just from listening to the soundtrack-- you will get a feel for it but reading the Grimmerie (the Wicked book- also sold on Amazon) or seeing Wicked either on or off Broadway will make you fall in love faster with this soundtrack-

5 out of 5 stars The Wicked Witch of the West is misunderstood........2007-07-14

I have tickets to see the play in Philadelphia this August. I purchased the Music CD, the original Wicked book, and the Grimmeri, a well designed book about the Broadway play, its history, costumes, and character profiles with full color pictures and stories, a great trio. The book tells a story, so unexpected, when I got to the last page, I sighed and smiled. I was totally satisfied. Even more I had already been listening to the music, which is totally fabulous, I listened again and again, some of the songs are happily stuck in my head, and then my reading the book made the music make total sense, it brought the story to life in the songs. I can't wait to see the play.
My sisters refuse to read the book they are afraid it will take away from the show. I say they are dead wrong and the book and music reviewed ahead of time will definitely enhance the theater experience. You decide, either way it's a great read, 5 stars for the generation who grew up with the Wizard of OZ classic.

4 out of 5 stars A Wicked musical.......2007-07-13

There are two, for me, outstanding pieces to this recording of the Original cast recording of the musical 'Wicked' The wizard and I and Popular. Both sung with great fun and gusto.
Over all I enjoyed the CD, being a massive wizard of Oz fan, it was interesting to listen to the story from an altogether different perspective. Enjoyable, memorable and fun- a great purchase, that comes highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Wicked Wonderful!.......2007-07-12

My son and nieces saw Wicked on Broadway three years ago and it took me this long to order the CD. I played it endlessly the last several weeks and as a long time musical afficionado can say unequivocally, it is a superlative example of score and libretto. The lyrics are exemplary in their poignancy and clever massage of the concepts of good and evil. The music tugged at every heartstring I have. Wicked is sublime!

5 out of 5 stars Wicked Soundtrack.......2007-07-12

I have experienced Wicked in London at the Apollo Theatre on three separate occasions. Owning the soundrack enables me to relive the emotion surrounding this amazing theatrical production. This soundtrack includes an appropriate character dialog and music combination enabling the listener to participate in a continuous story line flow, avoiding gaps and interrupted transitions, providing the opportunity to relieve each theatrical experience scene by scene.

I recommend this soundtract for those who are planning to go to a Wicked production. The soundract includes printed musical lyrics in the included folio. Immersing oneself in the music and lyrics will enhance the total experience at the theatre.

Enjoy
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • I Love Phoebe Strole's as Ilse!
  • what a great album.
  • Interesting concept for the stage
  • Great show, great soundtrack
  • Great new musical
 Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Duncan Sheik , Steven Sater , Skylar Astin , Lilli Cooper , John Gallagher Jr. , Gideon Glick , Jonathan Groff , Brian Johnson , Lea Michele , and Lauren Pritchard
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000J3FBFC
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Tracks:

  1. Mamma Who Bore Me
  2. Mamma Who Bore Me (Reprise)
  3. All That's Known
  4. The B*tch of Living
  5. My Junk
  6. Touch Me
  7. The Word of Your Body
  8. The Dark I Know Well
  9. And Then There Were None
  10. The Mirror-Blue Night
  11. I Believe
  12. Don't Do Sadness
  13. Blue Wind
  14. The Guilty Ones
  15. Left Behind
  16. Totally F*ucked
  17. The Word of Your Body (Reprise)
  18. Whispering
  19. Those You've Known
  20. The Song of Purple Summer

Amazon.com

Who would have thought that Duncan Sheik would succeed where Paul Simon and Randy Newman failed, successfully transitioning from the pop-rock world to the Broadway stage? With Spring Awakening, Sheik and book writer/lyricist Steven Slater (who had already worked on Sheik's 2001 album Phantom Moon) have created a thoroughly exciting show that incorporates a contemporary art-indie idiom (including a small rock band instead of an orchestra) into a dramatic musical-theater context. The unlikely setting is that of a Frank Wedekind adaptation, but as it turns out, teenage angst is perennial, whether it's in contemporary America or in a 1891 German boarding school. Songs such as "The Bitch of Living" ("with nothing going on, asking just what went wrong"), "The Word of Your Body," "I Don't Do Sadness," and "Totally Fucked" ("You're fucked if you speak your mind and you know you will") resonate with the rage, frustration, confusion, excitement, joy, anger, and of course budding lust of those hormone-driven years. The show is greatly enhanced by its youthful cast members (they're all pretty close in age to their characters), who sing their hearts out. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

Decca Broadway presents the cast recording for the acclaimed new Broadway production, SPRING AWAKENING. Written by pop music composer Duncan Sheik and playwright/lyricist Steven Sater, the musical explores emotional earthquakes in the lives of teenagers.

SPRING AWAKENING is based on Frank Wedekind's controversial 1891 drama, which was scandalous in its day for addressing sex violence and suicide. The story, dialogue and costumes suggest the 19th Century, and are perfectly wedded to a beautiful alternative pop music score by Grammy® nominated singer/songwriter Duncan Sheik. The creative team also includes Tony® Award Winning director Michael Mayer (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and legendary choreographer Bill T. Jones.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars I Love Phoebe Strole's as Ilse!.......2007-07-14

I finally got this extraordinary soundtrack and I love it! The CD soundtrack is true to the play, with one exception. I saw "Spring Awakening" back in February and was blown away by the production and by the cast's incredible talent! That night I was also introduced to Phoebe Strole who played the part of Ilse. I will never forget how beautiful her voice was, especially on the song "Blue Wind". When I purchased the CD I was anticipating hearing Stole sing this beautiful song. And instead they used Lauren Pritchard's vocals for the soundtrack. Pritchard has a nice voice but I liked Strole's rendition better. I wish they would have put Strole's version as an alternate on this soundtrack recording. Other than that, this cast album is a must for your Broadway collection!

5 out of 5 stars what a great album........2007-07-13

The songs are written so well, and the performances are excellent! It's quite an experience to listen to.

4 out of 5 stars Interesting concept for the stage.......2007-07-13

The music is good, just takes some getting used to if your into more traditional musical theater. The themes are very adult, but the music is haunting. The phrasing is very different and the lyrics are more obtuse than I'm used to, But once you give it a chance, you will be singing these songs all day. I will be very interested in seeing this production live.

5 out of 5 stars Great show, great soundtrack.......2007-07-13

Spring Awakening is "not your parents' musical," so to speak, and the music certainly reflects that. With many musicals, it is hard to enjoy the music out of context, i.e. if you haven't seen the show, but I don't think that is the case with this soundtrack. The songs are edgy, beautifully written and magnificently performed. I keep going back to this over and over again.

4 out of 5 stars Great new musical.......2007-07-13

I saw the cast performing on the Tony's and was blown away by the music. TV usually deadens live theater no matter how good it is, but when I saw the company performing and they still were dynamite over the airwaves, I knew this was something special. The CD does not disappoint. Only criticism is that some of the lyrics they sing in a few songs are not in the liner notes, and it's so good I wish I had every word in writing. Not suitable for playing if you've got young children in the car, but the profanity is not for shock value, it is justified in the text. Great new work.
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • CURTAINS is likable but not special.
  • The Last Kander and Ebb
  • All DAVID HYDE PIERCE FANS WILL LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!
  • Very Pleasant
  • Pure Entertainment
 Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Manufacturer: Manhattan Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000PC1QKQ
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

  1. Overture
  2. Wide Open Spaces
  3. What Kind Of Man?
  4. Thinking Of Him
  5. The Woman's Dead
  6. Show People
  7. Coffee Shop Nights
  8. In the Same Boat
  9. I Miss the Music
  10. Thataway!
  11. The Man Is Dead
  12. He Did It
  13. In the Same Boat
  14. It's a Business
  15. Kansasland
  16. Medley: Thinking Of Him/I Miss the Music
  17. A Tough Act To Follow
  18. In the Same Boat
  19. In the Same Boat
  20. Show People
  21. Wide Open Spaces
  22. A Tough Act To Follow

Amazon.com

Sadly, Curtains is the final entry in the long and fruitful partnership of lyricist Fred Ebb (who died in September 2004) and composer John Kander. While the show doesn't reach the heights of the team's previous masterpieces, such as Cabaret and Chicago, it's certainly a lot better than, say, their middling 1997 offering Steel Pier. Deliberately old-fashioned (it even features a real overture, something that's fast becoming a rarity), Curtains is a whodunit rolled into a musical--or vice versa. Set in 1959 Boston, it takes place backstage at a singing-and-dancing Western corker titled Robbin Hood. Someone gets killed, and a show tunes-crazy homicide detective (David Hyde Pierce) is called in. The plot is just a pretext for a series of very entertaining, characteristically brass-heavy songs that may not have the bite of old Kander and Ebb but are still very catchy. Above all, Curtains is (both thematically and stylistically) a love letter to old-school showbiz, and it's delivered on a silver platter by a cast of pros that includes the aforementioned Hyde Pierce, Kander and Ebb habituée Karen Ziemba, endearing Jason Danieley and, a notch above the rest, Debra Monk. Unsurprisingly, she chews the scenery and spits it right back in a pair of rowdy numbers: "Show People" and "It's a Business." --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

Curtains is an entertaining play within a play, as well as a "whodunit" new musical comedy featuring one of the last scores by legendary, Tony Award-winning songwriters John Kander and Fred Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago, New York, New York). Starring David Hyde Pierce (Spamalot, "Frasier") and Debra Monk, the Curtains original Broadway cast album is produced by nine-time Grammy Award-winner Jay David Saks.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars CURTAINS is likable but not special........2007-07-15

There is nothing particularly great about this score, but it is likable, and it is Kander & Ebb's final work. That makes it worthwhile to have. The next time I am in NYC, which won't be until December, I would like to see CURTAINS, especially if David Hyde Pierce is still in it. I prefer revivals and old fashioned musicals like CURTAINS to the new shows with rock or folk rock scores, like LEGALLY BLONDE which I disliked.

4 out of 5 stars The Last Kander and Ebb.......2007-07-13

Couldn't miss the opportunity to hear the last of the Kander and Ebb collaboration. This score has a familiar feel to it. The music is good but not great and the show seems as if it would be fun.

5 out of 5 stars All DAVID HYDE PIERCE FANS WILL LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-10

And even if you are not---the music is great!!!!!! This is the final collaboration between John Kander and the late Fred Ebb--plus throw in the efforts of Rupert Holmes (who wrote the underated MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD--and everyone's favorite guilty pleasure 70's tune--THE PINA COLADA SONG). Anyway, I always thought David was robbed of a TONY nod for SPAMALOT--so his win for this was quite overdue!

Every song is a winner---and it is not just because of Pierce--Deborah Monk also has one of the great show stoppers "IT'S A BUSINESS"!

All theatre buff will enjoy--I certainly did!

3 out of 5 stars Very Pleasant.......2007-07-10

Nice, witty and pleasant music. Sadly, as the teams last work, it is not on a par with their earlier efforts. I kept expecting the big, gorgeous, soaring ballad of other shows, but it never really comes. I still think Steel Pier is their best work (tho the show didn't work). However when you are the composers of Cabaret, The Happy Time, Woman of the Year, Chicago, The Act and The Rink (among still more), you go down in theater history as one of the great songwriting teams in American theater.

The performers are all first rate, David Hyde Pierce and Debra Monk are hoots. KAren Ziemba, as always, is wonderful. A major disappointment is that Jason Danielly's beautiful tenor voice is not given more to do. Overall, pleasant fun!!

4 out of 5 stars Pure Entertainment.......2007-07-10

Very entertaining. A fitting finale to the partnership of Kander & Ebb.
The story is immaterial to the music. A strong cast carries off what could be considered a nonsense piece. Plaudits all round to the cast, writers and producers.
The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Something of a Disappointment
  • Delightful.
  • A Few Good Moments, But Disappointing Overall
  • A very good recording
  • The Pirate Queen
 The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Manufacturer: Sony Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000QTCY72
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Tracks:

  1. Prologue
  2. Pirate Queen
  3. Woman
  4. My Grace
  5. Here on This Night
  6. Waking of the Queen
  7. Rah-Rah, Tip-Top
  8. Choice Is Mine
  9. Boys'll Be Boys
  10. Wedding
  11. I'll Be There
  12. Day Beyond Belclare
  13. Sail to the Stars
  14. Entr'acte
  15. Enemy at Port Side
  16. I Dismiss You
  17. If I Said I Loved You
  18. Role of the Queen
  19. Christening
  20. Let a Father Stand by His Son
  21. Surrender
  22. She Who Has All
  23. Sea of Life
  24. Woman to Woman
  25. Finale

Amazon.com

The Pirate Queen, with a score by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (Les Misérables, Miss Saigon), took a critical beating when it opened on Broadway, but as this catchy cast recording demonstrates, that reception was really unnecessarily harsh. Set in the 17th century, the show (which closed after only 85 performances) tells the story of Grace O'Malley (Stephanie J. Block), an Irish ship captain and pirate who defied Queen Elizabeth I (Linda Balgord). The combination of that setting with the fact that the producers also brought us Riverdance means an overall Celtic flavor. But fans of Boublil and Schönberg should not fear. The duo delivers plenty of the over-the-top, super-emotional power ballads they're famous for--it's hard not to wonder what Celine Dion would make of songs such as "Woman" or "I'll Be There" (the latter sung by a man, but no matter!). Special kudos to Balgord, whose deliciously campy stage portrayal of Elizabeth I comes across well on "The Waking of the Queen," "The Role of the Queen," and two harpsichord-driven, vibrato-laden duets with Block, "She Who Has All" and "Woman to Woman." Also of note to fans of traditional singing is the participation of Áine Uí Cheallaigh (known from Riverdance) on several tracks. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Something of a Disappointment.......2007-07-17

The songs in this album were just not that great. The lyrics were not very singable (and indeed some of them didn't even scan properly.) The music also suffered quite a bit from a lack of Irish instrumntation. Most of the music seemed to be just standard, cookie cutter Broadway show tunes and not very memorable ones at that.

The cast did very well, though, considering the poor material it had to work with

All in all, it looks like this play was a lost opportunity. The story of Grace O'Malley is a compelling one and deserves to be told better than it was here.

5 out of 5 stars Delightful........2007-07-13

When I ordered this soundtrack, I completely ignored what the other reviews said (which is ironic because I expect someone to read mine: ) Thinking on my own was the right choice.

Do you like Boubil? Do you like Schonberg? If so, you will most likely like this recording. The farther I get into it, the more I love it!

The recording is powerful. The slow ballads carry its weakest attributes. There are power ballads left and right. Up beat and very cultural to the Irish heritage, this is a wonderful recording. It's not my favorite.

Personally, I would prefer "A Class Act" or "Loving repeating", two soundtracks I just bought and LOVE.

This could be be for you.

It's a good buy. 11 something for a power ballad musical. I currently have about 57 musicals, and I can honestly say this ranks in the top 15. However, that doesn't mean it's staying in my car forever. I am still waiting to receive "A View from Here". hehehe. I love musicals.

3 out of 5 stars A Few Good Moments, But Disappointing Overall.......2007-07-13

I saw this show twice during its run: once in Chicago, once in New York. Loving both "Les Miserables" and "Miss Saigon", I had high expectations for "The Pirate Queen". Sadly, the show was disappointing - primarily from the once aspect I assumed would be great: the music.

The score's orchestrations sound terrific and the cast is quite good (esp. Stephanie J. Block), but (as this cast album reflects) only a couple of songs maintain any real staying power:

Woman
I'll Be There
She Who Has All

Not bad, but could/should have been so much more.



5 out of 5 stars A very good recording.......2007-07-11

I really like the CD. I find it too short but it was beautifully recorded. The voices were very strong and the orchestration was done nicely. I really didn't like the electric guitar, it seems so out of place sometimes over powering the vocal especially during I'll be there.

5 out of 5 stars The Pirate Queen.......2007-07-11

"The Pirate Queen" was a genious yet unique piece of musical theatre that suffered a harsh yet undeserved fate. I was very blessed to see this show twice on Broadway, including its very last performance on Broadway June 17th. Everytime I listen through the cast recording, I have to question why this show got the ratings it did. I refuse to believe that the critics that panned the show were watching and hearing the same show that I was. The cast, though, including the powerful and haunting vocals from Stephanie J. Block, were all incredibly talented and gave a thrilling and unforgetable experience every performance. I continue to feel shivers when I hear the Prologue, and can still perfectly visualize the opening scene. Some of the highlighted solos of the show include Ms. Block's "Woman" and Hadley Frasier's "I'll Be There". The conversations (duets) held between Grania and Queen Elizabeth in "She Who Has All" and "Woman to Woman" portray the strength and meeting of two historical women in such a time when powerful females were unheard of. Songs that include the chorus such as "A Day Beyond Belclare", "Sail to the Stars", and "Sea of Life" will surely leave you with the chills from the power and depth of the songs. There are so many other songs on the cast recording, and if I could I would tell you the magic behind each and every one of them, but I'll let you listen to it and experience it for yourself. Even though this show was robbed of the recognition it deserved, we are so incredibly fortunate to have a cast recording to allow us who have seen the show to re-live the magic we experienced, and also portray the beauty of such a wonderful yet short lived musical to those who did not have the chance to see it. "The Pirate Queen" may not be playing on Broadway now, but this CR will allow this enchanting show to forever live in our hearts. Long live the Queen!
Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

    Manufacturer: Ghostlight
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    Similar Items:
    1. Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
    2. The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
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    5. High Fidelity (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

    ASIN: B000R7I3NW
    Release Date: 2007-07-17

    Tracks:

    1. Omigod You Guys
    2. Serious
    3. What You Want
    4. Harvard Variations
    5. Blood in the Water
    6. Positive
    7. Ireland
    8. Ireland (Reprise)
    9. Serious (Reprise)
    10. Chip on My Shoulder
    11. So Much Better
    12. Whipped into Shape
    13. Take It Like a Man
    14. Bend and Snap
    15. There! Right There!
    16. Legally Blonde
    17. Legally Blonde Remix
    18. Find My Way/Finale

    Amazon.com

    Like Wicked, this show is a girl-friendly extravaganza; the main difference--and it's a big one--is that the score of Legally Blonde is better. Based on the hit Reese Witherspoon movie, the zippy, frothy show tells the story of SoCal, pink-loving sorority girl Elle Woods, who enrolls at Harvard Law and goes on to prove that appearances can be deceiving. The opening number, "Omigod You Guys," gives an idea of what the Broadway-pop score by Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy--The Musical) and Nell Benjamin is up to, embracing its over-the-top cheer with goofily infectious energy. Sure, a couple of numbers feel a bit derivative (the show with the witches has "Popular," this one has "Positive"), and the Celtic detour ("Ireland") is rather puzzling, but overall the songs are firing on all cylinders. Just check out the use of a marching band on "What You Want" for instance. Laura Bell Bundy (Amber von Tussle in Hairspray) is a charming Elle, and she delivers numbers such as "So Much Better" with the requisite elan. But this is not a one-woman show, and Bundy is surrounded by a crack team, including the endearing Christian Borle as Elle's love interest Emmett, power-piped Orfeh as hairdresser Paulette and up-and-comer Leslie Kritzer as Delta Nu's Serena. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
    Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Movie Soundtrack Review
    • Get on the freeway, roll down the windows and DRIVE!
    • AHOY!
    • Pirates Of The Caribbean:At World's End CD
    • Beyond words
    		 Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End

    Manufacturer: Walt Disney Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    Similar Items:
    1. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
    2. Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
    3. Bring Me That Horizon:: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean (Welcome Book)
    4. 300 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
    5. The Art of Pirates of the Caribbean

    ASIN: B000P0J02E
    Release Date: 2007-05-22

    Tracks:

    1. Hoist the Colours
    2. Singapore
    3. At Wit's End
    4. Multiple Jacks
    5. Up Is Down
    6. I See Dead People In Boats
    7. The Brethren Court
    8. Parlay
    9. Calypso
    10. What Shall We Die For
    11. I Don't Think Now Is the Best Time
    12. One Day
    13. Drink Up Me Hearties

    Amazon.com

    The music for this third chapter in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is a traditional, efficient action score that, due to the film's setting, occasionally incorporates light Asian touches. The popularity of Hans "Long John" Zimmer (all the credits in the CD's liner notes include pirate-themed nicknames, like the roll call in a Simpsons Halloween episode) isn't in doubt--he sure is one in-demand composer--but afficionados are divided about his artistic worth, and this score isn't about to reconcile them. Some think that Zimmer relies too much on his stable of composers and sticks to tried-and-true recipes; others admire his capacity to weave themes in and out of cues, creating a whole made of subtly interrelated parts. At World's End feeds both camps: Seven of his collaborators are credited with writing "additional music," and the album feels by-the-numbers at times; but those inclined to listen very closely will be rewarded by the way Zimmer sneaks in bits of two main melodies (especially variations on the first track, a pirate theme titled "Hoist the Colours" and cowritten by director Gore Verbinski) throughout. The use of electronics is so light as to be almost undetectable, which will please fans of a more organic orchestral sound. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Movie Soundtrack Review.......2007-07-16

    I love his music. And all the movie soundtracks he has done. I already have two of these,one for my car,and one for my home. This purchase was for my best friend on her birthday. His music for soundtracks,always intenses and blends so well with the movie,which it is all about. He's a wonderful composer.

    5 out of 5 stars Get on the freeway, roll down the windows and DRIVE!.......2007-07-16

    I LOVE this CD! It is just so much fun.
    If you gotta' travel the road to work, school, etc.
    or you gotta' run errands or you are just in the
    mood to GO -
    Well, get in the car, get on the road, stick in this CD,
    roll the windows all the way down, turn up the sound,
    and DRIVE!
    Have a ball!

    5 out of 5 stars AHOY!.......2007-07-14

    Love it. Listening to it is like re+living the movie over and over again.

    5 out of 5 stars Pirates Of The Caribbean:At World's End CD.......2007-07-13

    The music that Hans Zimmer has written for this movie is outstanding. Once you have seen the movie, you realize the music fits it perfectly. There are several favorites that bring to mind the favorite scenes during which they're played so it's almost like watching the movie while listening to the CD. I have the CD's from all three Pirates movies and, while I love them all and listen to them regularly, the music from AWE is a different type of music. I recommend it highly.

    5 out of 5 stars Beyond words.......2007-07-09

    I can't even explain how I feel about the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks, especially the third disc. I can't imagine how someone can be so talented to be able to connect you to the story through this music, I just really can't understand. "At Wit's End" is definitely a masterpiece, however every single song on this disc, along with all the others are absolutely outstanding. I love soundtracks, but I am aware of Hans's talent, and knowing he was one of the composers of these tracks I knew it would be a win win situation, and I knew I was not to be disappointed. I have never caught myself listening to a soundtrack..over and over.....and over again. Literally, I even watch the movies over and over so that I can listen to the soundtracks on it. Amazing stuff, just like I said, BEYOND WORDS!!
    High School Musical 2
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		High School Musical 2
      Original Soundtrack
      Manufacturer: Disney
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      Movie SoundtracksMovie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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      Similar Items:
      1. Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus
      2. High School Musical, The Concert - Extreme Access Pass
      3. Hairspray (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture)
      4. High School Musical 2: What Time Is It
      5. Hannah Montana - Pop Star Profile

      ASIN: B000QCTGIE
      Release Date: 2007-08-14

      Tracks:

      1. What Time Is It
      2. Fabulous
      3. Work This Out
      4. You Are the Music in Me
      5. I Don't Dance
      6. You Are the Music in Me (Sharpay Version)
      7. Gotta Go My Own Way
      8. Bet On It
      9. Everyday
      10. All For One
      11. BONUS TRACK: HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUA'A

      Album Description

      High School Musical 2 is the follow up to the Music Phenomenon of 2006! Featuring the #1 hit single "What Time Is It"
      Jersey Boys (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Jersey Boys
      • Like being there
      • A step back in musical time
      • Great music, but missing too much
      • Jersey boys win my heart
      		 Jersey Boys (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
      Ronald Melrose , Ken Dow , Anik Oulianine , Stephanie Cummins , Deborah Hurwitz , Kevin Dow , Joe Payne , Larry Saltzman , Dave Spier , Bill Hayes , Randall Andos , Bob Milikan , Debra Shufelt , Maxine Roach , Belinda Whitney , Cenovia Cummins , Eric de Gioia , Louise Owen , Robin Zeh , Sarah Schwartz , Shinwon Kim , Christian Hoff , Daniel Reichard , Donnie Kehr , Erica Piccininni , J. Robert Spencer , Jennifer Naimo , John Lloyd Young , Sara Schmidt , Tituss Burgess , Steve Orich , and Bob Gaudio
      Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      1. Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
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      5. The Color Purple (2005 Original Broadway Cast)

      ASIN: B000BFH2QY
      Release Date: 2005-11-01

      Tracks:

      1. Ces Soirees la'
      2. Early Years Medley
      3. Cry For Me
      4. Backups Medley
      5. Sherry
      6. Big Girls Don't Cry
      7. Walk Like A Man
      8. December, 1963
      9. My Boyfriend's Back
      10. My Eyes Adored You
      11. Dawn (Go Away)
      12. Big Man In Town
      13. Dialog: A Little Trouble
      14. Beggin'
      15. Dialog: See How You Handle It
      16. Medley Listen Listen
      17. c'mon marianne
      18. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
      19. Working My Way Back To You
      20. Fallen Angel

      Amazon.com

      Although it squarely falls in the "jukebox musical" category, Jersey Boys doesn¹t try to integrate its songs in an artificial plotline. The show tells the story of the early-1960s group the Four Seasons, and the musical numbers tend to be introduced in context, as when songwriter Bob Gaudio comes up with a tune, or the quartet performs a show. This allows Jersey Boys to flow better than some of ill-fated peers, and the actors can shine without having to bend backward to accommodate an inane book. The show's most (only) daring move is to start with a hip-hop-tinged French-language version of "December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)," an actual hit in France in 2000. After that it's all VH1-biopic territory, but it's done with so much flair, taste and energy that the ride's a fun one. The Four Seasons had enough hits ("Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Rag Doll," etc.) to easily fill an evening at the theater, so it's left to the cast to do right by them. And it does, particularly John Lloyd Young as the band¹s star lead, Frankie Valli. Young hits all the falsetto notes and brings real freshness to the part. His "Can¹t Take My Eyes Off You," a second-act peak, is signed, sealed and delivered with a star's acumen. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

      Album Description

      Recounting the rich history and reliving the timeless sounds of the phenomenal Frankie Vallie & The 4 Seasons, the new Broadway musical Jersey Boys answers the musical-and philosophical question, "How did four would-be wise guys from Newark, NJ, become one of the greatest chart-topping successes in pop music history?" Jersey Boys celebrates legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, and Nick Massi who, as the 4 seasons, wrote their own songs, invented their own identity, and sold 175 million records worldwide-all before they were 30.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Jersey Boys.......2007-07-08

      Purchased CD prior to seeing the show when visiting USA in '06. A fun lively show - the CD now captivates those fond memories of not only the foot tapping music & show but also our special time in New York.

      5 out of 5 stars Like being there.......2007-07-05

      Have seen the play twice. This album lets me relive the experience anytime anyplace. A great piece of Rock n roll history.

      5 out of 5 stars A step back in musical time.......2007-07-05

      My wife and daughter didn't know about the Four Seasons but I did. When I told them I wanted to see the musical on stage, there was no interest so I bought this product and they heard it in the car. We went to the stage musical soon after and we have listened to the entire disk so many times I've lost track. I created a Four Seasons monster in my daughter. She's fifteen and has memorized most of the songs and sings along while we are driving somewhere.

      4 out of 5 stars Great music, but missing too much.......2007-07-04

      I saw this play at age 16 with no idea who the Four Seasons were, but instantly fell in love with it. The problem is, this soudntrack cuts a two hour play into less than an hour on CD. Most of the dialouge is missing, only including enough to let each member of the group at least say something. I know many play soundtracks cut out dialouge, but what confuses me is why this stretches to the music as well. What is there is amazing, but I don't understand why most of the songs are cut to half, and sometimes even a third or fourth of their original lengths. I love this CD, just be aware that you are hardly getting any story, just clips of lots of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons songs. So, great music and dialouge, just not enough for a musical soundtrack.

      5 out of 5 stars Jersey boys win my heart.......2007-07-03

      what a wonderful album-brings back such wonderful memories
      they don't write songs like this enough today
      Hannah Montana
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Hannah Rox ya`ll
      • Go Hannah!
      • Hannah Montana is genuine and talented.
      • We want Hannah . . . not those other guys.
      • Just go ahead and show your child how to set to auto-repeat...
      		 Hannah Montana
      Original Soundtrack
      Manufacturer: Disney
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      Similar Items:
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      2. Hannah Montana, Vol. 1 - Livin' the Rock Star Life
      3. V
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      5. High School Musical

      ASIN: B000K2V7BY
      Release Date: 2006-10-24

      Tracks:

      1. The Best Of Both Worlds
      2. Who Said
      3. Just Like You
      4. Pumpin' Up The Party
      5. If We Were A Movie
      6. I Got Nerve
      7. The Other Side Of Me
      8. This Is The Life
      9. Pop Princess - The Click Five
      10. She's No You - Jesse McCartney
      11. Find Yourself In You - Everlife
      12. Shining Star - B5
      13. I Learned From You - Billy Ray Cyrus

      Amazon.com

      If the 9-year-old in your life hasn't alerted you already, consider this your heads up: Not since Hilary Duff has Disney delivered the masses a tween sensation as hot as the double-life-leading Miss Hannah Montana. More important for speaker-blowing second- to seventh-graders and the parents forced to buy them CDs, though, no small-screen sensation transcends the tube more convincingly. Part party girl and part plain old good girl, Montana--a sweet-voiced, playful performer--never skimps on the pipes. Country fans will chalk that up to our rhyme-named heroine's lineage; 14-year-old Miley Cyrus, who plays Montana, is the daughter of Nashville star Billy Ray Cyrus (who duets on this disc's sentimental, twang-resistant last track). The rest of the world, though, is apt to find itself belting along based on Hannah's unsinkable hooks and frothy Ashlee-meets-Hilary vocals alone: theme song "Best of Both Worlds" bumps around off a Joan Jett-reminiscent springboard; "Who Said" rips a page from the emo diaries; and "Just Like You" ladles on harmonies sweet enough to attach a stick to. Additional tracks like Jesse McCartney's "She's No You" and B5's Earth Wind & Fire redo "Shining Star" are first-rate complements to the proceedings, but make no mistake: this dance-happy hybrid belongs to the reigning pop princess alone. --Tammy La Gorce

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Hannah Rox ya`ll.......2007-07-02

      This is a totaally cool CD! I have both Hannah Montana 1 and Hannah Montana2 Cd!
      They are awesome CD`s the songs on the Hannah Montana CD ( Her first CD)
      Is about how she wishes you could see who she really is. Here are the names of the songs
      The Best of Both Worlds
      This is the LIfe
      Just Like You
      Who Said
      The Other Side of me
      Pumpin up the Party
      If we Were A Movie
      I got Nerve
      I give it 5 stars

      4 out of 5 stars Go Hannah!.......2007-06-27

      Daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, Hannah's production values are good. Bought for my daughter, Hannah is musical and fun.

      5 out of 5 stars Hannah Montana is genuine and talented........2007-06-19

      My family and I love the CD and DVD we purchased of Hannah Montana last year. The soundtrack album is very well produced. We are awaiting the new CD and DVD release, and have ordered both several weeks in advance. Since she already debuted a half dozen tunes which cracked the top 100 in the first week, it will not surprise me if she does even better with this next album.

      Her tunes are cleverly written, and they seem to stay with you similarly to (as one write above mentioned) the tunes of the Beatles. I cannot recall very many solo acts or groups that hinted at perhaps one day being as consistent as the Fab Four were. Granted, this is only the beginning of what could be a very successful career, but my guess is that with her pipes, her stage presence and genuine musical talent, and these catchy songs--written by some writers whom really know how to craft tunes with the right balance of unity and variety (including such imaginative B sections)--she will be on top for several years. Furthermore, we will most likely see a transition from Hannah Montana to Miley Cyrus (this may already be occurring with the new release, given 'who' is singing what songs on the album) in the near future.

      Musically, I have observed that she uses a preponderance of E major, and that even when the melodies are diatonic they are not always easy to memorize after a couple of hearings. Interestingly, her voice sounds quite different when she strays into other keys, such as G major in "Life's What You Make It" (not included on the current album), in which it is a tad more raspy; and C-sharp minor in "Nobody's Perfect" (also not included on this album, but see below) in which her timbre is brazen yet controlled. I hope that she eventually explores the lower range of her voice as she becomes more creative (maybe even writing more of her own material and performing with guitar in hand as the years progress). On the rare (albeit brief) occasions when she has ventured into the lower gamut, the tone quality is far different and compliments her 'normal' ambitus very nicely.

      Those who like this CD may want to pick up the _Hannah Montana: 2-Disc Special Edition Soundtrack_ as well. Sure, the tracks are nearly identical, but there is additional footage (exclusive Hannah Montana Backstage Secrets), autographed snapshots of Miley Cyrus, and a bonus track (audio) and live performance (video) of "Nobody's Perfect," a solid rocker which in the opinion of this writer is almost worth the price of the CDs itself. The track is arguably the most ambitious to date for the young singer. (N.B.: This review is being written before having heard the majority of the tracks on the just-released _Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus_ CD.) "Nobody's Perfect" is performed remarkably well, with Miss Montana's stage presence and accompanying rhythmic synchronizations (hand gestures and choreography) augmenting an already intriguing piece of writing. The tune may interest those who enjoy relatively uncommon chord progressions in pop music. It begins and ends in C-sharp minor, but meanders effortlessly through a B minor/D major sound world, eventually gravitating toward E major. The combination and succession of pitch centers--and especially the harmonic tension created between the opening and closing key of C-sharp minor and the B minor/D major/G(!) major constructs within which the second major section of this work vacillates--provides a stark yet musically engaging contrast.

      I appreciate the image Miss Montana has thus far portrayed as well. As a father of several children (including four daughters, each of which loves her music), it is gratifying to see a positive role model (with talent to burn) coming out of the Disney mindset. I wish her all the best in the years to come.

      4 out of 5 stars We want Hannah . . . not those other guys........2007-05-25

      First of all, I give Hannah Montana 5 stars, at least I would, but they mix in all those other guys, Jesse McCartney, Everlife, B5, etc. But Hannah Montana sings only 8 songs. She should wait until she has more songs of her own before making an album. Plus she just came with her special edition soundtrack-$10 more and only 1 more song and a couple pictures-not worth it! If your a fan, get it. But if not, stick with other singers, like Hilary Duff. But if your saving your money wait 'till her second one comes out-10 new songs by Hannah Montana including Nobody's Perfect, Make Some Noise, and 8 never before heard songs! Plus a 2nd disc with 10 songs by Miley Cyrus (who plays Hannah.) So it depends on how big a fan you are.

      5 out of 5 stars Just go ahead and show your child how to set to auto-repeat..........2007-05-24

      My daughter loves this CD. It was one of her favorite Christmas gifts, and she's played it four thousand times, it seems.
      If you are looking for positive music for girls, with a singer who doesn't look like a hooker on stage, this is the album I'd recommmend! Hannah Montana is a great value for little girls, and her songs manage to focus on being who you are, not following peer pressure, and super-innocent attraction to a boy. This is truly girl music that a parent can get behind!

      Music Review:

      1. The Very Best of the Winans
      2. There Is Work to Be Done
      3. These Days
      4. Thirty Years of Hope
      5. Try Jesus
      6. Twenty Years of Hope
      7. Walking by Faith
      8. What Will Your Life Say
      9. Whatcha Gonna Do
      10. Woman Thou Art Loosed: Worship 2002 -- Run to the Water...The River Within

      Music Review

      Music Review