5 comments about Diva: The Singles Collection.

1. To this collection of Sarah's great songs, the only thing I would have added is more of her wonderful singles
   This version of "A Question of Honor" is in the best I have heard, and listening to Steve Harley sing "Phantom of the Opera" with Sarah is a spectacular addition to the album as well.



2. Beautifully packaged. Released by one of the many labels she has been under to compete with the "Very Best of 1990-2000." Great for beginners and collectors.



3. I have several Sarah Brightman recordings and this one is very enjoyable.I especially enjoyed her duet with Fernando Lima who has an exquisite voice. I prefer listening to her voice on a CD as her performances tend to be
   too glitsy with too many "unusual" costumes and weird choreography which distract from her singing.



4. I Purchased This Dvd For Myself And Just Had To Purchase Another One For A
   Family Member. Awesome Dvd!!



5. What's all the complaining about - If you already have some of these songs on another cd - that's your fault for buying this CD. Your rating should be judged on her beautiful voice and songs on this CD.
   
   You spent alot of energy complaining. Hopefully the glass is half full for your rest of the day.

5 comments about Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical.

1. Being a fan of THE PRODUCERS I was excited when this show first was announced, and then dismayed by the so-so reviews it received on Broadway. Still, having heard a couple of tracks off of the cast recording and loving them, I purchased the YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN cd, and thoroughly enjoyed the entire score. Sure, the critics had it in for Mel Brooks and panned his project, but the score and the cast are all top notch. Definitely not Sondheim, but if you love music along the lines of Irving Berlin, you will not be disappointed in this recording.



2. My kids and I saw this play on Broadway last month. I bought the CD (which was significantly cheaper at amazon than at the theatre!) to sort of help keep the memories alive. I figured we spent a fortune on the tickets, what was a few more bucks for a memento? The CD works perfectly! It puts me right back in my seat on Broadway to experience the play all over again. The recording is clear and full. The characterizations of all the actors come through very well.



3. Don't believe what you read in the New York Times, especially those caustic reviews by Ben Brantley. He needs to go! Get Clive Barnes back! "Young Frankenstein" is a wonderful, hilarious romp parodying the musicals of Cole Porter and Friml and Youmans. It takes you back to when musicals were fun and frolicsome. There are great performances from everyone. Only Roger Bart doesn't match the mayhem and I think that is more of a directorial matter. I would love to see someone like Bill Irwin or even Robin Williams takeover the role.
   
   The audience simply adored the show when I saw it. And the CD is well worth the price. If you're in New York take in "YF" and another Brantley reject "A Catered Affair." Take a pass on "In the Heights" which is over-hyped and a Latino rip-off of "Rent" and "West Side Story." I just heard that "In the Heights" has already recalled all future discount tickets even though they were purchased before the show won the Tony.
   
   I guess the inhabitants of the Heights won't get to see their own story now.



4. Having been to and enjoyed the musical whilst on holiday in New York I decided to buy the soundtrack when back in the UK. From the first song to the last I loved the soundtrack and, if nothing else, can remind me of the time I spent in New York and the show in particular.
   The tunes are great, the lyrics highly amusing and very much in keeping with the original film.
   I can't wait to go back to NY to see the show again. Thank you Mel Brooks.



5. I purchased the CD with the hopes of clever and catchy tunes as we have come to expect from Mr. Brooks. I was sadly disappointed. Too much crudeness and not enough cleverness. I could barely make myself finish it once thru, much listen to it a second time. Yuk. and that's my professional opinion!

5 comments about The Wizard Of Oz: Selections From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. I was very disappointed with this purchase. The sound quality is terrible! I had to turn it down during the music sequences and crank it up to hear anyone singing. It sounds like someone put a recorder up next to the TV screen and recorded it while watching the movie.



2. Bought this as a gift for a "Wizard of Oz" fanatic. He loved it and listens to it often.



3. Love it. My only wish was that it came with the guard chant as they march in front of the castle. Other than that, it's great.



4. My daughter received this for her birthday and absolutely loves it. Item was in good condition and I received within days of purchase.



5. The Wizard of Oz does not show on the video screen. I am very
   disappointed. Todd Bowman

5 comments about West Side Story.

1. It was indeed a pleasure to hear the entire original score. Although there may be better versions of the music, hearing the original score brings to life the vivid images of the motion picture.



2. If you, like me, love musicals, then you will definitely enjoy this Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim re-working of the Shakespeare tragedy "Romeo and Juliet". The movie is wonderful, which prompted me to purchase the soundtrack. If you enjoy high-energy numbers with wonderful, on-the-mark vocals, then this is the CD soundtrack for you. And I still get chills when I hear the song "A Boy Like That/I Love Him", a heartbreaking yet beautiful declaration of love, no matter what the obstacles or personal cost.
   
   Suffice it to say that I am satisfied with this purchase, which stays as close as possible to the movie version.



3. I ordered the West Side Story cd and it came in excellent condition. it was sealed and everything and if i find anything else to buy from this seller, i will.



4. C.D. in excellent condition, arrived soon after order. OH! Played at full volume--made me long to see the movie again. May just do that. The other reviewers complimented the movie orchestration and sound track--they were right.Nothing like Leonard Bernstein, Marnie Nixon, et.al.



5. Great music. Just like I remembered it... but even better. Very lively, great instrumentals, and wonderful voices.

5 comments about Disney's Princess Collection: The Music of Hopes, Dreams and Happy Endings.

1. Bought as a gift for my 4-year old niece for her birthday, this CD stays in my car for her use when I'm driving. She loves it and asks for individual princesses and we sing along. I don't know how many times we've listened to it already (4 or 5, I imagine), but I anticipate many more. It's a heck of a lot easier than trying to remember the words on my own. :)



2. I want to start off by saying that if you're looking to buy only one Disney Princess CD, this is the one to get. This CD contains 12 tracks featuring 7 princesses (at the time that this CD was made, Mulan did not yet exist, in fact, the Disney Princess line itself did not exist). Unlike many other Disney Princess CDs, this one contains a *complete* collection of princess songs. That means that all the songs that any Princess actually sings is on this CD. No, not every song from every Princess movie is on here, but I wouldn't expect them to be, nor do I think that they'd even fit onto this CD. Something that's nice about this CD compared to some of the other Disney Princess CDs is that there is no subversive advertising. That means no mediocre songs from Cinderella V or the Little Mermaid X are on it. There aren't even any songs sung by non-Princesses, all the songs that are sung partly by others are at least partially sung by a Princess as well. One of the most interesting things about the album, in my opinion, is that it contains 'Home' by Susan Egan as Belle. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle has no large solo songs of her own, so they included this track from the original 1994 cast recording of the Beauty and the Beast Broadway musical. This addition makes the CD more interesting and does not at all detract from the quality of the CD.
   Again, if you are looking to buy only one Disney Princess CD or just find the best one, I would encourage you to buy this one. The selection of songs is complete and there isn't any annoying, mediocre album filler. I highly recommend this Disney Princess CD.



3. Bought this CD for Christmas for my 5 year old and we love it!! A great buy!!!!!



4. i love this cd! my dad got it for me for my birthday 3 years ago and i still love it



5. I bought this cd for my daughter's 3rd birthday. She LOVES it! She asks me to play it every day and we both sing along to all of the songs. She has even picked up on the songs that she didn't know before she received it. I love it because now she is more interested in listening to the cd and dancing with me in the house than watching a video. In quiet times, she likes to sit on my lap and look at the pictures in the liner notes. The recordings are beautiful, it is the one children's cd that I can listen to over and over. If you have a little girl who loves princesses, this is definitely worth the money.

5 comments about Magic: The Very Best of Olivia Newton-John.

1. As soon as GREASE was released, it screamed Instant Classic and sealed Olivia's legend status. But she is a whole lot more, as this collection shows.
   
   In today's pop era of female singers battling for a shopworn "diva" crown and muscular, over-dramatic vocal acrobatics plastered over insipid, nu-soul stylings, it's good to remember a whisper can ring louder than a shout.
   
   Olivia's voice was always a beguiling instrument, crafty in its facility to blend shimmering, understated innocence with a subtle allure. Her character Sandy in Grease, seems in fact a metaphor for this transformative gift -- comparing her ingenue 70's persona with the glorious coming-out which would soon follow.
   
   While I was not so inspired by the countrified vanilla of some of her early Nashville leanings, it had its simple charm. And I've frankly never liked "Physical", a throw away as dated as her video's work out duds and sadly one of her biggest hits.
   
   One star downgrade for leaving off her cover of Dylan's "If Not For You" (and which George Harrison also did so wonderfully on All Things Must Pass), and some of her later 80's material maybe didn't age so well. (OK, "Make A Move on Me" is pretty damn catchy - gotta admit.)
   
   BUT....that leaves a small bevy of killer songs, the likes of which any singer worth her salt would have cheerfully given her right vocal cord to have a shot at...and ample reason to buy this cd: the fun, unforgettable numbers from Grease; the lilting "Sam"; "Suddenly", with Cliff Richard (one of the greatest duets ever IMHO); the bewitching "Magic" and "A Little More Love"; and ELO's spectacular "Xanadu", a luscious pop confection with a finale which gives goose bumps (those incredible notes!)
   
   Olivia hit more homeruns in a decade than most recording artists will have in a lifetime. I'm so glad I finally got this!



2. Getting my hands on this cd has been a long search that finally paid off. Olivia Newton John a actress, singer who I have always loved watching her in movies and loved hearing her music . This cd has 21 tracks Let Me Be There, I Honestly Love You, all the way to A Little More Love from Make A Move On Me to Twist Of Fate + a bonus track with John Travolta. If you have her greatest hits then you have most of the favorites but if you like to collect everything the artist puts out like me then this is something to own and to enjoy. So own the Magic of Olivia from a true fan.



3. i love this cd i love the music of olivia newton john it has all the music that she had on all her albums



4. What a voice and what a woman, so gracious and grateful for her abilities and her ability to help others, to perform for us all. A major mark in out musical history.



5. Have You Never Been Mellow is the first pop hit I remember loving and playing over and over again on a crappy 45 record player (it only played 45s). I was all of 8 years old and I wanted to be Olivia Newton John. I haven't heard that song in over 30 years and I have to say it is as beautiful as I remember, and the lyrics now mean something to me as an adult which makes it even more appreciated.
   
   Olivia Newton John has a beautiful voice and has a significant repertoire of hits. I was so happy to have purchased this disc.

5 comments about The Essential Barbra Streisand.

1. Listening to Barbra Streisand's voice it's no mystery why she has sold millions of cd's according to the Recording Industry (RIAA) and Nielsen SoundScan. Included in this set is her last Top Ten Hit on "The Billboard Hot 100", "I Finally Found Someone" a duet with Bryan Adams (from her movie "The Mirror Has Two Faces") She's won multiple Grammy's and an Academy Award for her music, multiple Emmy's for her various television work (and her February 14, 2001 Fox/TV concert special had 8.7 million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research) She won an Academy Award for her role in the movie "Funny Girl" (tied with Katharine Hepburn) and received a Tony for her Broadway work. She's also well known for her political work, including her support of Hillary Clinton for President, Hillary Clinton went on to receive more votes than any other Presidential primary candidate in history.



2. For anyone out there who's a Barbra Streisand fan, this 2-set CD is a must-have! I may not necessarily agree w/ Barbra's political views, but I certainly love her voice and acting abilities.
   
   I believe Barbra Streisand is a musical icon, and all should know who she is. This album is a masterpiece of all her greats, and I was especially happy to know that two of the Yentl songs were on this album. What a great movie that was!
   
   You'll love this CD-set! Enjoy!
   
   Debbie



3. I love this album. It is one of my favorites. The disco type song "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" with Donna Summer is a great 70s one. "The Way We Were" is a great slow song from 70s. Check out "Woman in Love" which is my favorite song by her. It is really just an amazing love song. "Memory" which is from the musical CATS she really sings well. A lot of other songs on here that are really good. She has such a great voice any song she sings sounds great. Sample them all. A great purchase.



4. The ESSENTIAL is the part not to miss... If you are a Barbra Streisand fan, and/or music collector, this one CD has it all! You can't miss with her standards, and more contemporary hits all on two outstanding CD's.
   It's like butta !



5. Even as a fan of Barbra, I think there are only on few songs on these two cd's that I look forward to hearing. Those are really good, but the others are just mediocre, songs I have never heard before. But the price is right.

5 comments about [title of show] (2006 Original Off-Broadway Cast).

1. This is one of the most original shows to hit the Great White Way in quite some time. With only four chairs, just as many actors, and one kickbutt keyboardist, [title of show] has completely turned the concept of a musical on its head. The show itself is a must-see whether your knowledge of theater is limited to Depp's Sondheim or defiantly limitless. As a recording, this show still rocks and the love and nuances of these fine people shine through. Thank you guys!



2. This is one of the most creative and different musicals that I'd heard in quite some time. As is predictable when a show takes as many risks as this show does, it doesn't hit 100% of the time. The ones that do hit, however, make it entirely worth your time.
   
   Now, allow me to say before I get too into the show, that this is meant for theatre lovers and followers. There were a few times where I was running to Google to try and get the joke that was being said. There are multiple mentions of Broadway flops and actors who are out of the mainstream consciousness. If you include the show and not just the soundtrack, that list triples at the very least.
   
   But, as I said, this show hits so often and is so different that it has leaped to the front of my CD collection. The soundtrack starts off with the Untitled Opening Number, which is a mediocre number. However, if you think of it as a critique of how many shows start out in the same manner consistently, it adds a level of humor, and you're going to enjoy the show. The second song is based on a conversation between the two writers and stars of the show (Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell), discussing what to write about. They decide to write about what they are talking about, no matter where it goes (Wonder Woman for President, indeed, good sir!). But, will anybody listen to their ramblings, considering they are just two nobodies in New York.
   
   The third song is entitled An Original Musical, detailing Jeff's writer's block. A little warning on this song that it is exceptionally vulgar. The vulgarity really doesn't have a purpose in the song, but on repeated listenings, it does add a small amount of humor. This is followed by Monkeys and Playbills, discussing the influence in writing this show. Monkeys and Playbills is a tough song to follow without significant theatrical knowledge. It dips into numerous flops and in NYC topics, that took some Googling for me to understand.
   
   After a brief stop, A Part of it All comes on, which again dips into the NYC knowledge and hits and misses a little. Finally, we get to some of the female led songs. Heidi Blickenstaff (The Little Mermaid) starts us with I Am Playing Me, a realization of what the role exactly is and where is could(n't) take her. Its a very funny song that fits in well and livens up a mildly slower period of the show. This is followed by What Kind of Girl Is She, a song where the two female leads are trying to feel each other out for their personalities and how they fit in with one another.
   
   Finally, we come to a song that any person who has tried to write/sing/dance/pain can relate to entitled Die Vampire, Die!. The song is about fighting through your vampires (people who tell you that you can't do something) and becoming a success. I imagine the song might not play well to all, but to some it will have a profound impact.
   
   We are then lead to a series of lighter songs (Filling Out The Form, September Song, Secondary Characters) that move the show along, provide comic relief, and are worth listening to. These three are not the songs that you are buying the CD for, however.
   
   That comes from the next two songs. Starting of is Ms. Blickenstaff's phenomenal A Way Back To Then. Its the most heartfelt song in the show, a slower paced plea to get to the time of a greater innocence. Seeing it in person is even more dramatic. Then, the most well known number entitled Nine People's Favorite Thing. The song basically tells us that the writers realize that this isn't going to play well to everybody. They tell us that this is a niche show, a word-of-mouth show. Its a realistic song, a song that tries to wrap up the show and explain what they were striving for in your listening experience.
   
   The bonus track, entitled [title of show], is a song that is just touched on in the staged version, but expanded for the soundtrack. Also, an additional piece of a throw-away song is tossed on at the end of it (same track) as bonus material.
   
   The show is very aware that this isn't going to be everybody's favorite thing. This doesn't have the wide appeal and broad feeling of a Wicked, Lion King, or even Legally Blonde. This doesn't have the sterling critical record of a In The Heights or Spring Awakening. Looking at the previous reviews, the separation is apparent. This would be the 38th review. Of the first 37, 22 are 5-stars. However, 14 are 3-stars or under. This show knows what it is, plays that card well, and gives a select group of people a very enjoyable experience.
   
   It is clearly not for everybody though. Joe Sixpack is not going to like this. Its vulgar enough that your average Little Mermaid fan isn't going to like this. However, most true theatre fans, in my estimation, will like this. This is a show/soundtrack for us, for this niche.



3. With all these 5 star reviews, I wonder what I am missing. Do you have to see the show to love the CD. I found the songs cute but all the lyric jokes incorporating the titles of old shows, many if not most of them obscure only stand up well to 2 listenings at the most. Where is the song with some real heart and soul? I kept hoping that one of the women would finally pour it on. I love satirical reviews and shows, but this one seems blah to me. If I have the chance I will see the show, because I'm a broadway baby and maybe I will see what everyone is raving about, but based on the CD alone, yawn!!



4. If you are a fan of musicals, especially clever ORIGINAL modern masterpieces like Rent, Avenue Q, or (in my opinion, Bat Boy the Musical) then you should LOVE [title of show]. I immediately thought it was witty and fun, but on top that- each listen gives me a stronger appreciation for the music itself, which is top notch and highly memorable. I strongly recommend!



5. I saw this show in its Off-Broadway run and left the theater moved, inspired and with sore sides. No cast album can capture every moment of magic from a show, but this one does a fine job of it. Hunter and Jeff's warmth radiate from this show which is a valentine to the art they love. My favorite song of the show is "Die, Vampire. Die." It's become my theme song whenever I've had doubts about my own artistic endeavors. This is a truly wonderful show with brilliantly funny songs and performances.

5 comments about Annie (1977 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Simply put, this is the DEFINITIVE recording of this musical. Dorothy Loudon will always be the best Ms. Hannigan (sorry Carol!), Andrea McArdle will always be the best Annie, and Reid Shelton will always be the best and brassiest Daddy Warbucks. Also, the wonderful songs that were cut from the 1982 film are all here and an absolute delight: "We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover," "NYC," "Getting a New Deal For Christmas," etc. Don't hesitate to buy this delightful album to a musical that is far more political than smaltzy than most people would think.



2. I believe it was 1978 when my parents bought me the original broadway cast recording of Annie on vinyl. It was my favorite record of my childhood and now I'm grateful to be able to have it on CD and play it for my daughter. And while not everyone may appreciate it...I'll admit I got a big misty when I heard the first public performance of Tomorrow (track 27). While it horrifies me to think that there are people out there that truly believe Aileen Quinn was a better Annie than Andrea McArdle, it's nothing new to me either. My parents took me to see Annie on Broadway at the Alvin Theater in NYC for my 7th birthday (Allison Smith was in the role at the time) and shortly after that, the movie debuted. Those I knew who had seen it on Broadway and knew what everything was supposed to sound like (and knew the storyline of the musical) were incredibly disappointed with the movie...while those who only had the movie as their reference liked (in some cases loved) it. I guess if you're a bigger fan of the movie, mabye the musical soundtrack is not for you- BUT please be aware that the creators of Annie intended to have this sound the way you hear it on this Broadway soundtrack. I recommend this to any true Annie fan out there (and now my old vinyl album can just rest in a safe place- since it's already been very well loved).



3. My kids have not stopped singing these songs since this CD arrived! Timeless songs from my childhood passed down to theirs. If you are a fan of the musical, you will really enjoy this CD.



4. Andrea McCardle was, is and will forever will be the only Annie! This is the version to buy!



5. It is so good and popular that it seems somehow pretentious and vain to attempt any review. The songs are marvelous, the story is catchy to all ages, the orchestrations are great. Even Broadway amateurs should get this, being as popular as FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, WEST SIDE STORY or MAN OF LA MANCHA. A golden member of the ABC of musicals.

5 comments about Passing Strange.

1. I was one of the lucky ones who got to see Passing Strange while on Broadway in New York. What struck me about the show was that this is unforgiving rock and roll. It never slips into "Broadway" like most other rock shows do. The story line is moving and the music is just amazing. I listen to it over and over and over. Even if you don't know the play, the music is just fantastic and you get a clear understanding of the story line just through the lyrics. MY FAVORITE CD OF 2008.



2. While Rodgers and Hammerstein and Andrew Loyd Webber are booming on Broadway, some interesting new voices are being heard and Stew is among the best. The style is contemporary and should be heard by everyone, but unfortunately the show had to clsoe because business is business and not enough people showed up to support it. Their loss, but you can get a feel for this exuberant score from the excellent cast recording.



3. I really enjoyed this show, and the CD captures it unusually well. I think it was a great choice the producers made in taping it live, as it captures the heart of the music.



4. This is an excellent cd.However the show was unreal!I can not wait for the dvd!



5. I was lucky enough to go to a show of Passing Strange--and be present at the recording of this CD. The music itself is a fantastic blend of genres--Stew and Heidi Rodewald evoke everybody from Kurt Weill to the Sex Pistols--and the story, the portrait of the African American artist finding himself in 1980s Europe--resonates for all of us. We all have to leave someone, some identity behind to grow up, and the result is often complicated and messy. The performers are both terrific singers and great storytellers. Don't miss this show if it comes to your town; in the meantime, remember, "Miracles are commonplace when you're on holy ground."