Great Recording, Good Score, Sucky Package
I was wanting to go in depth with my review of the new Hair cast album, but there really isn't any need to. The score by Galt McDermot (music), Gerome Ragni and James Rado (lyrics) is superb (well for the most part – act 2 does get bogged down a bit). The cast sounds fantastic (especially Gavin Creel, Will Swenson, and Sasha Allen). Plus, there are a large number of tracks available here all on one disc. Overall the disc really is great.
The packaging blows hard. No lyrics, a flimsy imitation cardboard case (no jewel case here), and some boring essays. Meh.
The original cast recording still packs a wallop but this version is just as memorable. It's worth mentioning that I like about 75-80% of the score from Hair. The rest of the filler is probably enjoyed much more under the influence of purple haze.
Or if drugs aren't your thing, from what I hear the actual live show is freakin' awesome. I was lucky enough to catch the Public's mounting in the park last summer with Jonathan Groff. Loved it then. Apparently it's better now. And check out the Tony award performance or the David Letterman show performance for some electrifying staging. Woot woot.
***1/2 (out of ****)
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3 comments:
Let the Sun shine... and let me link this on my Facebook, 'cause it's a nice review.
I LOVE Hair!
thanks for the linkage love laura
The New Broadway Cast Recording of “Hair” captures the magic of the current smash Broadway revival. The ground-breaking show about a tribe of hippies in New York’s East Village contains classics such as “Aquarius,” “Good Morning Starshine,” “Let the Sun Shine In,” and the title track. The current cast sounds as vibrant as they do live on stage. Examples include, Sasha Allen’s soaring “Black Boys,” Will Swenson’s joyous “Donna,” Caissie Levy’s heartwrenching “Easy to Be Hard” and Gavin Creel’s
outstanding “Where Do I Go?” Executive Producer, Bill Rosenfield along with, Galt
MacDermot, Hair’s original musical composer, include songs that weren’t on the show’s Original Cast Recording, some of the show’s dialogue and both of the show’s encores. The current show’s Musical Director, Nadia DiGiallonardo, makes MacDermot’s music sound fresher then ever by using top-of-the-line musicians. Gerome Ragni’s and James
Rado’s lyrics are as relevant as ever on songs such as “Air”(“Welcome, sulphar
dioxide/Hello carbon monoxide/The air, the air is everywhere.”) and “I Believe in Love”
(“I believe that now is the time/for all good men/To believe in love.”) Their songs are
philosophical(“What a Piece of Work Is Man”) and provocative (“Sodomy”), but also
funny (“My Conviction”) and heartbreaking, (“Frank Mills”). The New Broadway Cast
Recording of “Hair” reminder us that not only is this the right time to experience its latest
revival but to also hear its timeless songs.
-BobsViews
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