Post by santtu on Nov 6, 2008 15:03:11 GMT -5
ALW is turns 60 this year and to celebrate this he has put together a new 3-cd collection of his work called "60". If I've understood correctly, he has handpicked himself all of the tracks and versions heard on this compilation...
This new collection includes most of his "standards" as already familiar recordings: "Memory" (there's actually 2 versions of this song here: Elaine Paige's original and Barbra Streisand's hit version), "Don't Cry For..." (Julie Covington), "Take That Look Off Your Face" (Marti Webb), "The Music Of The Night" (Michael Crawford, one of the about zillion versions he has done...), "The Phantom of the Opera" (Brightman & Crawford), "All I Ask Of You" (Brightman & Cliff Richard), "I Don't Know How To Love Him" (Yvonne Elliman), "Oh What A Circus" (David Essex), "You Must Love Me" (Madonna) etc.
There are some huge disappointments there too! Lee Mead, the latest Joseph in the latest JOSEPH revival, recorded a version of "Any Dream Will Do" which is more or less an exact copy of Jason Donovan's version from the 90s of this song. "Both versions" (really one version, just with two different singers!) are included here, and I really don't see why. Also, Andrea Ross has recorded the lovely ballad "Learn To Be Lonely", the song which was featured in TPOTO movie during the end credits performed by Minnie Driver. There's not much difference there either, only Driver's untrained voice suited the song better. Why bother producing 'new' recordings of his songs if the only thing that changes is the performer's voice...?!
But there are some gems there too. Pop-star Anastacia performed ALW's "Superstar" in the Princess Diana concert last year, and that live recording is included here. The song which is usually performed by a man (the original Murray Head version is also included here!) suits Anastacia's funky voice really well! This is one of the highlights of this collection.
There's also a track by Elvis Presley! And a bit weird disco-ish(!!) version of EVITA's "I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You", by Linda Lewis!
On this collection Webber has made a nice gesture: he has included Patti LuPone's version of "New Ways To Dream" from SUNSET BOULEVARD. After all that happened etc. I wasn't really expecting to see LuPone's name here. But I'm glad it's there! (Although I would have included LuPone's version of "With One Look" here rather than "NWTD"...)
A lot of the songs are taken from the original cast albums. And most of the tracks are already been published on some other collections (like Duncan James & Keedie duet "I Believe My Heart") or other artists' cd's (Sarah Brightman, Barbra Streisand...), so if your cd collection includes a lot of musical cast recordings and compilaitons, this one won't really give you anything to be thrilled about.
But if you're not so familiar with ALW's work or your cd shelf isn't that full yet, I'd say this compilation is worth its price.
This new collection includes most of his "standards" as already familiar recordings: "Memory" (there's actually 2 versions of this song here: Elaine Paige's original and Barbra Streisand's hit version), "Don't Cry For..." (Julie Covington), "Take That Look Off Your Face" (Marti Webb), "The Music Of The Night" (Michael Crawford, one of the about zillion versions he has done...), "The Phantom of the Opera" (Brightman & Crawford), "All I Ask Of You" (Brightman & Cliff Richard), "I Don't Know How To Love Him" (Yvonne Elliman), "Oh What A Circus" (David Essex), "You Must Love Me" (Madonna) etc.
There are some huge disappointments there too! Lee Mead, the latest Joseph in the latest JOSEPH revival, recorded a version of "Any Dream Will Do" which is more or less an exact copy of Jason Donovan's version from the 90s of this song. "Both versions" (really one version, just with two different singers!) are included here, and I really don't see why. Also, Andrea Ross has recorded the lovely ballad "Learn To Be Lonely", the song which was featured in TPOTO movie during the end credits performed by Minnie Driver. There's not much difference there either, only Driver's untrained voice suited the song better. Why bother producing 'new' recordings of his songs if the only thing that changes is the performer's voice...?!
But there are some gems there too. Pop-star Anastacia performed ALW's "Superstar" in the Princess Diana concert last year, and that live recording is included here. The song which is usually performed by a man (the original Murray Head version is also included here!) suits Anastacia's funky voice really well! This is one of the highlights of this collection.
There's also a track by Elvis Presley! And a bit weird disco-ish(!!) version of EVITA's "I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You", by Linda Lewis!
On this collection Webber has made a nice gesture: he has included Patti LuPone's version of "New Ways To Dream" from SUNSET BOULEVARD. After all that happened etc. I wasn't really expecting to see LuPone's name here. But I'm glad it's there! (Although I would have included LuPone's version of "With One Look" here rather than "NWTD"...)
A lot of the songs are taken from the original cast albums. And most of the tracks are already been published on some other collections (like Duncan James & Keedie duet "I Believe My Heart") or other artists' cd's (Sarah Brightman, Barbra Streisand...), so if your cd collection includes a lot of musical cast recordings and compilaitons, this one won't really give you anything to be thrilled about.
But if you're not so familiar with ALW's work or your cd shelf isn't that full yet, I'd say this compilation is worth its price.