by David Yazbek, John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Sherie Renee Scott List Price:$18.00 Our Price:$13.00 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Product Details
Media: Audio CD
Release Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Label: Ghostlight Records
Average Customer Review: 4.5 Based on 20 reviews.
Sales Rank: 80
Tracks
1.
Like Zis/Like Zat
2.
Love Is My Legs
3.
Love Sneaks In
4.
Message from John Lithgow
5.
Nothing Is Too Wonderful to Be True
6.
Nothing Is Too Wonderful to Be True [*]
7.
Oklahoma?
8.
Overture
9.
Rnffhousin' Mit Shnffhausen
10.
Son of Great Big Stuff
11.
The Miracle
12.
The More We Dance
13.
The Reckoning
14.
What Was a Woman to Do
15.
Here I Am [Original Rough Demo] [*]
16.
Here I Am
17.
Great Big Stuff
18.
Give Them What They Want
19.
Finale
20.
Dirty Rotten Number
21.
Chimp in a Suit
22.
All About Ruprecht
23.
All About Reprecht [Original Rough Demo] [*]
Editorial Review
With this giddily entertaining show, David Yazbek confirms that The Full Monty wasn't a fluke--few on Broadway can equal his melodic verve and lyrical cleverness. Based on the 1988 movie of the same name, the show deals with a pair of con artists swindling rich women on the French Riviera. Lithgow brings debonair charm to the Michael Caine part, while Norbert Leo Butz (Wicked) proves to be a comic dynamo in the Steve Martin part. And Yazbek provides them with an array of catchy tunes (adorned in beautiful Bacharach-style arrangements by Harold Wheeler). Butz goes ballistic on the hilarious "Great Big Stuff," which demolishes conspicuous consumption, then pairs up with feisty leading lady Sherie Rene Scott on "Love Is My Legs," a wicked sendup of Celine Dionstyle torch epics. Meanwhile, Lightgow nails the tender ballad "Love Sneaks In." A delicious jazz reprise of "Nothing Is Too Wonderful to Be True" by Scott and pianist Bill Charlap shows that Yazbek's songs don't need flashy pizzazz to be memorable. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
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Top Customer Reviews
Rating:
4 Great Big Fun
Though a new label, Ghostlight is already establishing itself as THElabel for new original cast albums. Their goal is to produce a Cdthat will recall favourite musical moments from Broadway's currenthit shows for those that have seen the show, yet at the same timemake sense for the home listeners.DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS plays very nicely on Cd with a helpfuldetailed synopsis (adding a few jokes of its own) and all the lyricsin the booklet. The tunes are pleasant (if somewhat reminiscent of ahandful of 1960s scores) and the lyrics are quite clever and filledwith dozens of pop culture references.John Lithgow shines in another of those flamboyant characters that hedelights in playing. His may not have the most musical voice in thecast but it is loaded with character. Lithgow sounds very much of oldschool of Broadway leading men, while Norbert Leo Butz brings a morecontemporary sound to his numbers that offers a nice contrast.Similarly Sherie Rene Scott has a more pop sounding belt to her voicewhile the wonderful (and underused) Joanna Gleason offers a moretraditional musical comedy sound. The disparity of style seems towork well on the recording in helping the listener keep thecharacters sorted out - not an easy thing to do when the plotrevolves around a bunch of grifters taking on different identities intheir attempts to con each other.Ghostlight offered a unique promotion for this CD giving away some50,000 copies at the theatre. (These days few cast albums ellanywhere near that number!) The show is already a hit and no doubtdemand for the Cd would have ensured sales anyhow, but the label ishoping to reach patrons who attend the shows and do not alwayspurchase the cast albums. Here's hoping it works.For the commercial release, 3 bonus tracks have been added. Two offercomposer David Yazbek's demos of two numbers ("here I am" and theNoel Coward-ish "All About Ruprecht.") The third is a real gem:Sherie Rene Scott's cocktail singer version of "Nothing is TooWonderful to be True." This last track would have been the breakoutcover version single had this show been done in the 1960s, but sadlytoday no one on radio plays this type of material. Pity.A NOTE ABOUT TRACK 17: This is John Lithgow's plea to listeners tostop listening and go out and buy tickets for the show "preferably atfull price." It's amusing and makes the recording something separatefrom the stage production - but as time goes on you will probablywant to program the 38-second track out!
Rating:
4 it is a ball; it is a blast
i'm apparently a big fan of yazbek. LOVED the full monty and since i happen to also love the film dirty rotton scoundrels, i bought this track immediately. i wish i could see the stage version, but there are no theatres anywhere near me and it's terribly lucky that i'm able to see as many plays as i do. anyhow, this track is fantastic and so true to the film, although i will have to insist that the full monty is better. all in all, i can't wait for yazbek to come out with something else-his music is so much fun and whether monty was better or not, they're both brilliant. lyrics take the cake, melodies are simple and witty, voices are-of course-gorgeous. my only wish is that there had been more collective singing as opposed to solo after solo, just because i found that to be one of the most captivating aspects of the full monty. oh, and even though the last number, it was a ball, is terrific, i'm afraid it borrows from the overture of monty. hehehehe. oh...i love it. yeah.
Rating:
5 Great show!
This CD is worth it just for Norbert Leo Butz singing "Great Big Stuff." He's a riot - and truly deserved his Tony win. Lithgow is great, Scott is excellent, with a lovely, light, and powerful voice. Joanna Gleason is always tremendous, and so is Jbarra. Overall, a great buy!
