Various Artists-Wicked
October 13th 2008 09:33
Various Artists-Wicked OST
Year: 2003
Record Label: Decca Broadway
Track Listing:
01. No One Mourns The Wicked
02. Dear Old Shiz
03. The Wizard and I
04. What Is This Feeling?
05. Something Bad
06. Dancing Through Life
07. Popular
08. I’m Not That Girl
09. One Short Day
10. A Sentimental Man
11. Defying Gravity
12. Thank Goodness
13. Wonderful
14. I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)
15. As Long As You’re Mine
16. No Good Deed
17. March Of The Witch Hunters
18. For Good
19. Finale Wicked
Wicked is currently the hot ‘new’ musical making the rounds around the world. Currently showing in Australia, it seemed just the perfect opportunity to listen to the Wicked Soundtrack and review it.
I love musicals. I always have. From the first time I heard the Phantom of the Opera in 1988, I was blown away by everything that is musicals.
However, not all of them work well. Some of them either pay too much attention to the story, and not enough to the music or the other way around.
Wicked does neither. It is a perfect balance of both the story, based on Gregory McGuire’s novel with the same name, and has two perfect leading ladies in the form of Kirsten Chenoweth (Gilda) and Idina Menzel (Elphaba).
While both ladies have equally outstanding vocals, and their own inner strengths, their voices also reflect their characters. Chenoweth has a sparkling voice, that is almost as pure and sweet as the character she plays with Menzel’s voice has a touch of steel that is both powerful and haunting.
The music is quite ingenious, and narrates what happened between the two witches before Dorothy showed up in Oz. It manages to tap into every emotion, every nuance, and leave you spellbound. Granted, there are songs from the musical that could not make the album, but that’s not different than with any other soundtrack
Stephen Schwartz has outdone himself yet again (Godspell, and Pippen). While in the past he has written some exceptional songs, he also has a tendency of writing mediocre songs.
This time around, it is ‘Defying Gravity’, ‘I’m Not That Girl’, ‘The Wizard and I’ and ‘For Good’ shine throughout the show.
Despite these songs are the best Schwartz has written, again it is Menzel and Chenoweth that make them their own.
You almost have to wonder what would have happened to Schwartz’s song if these two brilliant singers had not taken on the role of Gilda and Elphaba.
Wicked is definitely recommended. Go see the live show- the experience of Wicked is one that should not just been heard, but also seen.
One of the better soundtracks from Schwartz, and enjoyable from start to finish.
I give it 3/5
Buy Wicked
Year: 2003
Record Label: Decca Broadway
Track Listing:
01. No One Mourns The Wicked
02. Dear Old Shiz
03. The Wizard and I
04. What Is This Feeling?
05. Something Bad
06. Dancing Through Life
07. Popular
08. I’m Not That Girl
09. One Short Day
10. A Sentimental Man
11. Defying Gravity
12. Thank Goodness
13. Wonderful
14. I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)
15. As Long As You’re Mine
16. No Good Deed
17. March Of The Witch Hunters
18. For Good
19. Finale Wicked
Wicked is currently the hot ‘new’ musical making the rounds around the world. Currently showing in Australia, it seemed just the perfect opportunity to listen to the Wicked Soundtrack and review it.
I love musicals. I always have. From the first time I heard the Phantom of the Opera in 1988, I was blown away by everything that is musicals.
However, not all of them work well. Some of them either pay too much attention to the story, and not enough to the music or the other way around.
Wicked does neither. It is a perfect balance of both the story, based on Gregory McGuire’s novel with the same name, and has two perfect leading ladies in the form of Kirsten Chenoweth (Gilda) and Idina Menzel (Elphaba).
While both ladies have equally outstanding vocals, and their own inner strengths, their voices also reflect their characters. Chenoweth has a sparkling voice, that is almost as pure and sweet as the character she plays with Menzel’s voice has a touch of steel that is both powerful and haunting.
The music is quite ingenious, and narrates what happened between the two witches before Dorothy showed up in Oz. It manages to tap into every emotion, every nuance, and leave you spellbound. Granted, there are songs from the musical that could not make the album, but that’s not different than with any other soundtrack
Stephen Schwartz has outdone himself yet again (Godspell, and Pippen). While in the past he has written some exceptional songs, he also has a tendency of writing mediocre songs.
This time around, it is ‘Defying Gravity’, ‘I’m Not That Girl’, ‘The Wizard and I’ and ‘For Good’ shine throughout the show.
Despite these songs are the best Schwartz has written, again it is Menzel and Chenoweth that make them their own.
You almost have to wonder what would have happened to Schwartz’s song if these two brilliant singers had not taken on the role of Gilda and Elphaba.
Wicked is definitely recommended. Go see the live show- the experience of Wicked is one that should not just been heard, but also seen.
One of the better soundtracks from Schwartz, and enjoyable from start to finish.
I give it 3/5
Buy Wicked
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