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All rights reserved.Godspell - Original Cast (CD 1990)
Another of God's Blessings?Review created: 03/09/01
by: cukyleba -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
Ensemble work, songs, ability of cast
Ensemble work, songs, ability of cast
Cons:
certain songs with badly done accompaniment and performance, Lamar Alford
certain songs with badly done accompaniment and performance, Lamar Alford
(I)Godspell(/I) is a musical based on the Gospel according to St. Matthew. Now, I am not Christian, so do not rate because of religious differences. Some people would think that because I am not Christian, I don't deserve to watch the show, yet I saw this musical and immensely enjoyed it. The songs are not made to create a story that you can listen to, but they tie in well with the musical itself. The musical is just a presentation of a bunch of the parables in the Bible ranging from the tale of Noah's arc to the Prodigal Son, all in a style that is both amusing and entertaining while still retaining the spiritual sense of the stories.
CAST (8/10)
The cast is actually very talented, but there are still some gripes about certain ones. Actually, certain one. There is a male singer in this cast that I personally cannot stand (Lamar Alford). His voice is way too operatic in this musical and does not fit in the cast. I read somewhere that he was put in to give the cast a stronger sound, but it really destroys most of the songs and hurts the soundtrack.
Stephen Nathan (who plays "Jesus" in this recording) is a descent singer but doesn't really put that much emotion into the songs as it feels like it should be. He has a great part, and his performance is quite good, but it still needs that little "umph" to give it a spectacular critic.
What I enjoyed the most about the cast is their ability to sing in an ensemble. The cast isn't filled with a bunch of Brittany Spears or N*Sync like talent, but added together in the ensemble singing, the effect is really...well...effective. I mean in one of the songs, they each pretend to be a different instrument in an orchestra and the combined sound is so complicated but in harmony with each other. That is what is so great about the songs in this CD.
SONG (8/10)
Most of the songs in this soundtrack are really nice to listen to, even though some are just too simple. The opening song "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord" begins with the sound of a Shofar (kind of like a horn sound, I am guessing). Then the lyrics throughout the song just repeats over and over again the title, but like all the songs in this musical, the beginning of the song is really simple and then they gradually make the simple phrases into a big number. Really neat, but wish there was more in each of the songs.
Most songs are uplifting and cheery, some more serious than others, but some seem to be a little misplaced. For instance, "Turn Back, O Man" seems to have this sexual feeling to it that doesn't feel right in a musical about the Bible and Jesus. Also, some songs just don't seem to have a purpose in the musical, even when I watched it (maybe it is because I didn't know what the lyrics are suppose to mean in the song because of my lacking of knowledge of the Bible).
Notes of certain songs:
Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord: A good start off song. Too simple in its lyrics.
Day by Day: Good concept with simplicity. Great melody and build in song.
Bless the Lord: Great transitions of melodies. Not so great singing.
All for the Best: Just good fun to try to sing along with (you won't know until you listen to the song).
Turn Back, O Man: Sexual content in a musical about the Bible?????????
Alas for You: Bad accompaniment and performance. Had potential.
By My Side: Good for harmony. Soft and quiet song with a good melody. Kind of short though.
We Bessech Thee: Happy song with lots of great melody and ensemble work ("human orchestra")
On the Willows: Point of song???
Finale: Great dramatic and build to the final ending.
SCORE and BAND (6/10)
The score was quite descent. I like the use of the more modern pop style instruments, but some of the instruments are just way too weird. The use of synthesizers is completely unnecessary, and some of the accompaniment with just piano is plain, boring, and lessening for the song. The guitar playing is great in this soundtrack and I commend Schwartz for most of his song's scores and melodies. The band other than is good, yet not great. For a small band, I have heard better, but this is descent enough. Needs to get a bigger effect for some of the songs I think.
QUALITY (7/10)
The quality of the songs in this soundtrack are nice. As I said earlier, there are some songs that are just not up to par with the other songs, some are so simple (though this simplicity concept goes a long way with many of these songs, example Day by Day), and some are just not done well or don't feel right. I would say that about of this soundtrack is of good sound/singing/overall quality.
All in all I would recommend this soundtrack to everyone interested with Broadway songs and Christian music. Even though I'm not Christian, I would have to say that this soundtrack is not in the dust collecting pile. Not all aspects of this soundtrack are outstanding, but this is a good recording.
(8+8+6+7=29 ..29/4=7 ..7/2=3.5 rating of 3)
CAST (8/10)
The cast is actually very talented, but there are still some gripes about certain ones. Actually, certain one. There is a male singer in this cast that I personally cannot stand (Lamar Alford). His voice is way too operatic in this musical and does not fit in the cast. I read somewhere that he was put in to give the cast a stronger sound, but it really destroys most of the songs and hurts the soundtrack.
Stephen Nathan (who plays "Jesus" in this recording) is a descent singer but doesn't really put that much emotion into the songs as it feels like it should be. He has a great part, and his performance is quite good, but it still needs that little "umph" to give it a spectacular critic.
What I enjoyed the most about the cast is their ability to sing in an ensemble. The cast isn't filled with a bunch of Brittany Spears or N*Sync like talent, but added together in the ensemble singing, the effect is really...well...effective. I mean in one of the songs, they each pretend to be a different instrument in an orchestra and the combined sound is so complicated but in harmony with each other. That is what is so great about the songs in this CD.
SONG (8/10)
Most of the songs in this soundtrack are really nice to listen to, even though some are just too simple. The opening song "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord" begins with the sound of a Shofar (kind of like a horn sound, I am guessing). Then the lyrics throughout the song just repeats over and over again the title, but like all the songs in this musical, the beginning of the song is really simple and then they gradually make the simple phrases into a big number. Really neat, but wish there was more in each of the songs.
Most songs are uplifting and cheery, some more serious than others, but some seem to be a little misplaced. For instance, "Turn Back, O Man" seems to have this sexual feeling to it that doesn't feel right in a musical about the Bible and Jesus. Also, some songs just don't seem to have a purpose in the musical, even when I watched it (maybe it is because I didn't know what the lyrics are suppose to mean in the song because of my lacking of knowledge of the Bible).
Notes of certain songs:
Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord: A good start off song. Too simple in its lyrics.
Day by Day: Good concept with simplicity. Great melody and build in song.
Bless the Lord: Great transitions of melodies. Not so great singing.
All for the Best: Just good fun to try to sing along with (you won't know until you listen to the song).
Turn Back, O Man: Sexual content in a musical about the Bible?????????
Alas for You: Bad accompaniment and performance. Had potential.
By My Side: Good for harmony. Soft and quiet song with a good melody. Kind of short though.
We Bessech Thee: Happy song with lots of great melody and ensemble work ("human orchestra")
On the Willows: Point of song???
Finale: Great dramatic and build to the final ending.
SCORE and BAND (6/10)
The score was quite descent. I like the use of the more modern pop style instruments, but some of the instruments are just way too weird. The use of synthesizers is completely unnecessary, and some of the accompaniment with just piano is plain, boring, and lessening for the song. The guitar playing is great in this soundtrack and I commend Schwartz for most of his song's scores and melodies. The band other than is good, yet not great. For a small band, I have heard better, but this is descent enough. Needs to get a bigger effect for some of the songs I think.
QUALITY (7/10)
The quality of the songs in this soundtrack are nice. As I said earlier, there are some songs that are just not up to par with the other songs, some are so simple (though this simplicity concept goes a long way with many of these songs, example Day by Day), and some are just not done well or don't feel right. I would say that about of this soundtrack is of good sound/singing/overall quality.
All in all I would recommend this soundtrack to everyone interested with Broadway songs and Christian music. Even though I'm not Christian, I would have to say that this soundtrack is not in the dust collecting pile. Not all aspects of this soundtrack are outstanding, but this is a good recording.
(8+8+6+7=29 ..29/4=7 ..7/2=3.5 rating of 3)
Review ID: 10000000000220210
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