Past Reviews Sound Advice Reviews "A" is for... |
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Now that we're in the last month of the year, let's catch up with the large amount of 2024's recordings submitted for review. Where to begin? How about at the beginning of the alphabet–for first names listed above that start with A?
Lewis Carroll's classic books about Alice going to Wonderland and stepping through a looking glass have inspired many musical adaptations over the decades, both close to and far afield from the depictions in his stories. I've had a special interest in seeking them out. The curious, bewildered Alice and the odd characters (human and animal) have appeared on Broadway and other stages, in TV and radio versions, in animated cartoons (Disney's and others) and feature films, including a pornographic one (Don't ask!). Now comes Alice Down the Rabbit Hole, a clever take that has our heroine and others dealing with contemporary concerns such as social media, climate change, recycling, and saving the whales. The studio cast features British theatre performers, with the participation of its writers, too. The composer is Pippa Cleary, the bookwriter is Poppy Burton-Morgan, and they collaborated on the appropriately playful and sassy lyrics. This trip down the rabbit hole is a whole lot of fun. Bright-voiced Parisa Shahmir is appealing as teenage Alice, grabbing attention with the percolating "Down the Rabbit Hole," the opening number (there's no overture, but I'd love to hear one with these nicely varied melodies). This first song places us in the technology-soaked world of now, the lyrics including phrases such as "I'm all about the meme," "scrolling on my phone," "Click 'like' and hit 'Subscribe'" and "Click on me!" In "What Next?" she amusingly struggles with being responsible about the environment and energy-saving, but also being materialistic ("I could clean up a beach/ This eco life's well within my reach/ What next?/ I'll turn all the lights off/ And buy my clothes second-hand/ Oh, but look at that brand-new coat!"). Lara Denning nails the brashness, rage and self-satisfaction of the queen, CEO of a petroleum company, bent on decapitating anyone who annoys her ("Off with His Head") and relishing giving commands ("Paint It Red" and "Paint It Green"). Rob Madge doubles as the Mad Hatter and a professor who is the equivalent of Wonderland's nervous White Rabbit who is worried about "Running Out of Time" and making a "Delivery." Grace Mouat shines as the caterpillar who'll become a butterfly, singing a lovely and stirring "Find Your Wings." Natalie Pound is musical director, with a small number of musicians, most playing more than one instrument, ably handling the music with styles that echo hearty traditional Irish folk songs, bubble gummy pop, throbbing electronica, and strutting musical theatre character pieces. While not all numbers are equally potent, this variation on Alice, billed as "an ecological adventure," is a worthwhile but short listen at just about half an hour. I hope a staged production will soon come up, but the downloadable Down the Rabbit Hole is a trip worth taking.
When news reports come about the passing of a composer whose hits have been voluminously recorded, awarded, and performed over the years, it's often said that the music will long outlive the writer. That was a foregone conclusion when Burt Bacharach died last year at age 94, and his legacy is fondly embraced by sweet-voiced, retro-inclined vocalist of the band Fleur Seule with her cozy collection called Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops: Allyson Briggs Sings Burt Bacharach. The title refers to the names of three included numbers first heard in the late 1960s: the title song of Promises, Promises (his only score for Broadway); "I Say a Little Prayer"; and "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head." That last-named one is sung in Yiddish by the multi-lingual Miss Briggs and her guest duet partner for this one appearance, Broadway performer Julie Benko–whose skillful pianist husband Jason Yeager is in the band on some tracks (as he has been in past live and recorded projects with both the women). The project's vibe is largely low-key, laid-back, serene, and smile-inducing, with gentle singing that underplays any potential for drama. However, there's some of that present in the involved phrasing in "Alfie," which questions the meaning and values of life ("What's it all about...?"). It feels sincere, as does the sentiment in the ever-timely statement that love is "What the World Needs Now," although ending that track by intoning the key line "What the world needs now is love, sweet love" ten times in a row feels like unnecessary overkill. Primarily playing respectful homage to familiar fare, the renditions often favor re-creations over reinventing. Many musical elements of arrangements in the architectures of the hit records featuring the vocals of Dionne Warwick and Hal David's lyrics are present, precisely played–in detail and in abundance. Distinctive little figures and fills on piano and brass (trumpeter/music director Andy Warren), the time-tested tempi, stir up nostalgia but little surprise for those of us who've heard the originals countless times. Still, there's a feeling of freshness and joy, and the warm timbre of the voice of Allyson Briggs doesn't resemble Warwick's. The band gets its own number with the infectious instrumental theme from the movie Casino Royale (1967). Among the lesser-known selections are: two deeper cuts from the Bacharach canon ("My Rock and Foundation" and "Uninvited Dream," both recorded by Peggy Lee) and a non-Bacharach number that's a nod to his early days as Marlene Dietrich's music director/arranger ("Wenn Ich Mir Was Wünschen Dürfte," sung in German). With a generous 20 tracks, Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops offers nostalgia and a chance for newer generations to generate appreciation for an accomplished composer's works.
With preserved performances from the first half of the 20th century, the curated collection called Al Jolson Rediscovered brings together souvenirs from the career of the ebullient legendary man. He is heard in career signature numbers on soundtracks from his films as well as his singing (and schmoozing) on the radio, featuring some selections never before available for sale in any format. I have a soft spot for hard-sell vaudevillian pizzazz, so I'm up for the upbeat performances here. Corny, peppy, shamelessly showy, and gleeful in the best senses of those terms, Jolson still does the trick. Decidedly dated though the stylized approach may seem, with an often nasal sound projecting the sunny schmaltz, I dare you not to grin while listening to Mr. Show Biz. Most is on the cheery side, two with a sidekick guest: bubbly Martha Raye on "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" and "Sweet Georgia Brown." They're extra fun, although very short. Another guest is another Al–former New York governor and presidential candidate Al Smith–who came to the radio program not to sing, but to chat. The surefire trademarks that trade on sentiment such as "My Mammy," "Rock-a-bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody," and the tearjerker "Sonny Boy" are here, along with rarer items such as the catchy "I'll Stand Beneath Your Window Tonight and Whistle." One medley ends with a spiffy, rollicking "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'," one of Porgy's songs from Porgy and Bess. (Jolson had sought the role early on, to perform it in blackface, something he'd done in other other productions.) The splashy "The Spaniard That Blighted My Life" is a curiosity MIA item: a part of the 1928 film The Singing Fool, mysteriously absent from its releases on TV and home video. The 20 tracks range in length from 90 seconds or less to a song-and-dialog montage called "Al Jolson's Story," purporting to dramatize the climb from poverty to popularity, that lasts more than 11 minutes. Understandably, given that some items are more than 100 years old, sound quality varies, with some surface noise on a few numbers. Introducing many of them with a running commentary of compliments and facts, avid Jolson admirer/collector Chip Deffaa is the amiable host/narrator. His own archives supplied the rare stuff for Al Jolson Rediscovered and other delightful discs compiling the star's oeuvre, reviewed in this column in the recent past. To express appreciation for those efforts, may I borrow the title of one of the included songs, graciously intoned: Harry Revel and Mack Gordon's "Thanks for Ev'rything" (from the 1938 musical film of the same name). And keep 'em comin'!
Here's an interesting vocalist with an interesting concept album: all of the songs have titles that are questions. Following her chipper kid-friendly 2023 release, Songs for You and Me, reviewed in this column, intriguing singer Allegra Levy returns to jazz and standards. Out of the Question has her joined by a trio of fine female musicians–pianist Carmen Staaf, bassist Mimi Jones, and drummer Allison Miller–(along with some guest players in some spots) who get plenty of chances in the spotlight to solo and stand out in the longest tracks (nine of the 13 run well over four minutes and four items last close to or more than six minutes long). The program consists of some Great American Songbook standards, pop-rock, and pieces with her own lyrics–with either her own music or words set to older works by jazz composers. Allegra Levy's contrasting vocal performances showcase her notable skills: a "less is more" intimacy with thoughtful phrasing on the standards that bring a listener in as confidante, and a jazz artist's ability to scat-sing, improvise, and take subtle liberties with melody lines. I love her compelling timbre, her low notes, and her conversational way with the more emotional content. But she can cut loose and project joy and wit, too. Of her self-penned contributions, I find "What Are You Waiting For?" especially satisfying; its motivating message is about pursuing one's goals and dreams with a "No time like the present" sensibility that anyone procrastinating, pondering New Year's resolutions or simply lacking confidence will relate to. There are two Irving Berlin classics among the songs that pose queries: "What'll I Do?" and "How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky)," the latter's lyric consisting almost entirely of questions. From the pop world, digging into decades not as far back in the past, there's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" and "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?"–a hit record from the rock group The Clash, a surprising choice (that works surprisingly well), calmer and rethought to suit the singer's most mature and pensive persona. Out of the Question is a winner, no question about it.
"How it will astound you that the glow of your being outshines every star": that line from the title song of the Broadway musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, about realizing and reveling in one's own significance, included in From Here, singer-songwriter Alyssa Allgood's fourth full-length album, shares a mindset found in some of the ten originals also therein. Here are a few examples of those emphatic empowering words of advice that come through clearly with her pleasing voice and earnest M.O.: "Make the moves to be one of the stars/ Know that where you are depends on you" (in her song "Dream"); the moral of the tale of a strong and "Brave Little Flower" is "Where you are planted does not define you/ For your roots spread much further/ And carry your truth"; and she proclaims that "I learned to love me...Now I hold myself 'Above All Else.'" The firm statements above won't be surprising if you read Alyssa Allgood's liner notes before listening: She writes, "This album is a realization of my dream and a reflection of my journey to understand and love myself more deeply... Each song comes from here–my heart–with messages of strength, power and understanding." This kind of building up one's self possibly extends to the content in a couple of pieces reflecting on romantic break-ups with herself painted as the survivor who is relieved and realizes she was done wrong. (The ex who was "No Good" for Miss Allgood is painted as a liar, adding "You didn't deserve me.") Additional perspectives come via the only non-original besides the aforementioned showtune: a solid version of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." It's all wrapped up in jazz stylings, with the songbird's elastic, pretty voice–often smoothly scat-singing–and excellent support and solos from the four musicians: pianist Geoffrey Keezer, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Kendrick Scott, and sax player Greg Ward. The dozen tracks are on the long side, with only one clocking in at under four minutes.
Oh, if only the quality of more of the material on When You Fall in Love: Lost Columbia Masters 1977-1982, a collection of (mostly) never-before-released tracks by classic crooner Andy Williams, could be more worthy of his vocal strengths. Listeners like myself, who were always gratified by the sound of his honeyed ballad singing and bursts of power–even on albums wherein he covered other artists' pop hits in wan, watered-down, warmed-over "easy listening" arrangements–will find that his talent shines through here. And, despite the more mawkish and insipid lyrics, some echoed by bland backup singers, he manages to come across as being sincere. It's a triumph, but it's frustrating. Still, a fan can find sufficient pleasures, albeit not buried treasures. Following Emperor of Easy, another posthumous set of Andy Williams rarities recently released (and reviewed in this column) on Real Gone Music, this one presents a few singles and long-shelved items by the long-careered star (born 97 years ago this week, he started singing professionally with his older brothers as a teen and continued until shortly before his death in 2012). So fuzzy are five of the 18 selections' histories that the word "Unknown" appears in the spot where songwriters' names are present for the other songs. Otherwise, the voluminous and interesting background information in the 20-page, photo-filled booklet is all one could wish for. As with their other CDs, Real Gone's Joe Marchese has gone to great lengths (literally), articulately tracing the trajectory of the career explored, offering perspective and insight. Musical flavors range from the light-hearted and happy ("Sunshine Smiles" from the film For the Love of Benji starring the titular dog) to woeful ("These Tears Just Won't Dry") to soap opera ("Christine, She's a Woman Now," a mix of singing and spoken lines, as a widower addressing his deceased wife about their now grown-up daughter getting married). Included are a page from the songbook of ABBA, "The Way Old Friends Do," and a not-so-sad-sounding "So Sad (to Watch Good Love Go Bad)" from the catalogue of the Everly Brothers. "Where Do I Begin?," the theme from the movie Love Story, a major record for the tender-toned tenor in its original version, is presented in its disco-ized version that turned up the heat and the beat, and we also get "The Music's Too Sweet Not to Dance" from that film's sequel, Oliver's Story. While I wouldn't vote for this Andy Williams vault visit if I had to pick one of his albums as musical company while living on a desert island, I'm glad to have it and hear it–and it's growing on me. |
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ALICE DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
ALLYSON BRIGGS
AL JOLSON
ALLEGRA LEVY
ALYSSA ALLGOOD
ANDY WILLIAMS