Customer Reviews

Big As a Berry

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This woman can sing!! But that's not what amazed me- what got me was she can effortlessly switch from one musical style to another and flawlessly don different personas. One moment she's country belle crooner, and the next song she's a broadway starlet, then she's a smooth rocker.

Megan has a beautiful voice and her performances are so charismatic and delivered with so much personality that it's hard to not like this album!

I shocked my husband with this, telling him I had a CD of "Karen Walker" singing. He said, "oh, God," and laughed, because all the only thing most people know of her voice is the one she dons for her TV character. I hit play and he was blown away. He muttered "wow!" in reply.

The first track, 'Bathroom Window,' she starts by belting "She came in through the bathroom window..." and there's no denying her talent, and the beauty and power of her voice from the get go. I was afraid that the song selection wouldn't be my cup of tea (I'm 23 and haven't heard of many of these songs), but I adore it.

Go, go, Megan!!

Don't buy this CD expecting to hear Karen from TV's Will & Grace. Megan Mullally is quite competently so much more than that (and the character of Karen alone is a lot to live up to!). And don't buy this CD expecting to be able to talk about it at the office water cooler, because I'll bet not a lot of people will be buying it (they're just not ready!).

I thoroughly enjoy listening to this CD, but it definitely won't appeal to everybody. Several of the tracks have a "retro" feel to them (Bathroom Window, Fancy to name two). One even has a country flavor to it (My Dear Companion). And it's plain to see that Megan Mullally is a fan of songs that tell a story, at least in this collection.

These are all covers that have been done (some of them numerous times) by other singers in other genres. But I can honestly say I've never heard any of them done in this way. Megan Mullally's interpretations are, to me, artfully wonderful, welcomingly diverse, and sophisticated in their simplicity. Where she draws her inspiration from, I don't know, but it sounds as if her muse is rooted just this side of sanity (and I won't say which side I'm on...LOL).

My favorite is the last track, Take It With Me. It's simply a beautiful piece, and when push comes to shove, Megan Mullally has a beautiful voice. That she can sing beautifully but chooses to sing expressively indicates to me that she is an artist. She is more concerned with telling a story or conveying an emotion than she is with appealing to the masses or being "correct."

To behold a rose is a beautiful thing. But for a rose to be held, you must feel the thorns gently piercing your flesh. And not everybody wants to do that.

Listeners who only know Megan Mullally as the shrilly hilarious Karen Walker on "Will & Grace" are in for a surprise when they first hear this CD. For the last time, Karen's voice is *not* Megan's real voice!

Megan's background as a Broadway singer shines through on "Big as a Berry," but the album's eclectic mix of song styles prove that Megan can't be neatly labeled as a show tune singer. Rock, country, theater -- this CD has it all, and Megan can do it all.

Each song tells a story, and Megan performs as each narrator, exhibiting a wide range of emotion and experiences. Particular standouts are Lennon/McCartney's "Bathroom Window," Randy Newman's "Real Emotional Girl," Bobbie Gentry's "Fancy" (listen for Billy Porter's stunning backup vocals on this one), George Richey's "The Grand Tour," Fred Weatherley's "Danny Boy" and Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan's "Take It with Me."

Backed up by a terrific band, the Supreme Music Program, Megan enfuses each track with passion, consummate showmanship and a lust for life.

This CD is perfection! For those of you wanting Megan to re-hash Broadway standards or simply belt out old favorites-this is not the CD for you. For those of you who want to hear an actress with a great voice perform songs with every muscle in her body-pull up a chair and take notice. Megan seems to select songs that have disenfranchised characters. She picks material in the same vein as Ute Lemper-stories of people who sometimes fall through the cracks, but who are absolutely fascinating.

It appears Ms. Megan likes to tell stories and act out the songs. She is truly a musical theatre actress. Almost every song on the disc sounds like she's a different character. Her first CD is wonderful too, so if you don't have it-go find it. However, on Big As A Berry, Megan seems to inhabit the characters more and gives so many moving performances.Her Kurt Weill song interpretation is stunning and brilliant-right up there with Ute Lemper. Megan really takes her time on a song and feels it, acts it, and becomes it. I'm blown away. Hopefully, after Wil & Grace is over she will tour and impress audiences with her incandescent talent. There is so much more to this fine actress than Karen. Support this amazing diva and buy her CD.

What a stunning debut! Yes, she sometimes sounds like Bernadette Peters. In a perfect world, *everyone* sometimes sounds like Bernadette Peters, but this phenominal album of songs goes way beyond that. There are also echoes of Eva Cassidy, Emmy Lou Harris, Barbra Streisand, Donna Fargo, Linda Ronstadt, Mae West, Bette Midler and [the legendary] Judy Henske. Mullally is all that without ever losing her own original, amazing self. What you will not find is Karen Walker from "Will & Grace." Every one of these cannily selected songs is a different character, a different voice, a different story. Step back Patti and Betty -- with one masterful CD, Megan cuts in very close to the head of the line in that long parade of show tune divas.

Megan Mullally is best known as Karen Walker on TV show WILL & GRACE, but she has really hit a home run IMO with this album.
Very soulful, with elements recalling Phoebe Snow or Jennifer Warnes, with a few music hall moments, & a very interesting mix of songs ranging from trad. song "Dear Companion' (done rather like Emmylou Harris) to a couple lovely Randy Newman ones, to more 'cabaret' fare with Brecht/Weill's "Barbara Song" (interesting translation) to a couple by Bobbie Gentry. And her take on "Danny Boy" is a dramatic contrast to 'recent' one by Eva Cassidy. A couple overuse vocoder a bit (she doesn't NEED the distortion. . .), but solid stuff. Great variety of songs, great album.

I bought this cd on a whim. I knew from 'Will & Grace' that Megan had tons of talent and I could tell she had a decent voice. Boy was I mistaken. This woman has it going on!
Highly polished, uncategorizable with a voice akin to Bernadette Peters she glides effortlessly through a variety of styles.
All this CD did was made me want more. It is very difficult to pick a favorite here, they are all good. Each one showcases different aspects of her voice and talent.
For a debut she has chosen well for material. I strongly encourage anyone who appreciates talent to buy this. It is different, exceptionally so and worth a listen... over and over.

WOW, what an awesome work! Megan Mullally really puts out an effort on this one. Every track sounds like a different person. You'd never know it was only her. She calls upon her theatrical training to make each song her own, but with a different character.

My favorite song on the track is Danny Boy. While I was partial to that song previously, I had to stop in my tracks while listening to Ms. Mullally's version of it. That particular song is perfectly suited to her voice, and she really shows it.

Some of my other favorites are Lonely At The Top, Real Emotional Girl, My Dear Companion, Lament, The Grand Tour, and Take It With Me. She really puts forth an effort, and it shows!!! I would highly recommend this CD to anyone who wants to hear good music with outstanding style.

Megan Mullally is great! This CD has something for everyone. All cover songs from rock n roll, to country, to blues, and the list goes on. Mullally can sing any style. Sometimes she rocks out with a very Joplin like voice other times she shows up her amazing Broadway belt and mix. The best part of this CD is that Mullally is so heartfelt. She completely pulls you in. It is like her heart and soul are out there for you to grab. I love listening to this CD in the car. There are some great jam songs like Fancy and Bathroom Window. And her ballad, the classic, Danny Boy, will bring you to your knees with tears streaming down your face. It is now my favorite CD. My only complaint is that is isn't long enough. When the CD is over, I want more!

Long after I grew weary of Will & Grace, I continued watching because I was so impressed with Megan's immense talent. After hearing about The Supreme Music Program and her music career, I was excited to purchase & receive Big As A Berry.

I was not disappointed! It's an amazing collection of favorites, performed in a new,interesting way. Only Megan could do something this fantastic! I wish there was more out there about her band. Maybe now she has a break from TV, she'll spend some time touring a little.

Very highly recommended if you are interesting in expanding your musical tastes & collection!