Customer Reviews

Bright Lights Big City

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Based on the novel by Jay McInerney, Bright Lights, Big City concerns the life of young New Yorker Jamie (Patrick Wilson), who seems to have it all: good looks, a successful model wife, a job at a prestigious magazine and many friends. During one week, however, his life spins out of control and his search for his true self begins anew. The Off-Broadway production at New York Theatre Workshop was directed by Rent's Michael Grief. Composer Paul Scott Goodman was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. Bright Lights was the first major production of his work." - Playbill.com

Paul Scott Goodman's first work is an excellent attempt. I have to say that the ensemble numbers aren't as strong as the slower tempo numbers but all in all the cd is an excellent addition to any musical theatre collection.

*Patrick Wilson (Phantom of the Opera Movie, Full Monty, Oklahoma!) does well as Jamie and has a plethera of songs to sing throughout.
*Jesse L Marin is Tad, his best friend who knows where all the best parties are. Jesse's songs are all high energy and he does well, unfortunately the rock songs are the weakest in the score.
*Eden Espinosa (Brooklyn, Wicked) plays several different characters inlcuding a Druggie and the voice of the Coma Baby, which Jamie is obsessed over the headline in the newpaper. Eden's voice is very versatile, and although she has a few bits here and there it's nothing spectacular.
*Celia Keenan-Bolger (Spelling Bee) plays the voice of Mary O'Brien Mchann, a missing woman whose face is on an empty milk carton that Jamie obsesses over. Celia has a golden voice which is mesmorizing and perfect for this role. When you hear her sing "Please can you find me? Please don't go" it's simply heartwrenching.
*Sharon Leal plays Amanda, Jamie's wife who's left him. Sharon does well vocally, but her material is weak.
*Anne Marie Milazzo ("When You Believe" Stephen Schwartz Album) is phenomenal. Who is this woman? I first heard her gorgeous vocals belting "When You Believe" on the Stephen Schwartz Album, if you haven't heard it, pick it up, immediately! Milazzo plays the memory of Jamie's mom. The first real solid song in the show is "Happy Birthday Dalring" in which she takes us thru the years of Jamie growing up. "Are You Still Holding My Hand?" is a real tear jerker and Milazzo's golden vocals, a cross between Linda Eder and Barbra Streisand, sends shivers down your spine.
*Gavin Creel (La Cage, Millie, Fame) plays Michael, Jamie's younger brother. Creels tenor does well with his three songs, particularly in "Brother"
*Christine Ebersole (42nd St) plays Clara, Jamie's boss. Ebersole goes against type casting and does a sensational job.
*Enter Sherie Rene Scott (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Last Five Years, Aida, Debbie Does Dallas). Scott seems to get better as the years go by and she is the BEST thing on this cd. Anything she sings here turns to gold. A real hilight both lyrically and vocally is "Kindness". Although she only appears in 4 songs she steals the cd, with Milazzo in close second.

I have been listening to this cd over and over to get a better feel for the music. I still feel that the uptempo rock songs are the weakest link, while the slow tempo sad songs seem to capture the moment just brilliantly. You will not be disappointed with this cd, not with the music, and especially not with the amazing cast of talented singers.

This studio recording of "Bright lights, Big City" is a revised version of the 1999 off-Broadway musical by composer-lyricist Paul Scott Goodman. While certainly not without flaws, it's an admirable attempt at a serious rock musical based on the famous 80's novel by Jay McInerney. The cast is impressive and includes Patrick Wilson as the self-destructing protagonist Jamie, along with Sherie Rene Scott, Jesse L. Martin, Eden Espinosa, and other notable or up-and-coming musical theater performers.

I like Goodman's overall approach for the musical, at least as presented on the album (which appears to be somewhat different from the original stage version). The focus is placed squarely on Jamie-- both his drinkin' and druggin' lifestyle, and his internal struggle against self-destruction. This means the other characters exist almost entirely from his point of view-- it's unusual for a musical, and it creates some interesting dynamics. The characters who represent his disconnected downward spiral-- his partying cohorts and ex-wife-- are depicted as appropriately shallow and one-dimensional, while those who can potentially redeem him-- his brother, a potential love interest, and his (deceased) mother-- are seen with much more humanity. The Jamie-centered approach also provides an opportunity for some neat drug-fueled hallucinations in the form of his constantly flowing memories, as well as a missing girl from a milk carton and the headline-grabbing "Coma Baby." The result is a musical that is more introspective than most, and displays some genuine understanding about the nature of drugs and addiction. While it's unfortunately not able to escape cliché entirely, especially towards the end, there is still a lot that rings true.

Goodman's pop-rock music is mainly very enjoyable; he does a good job evoking the 80's time period and successfully shifts between fast numbers and slower ballads. I have mixed feelings about the lyrics, though-- sometimes they are quite effective and clever, but at other times they can be jarringly silly (the worst moment for me: Jamie and some club-goers proclaiming with all sincerity, "I----I-----I----I WANNA HAVE SEX TONIGHT! COME ON!"). As much as I enjoyed this recording, it does feel a bit unpolished, especially the second half. The performers, though, are very good throughout and give the recording an extra degree of quality. Their presence, along with the mostly fresh musical approach, should make "Bright Lights, Big City" a popular album among fans of modern musicals.

I didn't see the original show, which was compared to "Rent--not favourably. Judging from this recording, it's hard to see why. The whole concept is more original and adventurous (a kind of interior monologue in the form of a drug-induced phatasmagoria with bits of reality suddenly flashing through.) The music is better and the singers are first rate and don't sound as if they're strangling to death.

After the first two numbers which take off like a rocket, you're hooked. Because of the unusual nature of the musical, repeat listening makes you realise just how good it is. The hard-driving rock and explicit drug-and-sex lyrics authentically evoke the go-go eighties. They also have a very uncynical point to make about solipsism, self-indulgence and superficiality.

A superior cast is led by Patrick Wilson who seems to be able to sing anything: his flexible tenor can go into the stratosphere, soften to an anguished whisper, and belt out in true rock 'n roll style. There are some long, incredibly fast passage where he doesn't seem to take a breath at all. On top of that, he's a fine actor and gives a dramatic intensity to all his material.

The rest of the cast is of the same caliber, especially Gavin Creel as the brother and Anne Marie Milazzo as the mother. Her "Are you Still Holding My Hand," sung as the character is dying, must be one of the most moving moments in a contemporary musical.

There are a few rhymes that are wince-inducing, but I'm convinced this show will have a cult following, and the main numbers, such as the title song, should become classics.

Nothing much to add to other reviews here, except for comparison, my other favorite broadway cast recordings are Les Miserables and City of Angels. So if you hate those two shows, you'll probably hate this one as I love it. This one has songs in the pop to hard rock range. If hard rock only gets on your nerves, most of these songs will not be to your taste. If you don't like dealing with 1980s NYC singles themes of drugs and casual sex, you won't like this show. And even the more placid pop songs are more like rock, not 1950s style. No "Hey, There" to be found here. The cast of singers is great, the lead Patrick Wilson showcasing his rock tenor as he is forced into the broadest range for him yet. In fact, I wouldn't have imagined he could sing like this - he could be a rock star - if I wasn't hearing on this, far different from his PHANTOM OF THE OPERA lyric tenor. As a singer or actor, but obviously as both, I imagine this show was particularly exhausting/challenging for the star. Very intense; this story from the novel is the perceptions of Jaime (Patrick Wilson's character) and what is going through his head. This is how Jaime is dealing with his problems and the people in his life, and how he's working things out, the past, present and what he judges his future to me. This Jaime is at a crisis point: his super-model wife has left him, he's lost the job he doesn't care about, and he's being forced to deal with the denial he's been living with for a year - his mother's death. His brother comes to remonstrate him over this. All the singers are good/great, but Wilson is exceptional, even on one song where - for character purposes - he's deliberately gone flat on a certain note, it's deliberate and no falling out of range. So far, it's as if no show has truly discovered his range, and that's one of the discoveries to be found here. You don't have to have read the novel to understand the songs, but there is a lyric sheet accompanying the CD, so it's just a nice extra. Why this show wasn't a success, I'll never know - maybe critics' had an axe to grind. But this is one of only 3 shows whose soundtrack I enjoy on its own: as a classic rock album, and in order to imagine the show as it must have been on-stage. I only hope there's a filmed record of the show we'll be surprised with someday.

Oh my goodness, all the things I could say about this - first, there's the cast. Patrick Wilson (Full Monty, Phantom), Gavin Creel (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Bounce), Sherie Rene Scott (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), and so many more greats. The setting is very 80's, but the music is timeless. The music is incredible, and the storyline can still be followed if you haven't seen the performance live. The themes discussed are universal - death, loneliness, choices, regrets, weakness. I highly recommend this album to those who are interested in Broadway music or the novel it is based on.

After reading through many of the previous reviews, I decided to purchase a copy of "Bright Lights, Big City." After giving a few listen throughs it's become quite a welcome member of my collection of O.C.R.'s.

As soon as I heard the duet "Wasn't That a Beautiful Sunday" embedded in track 3, I was hooked! It was refreshing listening to Celia Keenan-Bolger as she sang her haunting melody about being a missing NYU student. Quite a change from her role in the "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee."

Gavin Creel had a great role as Jamie's brother. One of my favorite tracks is "Brother" track 7. Sherie Rene Scott shines as her role of 'Vicky'. Her addition to the second half of the show is much welcomed. I haven't heard her in a role that I truly enjoyed since her role as 'Kathy' in "The Last Five Years." (Funny that in both shows she falls in love with a man named Jamie.) Her duet near the end of the show "Heart and Soul" is very reminiscent of the duet between Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis in the movie "Duets." It was surprising to hear Jesse L. Martin! It took me a few listens to realize that he was the original Tom Collins in "Rent." Another hidden gem in this show is Jamie's mother. She beltingly soars in "Happy Birthday, Darling."

The only songs that annoy me are the opening snippet "I Love Drugs" and Jamie's "I Hate the French." A small price to pay for such a great recording!!

Overall, this is a great show! I highly recommend purchasing this! You will not regret. There are so many songs on this recording that you will immediately take to.

I know people are going to be like "wait...really?". I say yes because the music in RENT isn't that great in the first place. People only believe RENT is so amazing because the composer died. I'm sure if he was still alive, he would have written shows 100 times better. Bright Lights, Big City is a great score and the lyrics aren't as bad as people make them to be. I think because RENT came first people were quick to hate this show because they share alot of the same elements (mostly just having a rock themed score). People really aren't giving this show a chance. The music continues where RENT left off. Great rock numbers and very intimate ballads. I'm a musical theatre snob and even I think this is a great score. I believe people let other people opinions effect how they think of the show and haven't even listen to it. So order your cd and check it out. I'm tried of all these horrible productions of RENT, lets give this show a chance.

Let's call it; the material in this recording isn't great, but the performances will take your breath away. The laugh in the middle of "What a Perfect Feeling" between Patrick Wilson and Sherie Rene Scott (after she dazzles with "Kindness") is worth the purchase. And Christine Ebersole's "My Son" with her tricky, unusual vocal loops, will have you pressing repeat again and again. And Gavin Creel and his plea to his "Brother" soared through my car for weeks. Anne Marie Milazzo, as Jamie's mother, always has me up and dancing, "Happy Birthday Darling" - I mean, you need a song with a good tambourine beat, right? The other 23 songs are background color - but those 6 are priceless.

Not only does this recording feature an all-star Broadway cast - Patrick Wilson (The Full Monty, Oklahoma), Jesse L. Martin (Rent), Eden Espinosa (Wicked, Brooklyn, Rent), Sherie Renee Scott (Aida, Rent, The Last Five Years), just to name a few - but it preserves one of the best musical theatre scores in recent years. A contemporary rock score sung by some of Broadway's finest, BRIGHT LIGHTS offers a look at sex and drugs in 1984 without getting sappy or dated. This recording is a must for any fan of RENT, BARE, SPRING AWAKENING, or other rock-flavored musical.

This album has many really wonderful songs (and a few not so wonderful ones). It is a really passionate and inspiring story about a man with a cocaine problem grieving the death of his mother, broken hearted by his wife leaving him, and coping with the disappointments of his career. I am very glad I chose to purchase this album. It's a great addition to my vast music library of Broadway Show Tunes. Some of my favorite songs are: "I hate the French", "Kindness", & "Heart & Soul".