Customer Reviews

Duets

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I LOVE Alcie Ripley and Emily Skinner, they are both wonderful performers as well as people. I am not lying by saying that this is my favorite CD, for I listen to it at least once a day. This CD is a collection of songs written by prominent lyricists and musicians, like Steven Sondheim, Henry Krieger, Bill Russel, and many more. I would recommend this to anyone, providing that they like listening to show tunes.

From reading other reviews of this CD, you'll see that there is no doubt that these two ladies are great singers.

On this CD, the have collected together a wide-range of musical theatre duets, and they give them clear, fresh interpretations that don't attempt to challenge but do aim to please. Without a doubt, this CD succeeds in that aim.

Personal favourites of mine include In His Eyes, Every Day A Little Death, and Perfect Strangers. There is a nice feeling of space on this recording.

I don't agree with an earlier review that found fault with the musical backing on this album. I don't think that it is unduly weak, but I do think that it provides a simple, unobtrusive background in front of which these two ladies' voices are able to shine. Surely it is better to have them in front of what some may believe is a dubious backing than to not have them at all.

If you are a fan of musical theatre then this album is almost certain to delight you, not only for its musical brilliance, but also for its use of some songs that'll not be available anywhere else.

After hearing Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner on the Tony Awards I just had to have more. When I found out about "Duets" I ordered it immediately. What a gem of a CD. Every track on this CD is as good if not better than the one before it. The way their voices blend, one could actually belive that they were indeed twin sisters. Listening to "Little Me" you actually know that these two ladies will always be there for each other. "My Friend" had tears rolling down my face as I could imagine these two friends having to say goodbye to each other. I would have to say that my favorite track is the medley and counter melody of "My Own Best Friend/Nowadys". Who'd have ever thought of having these two songs sung in counter melody. It's reminicent of Barbra and Judy with their "Get Happy/Happy Days Are Hear Again". These two ladies are one surprise after another. With their big belting voices, that could peel the paint off the back wall of the third balcony, they show us their more trained voices with the little heard "Perfect Strangers" from Edwin Drood. What a delight. My only complaint, if you could call it that, is that they didn't include "I Will Never Leave You" from SideShow on this CD. I can't wait for a new release from them. What a fantastic set of voices!!!!

Both Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner possess such wonderful vocal instruments alone, imagine the excitement and electricity when they sing together. Each of them brings their own style to this recording, yet together they are impeccably placed. If every performer could meet their match in performing and sound so electrifying as these two do, we would be so lucky.

A fun treat for fans is listening to the rest of the CD after track fifteen...let it keep playing, and you'll discover a great "impromptu" discussion which details their journey to London in SideShow.

The CD is fun. The arrangements are great. It's too bad that Varese Sarabande lost Bruce Kimmel, because it means Broadway performers like Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner won't get this type of exposure anymore.

If you enjoy these ladies apart, you'll enjoy them together as well. I recommend having this album, in any case, as they are two of Broadway's brightest stars and have a long future ahead of them. I can only hope they will work together again, as well as releasing solo stuff.

I'm actually quite surprised this hasn't been reviewed yet... For those of you who don't know, Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner are both amazing Broadway actresses who were brought together in the 1997 musical Side Show and since have become friends, releasing two albums together. This was the first of the two (the other being Unsuspecting Hearts). However, unlike Unsuspecting Hearts, which features both solos and duets, this one is completely duets (hence the title). The variety is also wonderful (yes, they are all Broadway songs). There is the wonderfully nostalgic "Stuck With You/Ready To Play" (cut from Side Show, but a wonderful song), the moving "I Know Him So Well" and "In His Eyes" (Chess and Jekyll & Hyde, respectively), the uproarously funny "One Boy/What Did I Ever See In Him?" (Bye Bye Birdie) and some great songs from Sondheim ("Every Day A Little Death" from A Little Night Music and "If Mama Was Married" from Gypsy), Coleman ("Little Me" from Little Me and "Baby Dream Your Dream" from Sweet Charity), Berlin ("Sisters" from White Christmas and "Ohio" from Wonderful Town), and Kander & Ebb ("My Own Best Friend" and "Nowadays" from Chicago). This duo is electric in every song they put out, and you can't help falling in love with them. After listening to the CD nonstop for about a week, I found myself singing the songs in the shower, on the Stairmaster and in French class. This is definitely a CD not to be missed for any Broadway, Als or Em fan. Oh! And as a bonus, there's a hidden track (yes, they did this with Unsuspecting Hearts too) somewhere in the CD which is as hillarious as some of the songs! Believe me, I can just SEE your finger waiting to click the "add to cart" button :)

"Duets" is a wonderfully fresh selection of Broadway favorites. Each powerful song is unique at fits the singers' personality perfectly. Forget the over-done songs found on other Broadway collections, the producers here have chosen some amazing tunes from lesser-known musicals.

Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley come together in a wonderful union of the most-talented female vocalists of Broadway. The duo proves that they have the talent and the voices to cover a wide variety of music.

I have been a fan of Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley since seeing them in "Side Show". They are two of theatre's greatest talents today, and this album is extraordinary. The songs and arrangements are great, and I listen to this album a lot!

This CD has everything -- humor and drama -- it's great! Especially enjoyable is the "hidden track" at the end of the last song with "bootlegged" copies of Julie Andrews and Jennifer Holiday playing Daisy and Violet. Amazing and hilarious!

If you enjoy this first CD, I would suggest picking up their second CD, "Unsuspecting Hearts" along with Emily Skinner's solo album. All three of these CDs are great interpretations of classic theatre songs. You won't be sorry to meet up with Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner!

I can't imagine anybody prefering the horrible Betty Buckley to this album. Different strokes, I guess :)! This album has exquisite singing-- solo & duo & some unusual
choices. Their 2nd (UNSUSPECTING HEARTS) has a few cheesy pop/disco things thrown in-- though I like it too. but this one I recommend without reservation if you like great
Broadway singing. Yes, involved arrangements, but I
think they work.

If you're a fan of broadway, this is a CD worth purchasing. Skinner and Ripley possess immense talent and the way their voices blend and work together reveals the depth of their friendship not just their partnership.

Some of the best selections on this album are "Little Me", "I Know Him So Well", and "We Make a Beautiful Pair". These songs make the album worthy of any collection.

And though Bruce Kimmel has left Varese Sarabande, I have heard that he is starting his own production company and is producing individual albums for both Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley.

Both Skinner and Ripley were nominated TOGETHER for a Tony nomination in the best female category. Their individual talents, although terrific by themselves, are absolutely incredible joined together. Some great songs such as "I Know Him So Well" are worth the price of the CD by itself... other great songs include those cut out from Side Show. Drawbacks include the lack-luster orchestrations that sound like elevator musaak. But their voices definitely make up for it!