Jekyll & Hyde Resurrection [Soundtrack]

Frank Wildhorn | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 22, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Koch Records
• ASIN: B000EGDNE0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,422 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Certainly not the "definitive" version of J&H, August 25, 2006

By 

Steven Valenti "svclue" (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jekyll & Hyde Resurrection (Audio CD)

Simply put, this new "Jekyll & Hyde" recording pales in comparison to the two other major ones: the 1994 2-disc set and the 1997 Broadway version, both of which I enjoy, especially the '94 one.

"Jekyll & Hyde" has always been slighted as a "pop opera," but the one thing that was too often overlooked about Frank Wildhorn's unabashedly radio-friendly score is that, yes it's pop music, but most of the numbers happen to be GOOD pop songs. Certainly, there is a definite difference between shows that use pop music to solid effect and ones that completely muck it up ("Brooklyn," anyone?).

So I have always been a big fan of the 2-disc set that represented the show in one of many, many stages. The leads on the recording-- Anthony Warlow, Linda Eder, and Carolee Carmello-- are phenomenal, and in my mind, the definitive three. After a long tour, the show finally made it to Broadway, with a new book, new staging, bad cuts, a million reprises of the number "Façade" and, worst of all, "Broadway" style orchestrations that somehow never felt right. Still, the Broadway recording has its merits-- especially a really strong Robert Cuccioli as Jekyll/Hyde. Christiane Noll took over for Carolee Carmello (with the character renamed Emma, instead of Lisa-- more Victorian-sounding, I guess), Linda Eder was still on hand as the prostitute Lucy, and the trio served the songs well again.(If only Cuccioli and Eder were documented on DVD instead of David Hasselhoff!)

So with at least two recordings-- each with three leads singing the heck out of the songs, this new recording has a lot to live up to. The first thing "Jekkies" will notice is the abundance of wailing electric guitars throughout the cd. This in itself is not a bad thing, except Rob Evan as Jekyll/ Hyde is far too traditional Broadway-sounding to get into the rock spirit that this cd tries for on many occasions. Overall, the songs are reorchestrated in a way that sounds less theatrical and more like a concept album of a new show (okay, maybe a show from the 80s).

The other major changes are the elimination of ensemble songs-- no "Board of Governors," "Façade," "Murder, Murder," etc. For some, this may be a good thing. It does sort of damage the storytelling, though, placing the focus squarely on the songs of the three leads. I do like that this recording restores "The Girls of the Night," probably the best song that was cut for Broadway. Unfortunately, it's turned into a duet for Lucy and Emma, which doesn't make dramatic sense (Emma is a "girl of the night"--a prostitute? wh wh what?!). Gone is Broadway's overly-symbolic "Good and Evil" and back is "Bring on the Men,"-- good choice, but the tempo is way, waaaaay too slow.

Overall, the feeling of this recording is sort of the reverse of the previous recordings-- it feels like a work in progress, a show that is just being figured out-- not a definitive final version, as I expected it would be. The performances, too, feel unpolished-- it's like showing up to the theater and being stuck with the understudies in ALL THREE lead performances.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Joy to Listen To, August 22, 2006

By 

Grace (Alameda, US, Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jekyll & Hyde Resurrection (Audio CD)

I've had this CD (Korean Version) for more than a month already, and I listen to it almost every day. At first I was aprehensive about listening to it, because it was an "amped-up" version of the beloved musical, but I was immediately impressed by the quality of the performers and the new arrangements of the music. It's not just guitars and keyboards, there's an orchestra providing the musical backup too. Though sometimes the modern feel doesn't work out (only on "Dangerous Game", really), I love how the songs sound so unmusical-like. You can imagine some of the more popular numbers like "Someone Like You" "This is the Moment" "In His Eyes" and "A New Life" being performed on the radio or in a concert setting. "Girls of the Night" is a favorite of mine that I'm extremely glad they added on. And with "Bring On the Men" and the new song "If You Only Knew" on the album too, that should be enough reasons to buy it.

The best part of the album are the singers. They are perfect, and sound great; I love their interpretations of the music. At least two of them (Rob and Kate) were involved in the Broadway version as well. Terrific-sounding album that you won't regret purchasing.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great New Recording!, September 4, 2006

By 

J. Filiberto "umgeoboy" (ny) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jekyll & Hyde Resurrection (Audio CD)

This cd is a very different approach to a great score. Rob Evan is by far the reason to buy this cd. He is the quintisential Jekyll & Hyde. Brandi and Kate bring their own spin to this work as well. This cd is worth buying just for Rob's this is the moment. The rest of the cd is a bonus!