Customer Reviews

Alan Menken Album

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

 

 

The best things about this album are the unknown songs: "Growing Boy" from a Babe Ruth musical, an erotic paean to down-home cookin'; "Daughter of God", which moved me to tears; and "Take Care of My Heart", a spare, exquisite song about love beyond distance. The known songs don't fare quite as well, but I don't know if that's the fault of Debbie Gravitte, her producer, her arranger, or mine for being used to the "original" covers of "Part of Your World," "Beauty and the Beast," "Santa Fe", etc. Still, Gravitte shines on the great ballads, including the gorgeous "Suddenly Seymour" and "You Are the Only One", as well as in the impish swing tune "One Jump Ahead" and the uniquely arranged "Seize the Day". A great introduction for this Menken fan who only knew his Disney work previously.

If you like musical theater, you'll greatly appreciate this special album featuring some of the most beautiful songs ever to hit the stage or screen. Alan Menken, one of the most prolific, respected, and award-winning movie and musical composers, presents some of his songs from Disney fame, as well as some hidden gems from his own musical productions. Combing a hip style, and Debbie Shapiro Gravitte's beautiful and enchanting voice, this album provides the best of Alan Menken.

It's Menken at his best.

Clearly among the many influenced by the now senior citizen, Streisand, Debbie Shapiro Gravitte, stands out as an old fashioned singer who, in the style of Garland, Merman, and the happily still available Barbra, can handle a wide variety of material with aplomb. As with the others mentioned, she seems to be at her best with the songs that give her a chance to belt it outto the balconies, but also, like the others, she can give heart to a ballad as well. In this album, some of the material gives her a chance to be outstanding, a few fail her, but overall, she makes the most of what is given her. Few will go away without asking for more on CD from this first class talent.

I've been searching hi & lo for the artiste & album since listening to 'You are the only one' (featured in another compilation I have). It's a simple song about the kind of gentle & unpretentious love moi identifies with, heheh :) .. & Debbie infuses it with such tender emotions .. The same goes for 'Take care of my heart' ...Further, her versatility is impressive. From the electrifying 'Seize the day' .. soothing 'Santa Fe'.. to being the Broadway showgal in '... Rockette' .. & her unique interpretation of popular Disney. Love all the tracks & love her voice. Definitely planning to get more of her recordings.

I've always been a huge Alan Menken fan, so this cd is a real treat for me. Gravitte's voice is superb on every song, even the one's that I've never heard before. It's a perfect cd to listen to when you're doing work, and slowly falling a sleep. This'll pick you right back up, and have you, well (excuse the pun) whistling while you work.

Have you ever seen the scene in "Private Parts" where Howard Stern satisfies a woman over the radio? When I played this c.d. on my excellent sound system, the music did the exact same thing. "Special K" goes very well this kind of music.

Menken style is very smooth and caressing to the soul and body. His touch penetrates you and and he leaves filled with his life-creating juices which pemeate this album. However, I was personally left unsatisfied by Menken's work. He seemed to finish too quickly and seemed in a rush to get it all over with. I preferred his previous work, when he took the time to make sure it was done correctly. After those performances, I was left graping for air after his powerful and confident movements took control of me and made me feel complete.

The newest album from Menken, one of the most established composers of his time, comes with great expectations, but not so great results. It lacks the ingenuity that usually encompasses his music, the originality and flavor that brought him his well deserved fame in the Disney classics. The new pieces that he presents lack the chemistry between prose and instrumentation that is characteristic of most of his music. Debbie Shapiro Gravitte's enchanting voice seems out of place in the bleak new pieces. Overall, the album does little to raise the plateau of standards that Menken has achieved.