Hedwig And The Angry Inch: Original Cast Recording [CAST RECORDING]

John Cameron Mitchell, Stephen Trask

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 9, 1999)
• Original Release Date: February 9, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B00000HZFP
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,305 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Hedwig (John Cameron Mitchell) is a Berlin singer whose sex-change operation left her with an "angry inch" and a taste for eyeliner. Closer to the New York Dolls than to New York's post-Sondheimian composers, Mitchell and composer-lyricist Stephen Trask rehabilitate the decadent bombast of early-'70s glam rock in a succession of catchy numbers. Hedwig makes a great transition from stage to record because the book is wafer-thin and lets the band focus on individual songs instead of trying to integrate a narrative: this is indeed the most radio-friendly cast album in a long time. So what if Trask has never met a power chord he didn't like? It may not revolutionize the musical theater, but the grand finale, "Midnight Radio," will have you reaching for a lighter. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Homage to Hedwig, September 9, 2001

By	Scooper (Flower Mound, Tx. United States) - See all my reviews

If you are trying to decide which CD to buy-- the original live cast performance, or the film version-- go for the original cast. The film version is excellent, but the original cast version is absolutely amazing! It has more raw energy to it, not to mention more voices in the songs and a more overall 'rock' feel, thanks to Cheater's guitars, bass, and drums. John Cameron Mitchell is a much raunchier Hedwig on this version, and Miriam Shor's Yitzak is the perfect vocal complement to her. If that isn't enough to persuade you, this CD comes complete with unforgettable pictures and the words to all the songs. Also included in the booklet is a very intriguing and entertaining portrayal of Hedwig from a reporter who visits her dressing room for an interview.

In all, this album pays Hedwig the perfect and complete homage she so very much deserves and commands.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easily the Best Rock Musical Since HAIR, July 30, 2002

By	Terry Serres (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

Forget RENT's forced excesses of schlocky chic (amusingly spoofed in the Hedwig movie but not the theater piece), this is a show that really rocks! It's the best rock musical since HAIR, based on the strength of the score alone ... but also to the extent of being a true countercultural phenomenon and a politico-socio-sexual statement.

The lyrics are canny, fun, and wise. The music is amazingly original and effective ... despite the songs being a pastiche in the manner of many great musicals like Chicago and Follies -- you've got a power rock opener, a brooding ballad, a country-western ditty, a heavy metal screamer, a cabaret confessional, a punked-out rant, a ya-ya bubblegum number, a singer-songwriter folk tune, an arena anthem. And John Cameron Mitchell brings a different, utterly convincing, voice to each wonderful song.

This performance is preferable to the film soundtrack, and not just because the whole experience has a greater impact and more meaning on the stage. The added song here "Random Number Generation" (a number that is not part of the show but a song by the original band) is better than the songs "We are Freaks" and "Nailed" on the film soundtrack. The singing has more edge, more intimacy and vulnerability, but no less beauty. The playing is more immediate, the difference between a drag queen with a little stubble and one that is neatly Naired. And, not insignificantly, the cast album includes all lyrics whereas the soundtrack omits them.

I really think this is an important, heartfelt, and enduring musical experience. Rock for the Ages.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still shining like the brightest star, May 16, 2000

By	"shaniezak" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

Brilliant. Astounding, breathtaking, electrifying, profound on more levels than I may ever discover. I fell completely in love with "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" from the very first preview night of its Los Angeles run, and I knew right off that this cast album was a must-have.

This, ladies and gentlemen, whether you like it or not, is THE definitive rock musical. No "rock musical" that came before it even comes close to reaching the true edge and impact that Hedwig does. Stephen Trask's versatile score displays a broad range of musical influence, glorying in a sense of pastiche that really makes you think about the question of self-identity that runs through the show. It's amazing how a song like "The Origin of Love," with its very Dr. Seussian lyrics, can still pack such an impact; "Wicked Little Town" is gorgeous; "Midnight Radio" will always bring tears to my eyes.

Michael Cerveris will always be my favorite Hedwig, but John Cameron Mitchell, the originator, has a beautiful voice and infuses the character of Hedwig with a delicate, yet edgy touch. And as a bonus, the cast album contains the rocking track "Random Number Generation," to better show off Miriam Shor's incredible talent!