Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Betty Buckley: Ah, Men! - The Boys Of Broadway (2012)

 

betty buckley

What did Ella and Sinatra have in common? Besides the fact that both are considered to be two of the most popular and recognizable voices of not only an entire generation, but of an entire genre- they each possessed an unparalleled ability to interpret a lyric. Each could stand alone on stage or in...a recording studio and sing a song you had heard performed by dozens of others and make you feel like you were hearing it not only for the first time, but with the author's true intent. This album marks the new release of another member of that exclusive club- Betty Buckley.

With "Ah Men, The Boys Of Broadway" we get our first new studio album from Ms. Buckley since 2008. This new album reflects her last engagement at the soon to be closed Feinstein's, a show made up of songs written for male voices but given Ms. Buckley's one of a kind touch. While "Broadway Backwards" is not a new gimmick, Ms. Buckley somehow once again does the impossible- she erases any memory you might have of what you thought these songs sounded like before. Highlights include her take on Jerry Herman's "Song On The Sand", a suite of songs from "Sweeney Todd" and the little gem that is William Finn's "Venice".

What makes this album such a momentous occasion for fans of not only Ms. Buckley's but of musical theatre songs in general, is that ability to put her unique stamp on just about anything she chooses to sing. At a stage in her career when her peers in the world of singing actresses voices have thinned or lost a bit of that ability to belt it out- Buckley is in fine voice here. As in previous studio recordings or her sadly out of print live albums, her range of song selection and depth of emotion takes your breath away.

With subtle yet beautiful arrangements mixed with that undeniable voice, this album will take those who were lucky enough to see Ms. Buckley live last fall on a magic trip back to that wonderful room on the Upper East Side. For those who have never experienced Betty Buckley live, this album is a great start as it captures a magical brand of storytelling from arguably one of the finest voices to ever emerge from the Musical Theatre. The thing that matters most is that whether in a whisper of a voice or in full belt, she still manages to stimulate every nerve and stir your emotions like only a very select few can. We can only hope that this new collaboration with Palmetto Records will be the first of many to come.

Track Listing:

1. I Can See It (The Fantasticks)

2. My Defenses Are Down (Annie Get Your Gun)

3. The Jet Song (West Side Story) [Explicit]

4. Maria (West Side Story)

5. I Won't Dance (Roberta)

6. Venice (Elegies)

7. Luck Be a Lady (Guys & Dolls)

8. Song On the Sand (La Cage Aux Folles)

9. Hymn to Her (Adapted from My Fair Lady)

10. Come Back to Me (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever)

11. Hey There (The Pajama Game)

12. Sweeney Todd Suite (Sweeney Todd)

13. Corner of the Sky (Pippin)

14. More I Cannot Wish You (Guys & Dolls)

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