If/Then Cast Recording

[IdinaBellFoster]

Ljay, it's not just you. The higher notes on a few songs (Always Starting Over, Some Other Me, Love While You Can) there's a hint of a rasp on the higher notes.

[ljay889]

Yes! Those are the notes I'm referring to.

[IdinaBellFoster]

It doesn't bother me too much in 'Always Starting Over", just because it's her big 11 O'Clock number & it's a desperate moment. But it took me out of the other songs for a second, I'm a bit shocked they used those vocals tracks...

[fingerlakessinger]

For me, I think it adds to the recording. In these days, I am pretty sick of hearing clean, polished, robotic voices on tracks. Idina has a very distinct, raw voice. Yes, she can be inconsistent, but I think there is something special about it. I love the slight rasp.

[Mr. Nowack]

I too love the rasp. It gives you a sense that she's actually a real person!

[YouWantitWhen????]

For me, it conveys some of the emotion of the songs. In "Learn to Live Without" she sounded the same way on Letterman, with her voice breaking on the end note. I thought it was somewhat intentional.

[haterobics]

In another reality, she sings them with no rasp.

[YouWantitWhen????]

[carolinaguy]

There was a comment from the composers that some of the tracks were recorded on a Sunday night after the performance and some were recorded on the following Monday. They stated that some of the Sunday night tracks had a rawer, more raspy feel and they liked that feel and used them deliberately.

[ljay889]

Her vocals were nearly flawless when I saw the show on opening night. I just think she sounded better live than on this recording.

[slmlbl]

The If/Then Soundtrack is currently in the top ten albums on iTunes. Not show tunes. Albums. That's a pretty remarkable testament to Idina as I can't recall seeing a Broadway Cast Recording break the iTunes albums chart...

Saw the show today and actually loved it.
My fave comment came from the couple behind me that was very confused
"I think it's the sequel to Rent and that's why we're confused because we didn't see that"

[YouWantitWhen????]

It has the same rank on Amazon right now - I saw it as high as 8.

[TheaterGal3]

I like the raspy sound I've heard on some of the songs. The night the album was released it was #5 overall on iTunes. Thought that was pretty cool. Love While You Can is one of my favorites on the cd. I remember liking it during the show, but didn't realize how much.

[ljay889]

Looks like the orchestra was expanded quite a bit for the recording. The orchestrations really do sound exquisite.

[BroadwayGirl107]

I think the raspiness in Idina's voice is just PERFECT. I'm so happy Idina's voice was captured like this on a recording. I was so disappointed when the Wicked OCR came out and they had done so much to doctor her voice that you lost all those imperfections in her voice that make her so emotional to listen to.

[qolbinau]

Now that the recording is out can we all agree the show isn't the disaster that some think it is?

[promisespromises2]

^To me it just reinforces what I've heard people say in person who saw it: The actors were amazing, the singing is amazing, but the story is blah.

I didn't like the story at all and found the show to be boring at times but I love the cast recording because I think the whole cast sounds fricken fantastic.

[YouWantitWhen????]

There is a Vevo video of "Learn to Live Without." Is this is precursor to a single being released?
Learn to Live Without

[someone.else's.story2]

Just want to add to the camp who enjoys rasp and imperfections on recordings. I consider these acting choices since the clearly could have been fixed.


Still waiting on my copy to arrive from Amazon and reading the reviews here, I am getting excited!

[YouWantitWhen????]

If you bought online, you can use Auto-Rip to download it to your computer.

[haterobics]

I love Auto-Rip, although I doubt Amazon would like the way I use it.

[WickedGinger]

I just wanted to add to the conversation… I think Idina sounds fantastic, as I knew she would. Listening to the soundtrack has made me more excited about seeing the show on 18th June.

The real pleasant surprise was Anthony Rapp. He sounds fantastic and I just can't get 'You Don't Need To Love Me' out of my head. I just love the following lyrics:

Let me be your emergency contact,
Your occasional plus one.
Your excuse to take a sick day
When the forecast calls for sun.

I also really like Best Worst Mistake.

Just wanted to single Anthony out as no one seems to be talking about him. All in all I just love the CD.

[phan24]

I saw the show last week and really enjoyed the concept and music and of course Idina, but what bothered me the most was the lyrics. It seems like Brian Yorkey from Next to Normal is a completely different guy, there are some pretty embarrassing lyrics in this score, anyone else bothered by some of them?

"...so this is what I say:" from Love While You Can seems just so forced and fake.

[uncageg]

Finally picked it up today. Loved the music live and loving it recorded. I am currently listening to it on 12 speakers in a showroom on the 26th floor overlooking the south, east and north of NYC. It is making for a nice afternoon at work! I just stopped what I was doing and looked out of the windows during "A Map of New York". It was pretty cool.

[pushdabutton]

I'm very excited since I just got my CD from Amazon in the mail today!

I'm seeing the show in 2 weeks!

[qolbinau]

The CD is selling ridiculously well. This can only be good for the word of mouth of the show.