Exclusive: Listen to Broadway's Upcoming ON THE TOWN

[Liza's Headband]

Here are three tracks. EW has the exclusive listen. What does everyone think??? I'm especially loving Alysha and the orchestrations.


Listen to three exclusive tracks from Broadway's upcoming 'On the Town'

[HorseTears]

I think I've gotten too used to the brilliant studio recording that Michael Tilson Thomas conducted with the London Symphony and a mix of Broadway performers and opera stars.

Next to that recording, this one sounds a bit dinky at first, but once my ears acclimated to the smaller orchestra, I found that it sounded absolutely swell, if not lacking some of the "vim" of the Tilson Thomas recording. Beyond the size of the band - how can a 30 piece pit band compare to a full symphony orchestra under Tilson Thomas' direction? - something about the playing of the orchestra feels a little timid and hesitant. I can imagine the music having more life in it after they've been performing it a while, though. Assume they're using the original orchestrations, yes?

"New York, New York" sounds spectacular. Yazbeck sounds good on "Lucky to Be Me". I am VERY puzzled by Alysha Umphress' vocals, though. I understand that this can't be a museum piece in which the new performers aren't allowed to flex their creative muscles, but I find her vocals bizarre. Some of them are traditional, then she throws in some VERY contemporary American Idol style riffing which feels completely wrong for the period. And, what's up with her suddenly adopting a ridiculously over the top NY accent on the words "Girls", but then dropping it on everything else? Feels cartoony. Overall, it doesn't feel as saucy or as lustful as I think it should. Disappointing. Hope she has time to improve.

[eperkins]

I thought her riffs were VERY 40's.

[newintown]

Umphress' faux Noo Yawk accent is rather embarrassing; it sounds like she's singing "I Can Cook Too" a few steps (at least) higher than the score. The tempo is a bit slow for my taste. Are these new or adapted orchestrations? They sound a bit thin and lacking in color. Umphress' melismatic ornamentations are, although expected by American Idol viewers, also unnecessary.

Yazbek sounds like he has to really work to push out the lower notes in "Lucky To Be Me;" not surprising in an age that values high notes above all else. But he sounds very pleasant in the upper register (just like he did at Encores).

"New York, New York" also is a bit slow for me, but the orchestra sounds better here than in the other 2 songs (although it sounds like there are only 3 violins playing). The drummer is good. The boys don't have a lot of vocal differentiation. They all sound youthful, clean, and clear.

[eperkins]

One thing to note about these EW song links - they are strangely compressed and sound rather "tinny." I've noticed that with all the EW music files. If you buy the CD, it sounds MUCH better. I'm sure that's the case here as well.

[HorseTears]

That's very true and worth noting. Though, I don't think you can attribute the very fine (but certainly not specular) sound of the orchestra just to compression. I mean, the clips below are hardly high quality, but, damn, does the LSO still sound spectacular on "New York, New York". And on the ballet music? Forget about it! And it's not just the size. They have such verve, such swing, such color - such a dynamic sound. All likely due to the musical direction of Tilson Thomas.

[Broadwaygirl202]

[CATSNYrevival]

Does this mean that they've already recorded the cast album or are these just promo tracks? Or is this just all they plan on recording? That would make me very sad.