Lea Michele's New Album Places

[Soaring29]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 1:27am

I've listened to several songs from it- Some of the songs are frankly not good songs at all, but Michelle's vocals are always great.  Anyway, I've been watching a lot of interviews of her marketing the album and she talks about how she named it "Places" because  the Broadway tradition of calling places before the performers have to go on. She's also stated that she wanted to get back to her  more theatrical roots as a singer, having  idolized Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion in her childhood.  I like Lea's work a lot and applaud her for making this album, but I feel that it's little bit like false advertising to cite Barbra Streisand and Broadway in the interviews because the album is all pop songs. No Broadway songs or Streisand songs(Haven't listened to the album enough to  hear any vocal homages to Celine, but there are no covers) . If that's the album that she wants to create, that's fine by me, but giving the people the idea it's a throwback album with a more musical theatre sound is not a great way to market the album in my opinion. 

Anybody else listened to some of the songs or watched any interviews? Did  you guys like her first album? 

Updated On: 5/21/17 at 01:27 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 8:59am

Lea Michele.  At least get her name spelled correctly.  You at least got Streisand's name correct.   Thank you for that.  

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 11:05am

The impression I got when she's cited Barbra and Celine and Broadway in interviews wasn't that the album would include covers, but that the songs would have a more traditional pop sound with emphasis on vocals instead of the heavily produced sound we heard in her first album and what is on the radio a lot now. I liked the concept for this album, but I agree the songs themselves aren't very good.

[A Canadian in NYC]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 11:34am

I quite liked Lea Michele on Glee.  When it first started I didn't know who she was as I hadn't yet discovered Broadway and musical theatre.  I think she has a lot of talent.  That being said, I think she's a little too big for her britches.  Authoring pseudo self-help books and recording whatever type of album that she thinks is going to make her a mega-star - rather than doing what's in her heart - has led to a lot of people scoffing her and not taking her seriously at all.

She's another Ryan Murphy prodigy, along with Darren Criss, and I can't figure out yet if that is ultimately doing both of them more harm than good.  I guess we'll find out down the road, but the two seem very desperate to make the A list and, in my opinion, have not done any great bodies of work that are much deserving of the praise and accolades they receive.

I sincerely hope Lea does come back to Broadway - just not in Funny Girl.   I would LOVE her to record an album of Broadway classics - but she won't - she won't reach the stardom she seeks by doing this.  IMO.

 

[Sunny11]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 1:15pm

Well Darren Criss is going to play Andrew Cunanan, Versaces murderer, on American Crime Story. That has real potential to be an Emmy bait role if excercuted right. The 1st season about the OJ Simpson trial dominated its catagory at the Emmys that year. 

If Ryan thinks that Lea fits a similar calibar role on one of his shows in the future that that could be a good career boost for her too. 

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 7:42pm

Ever since she butchered Don't Rain on my Parade at the TONY Awards, I'm not a fan

[Steve C.]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 8:10pm

While I have no "in person" opinion of Lea's singing and acting I do want to, at least, give Darren Criss his due. People either love or don't love both of them but if you're basing your opinion on 2-3 minute edits of numbers on Glee re runs that's that.

I saw Criss take over for the amazing Daniel Radcliffe in "How To Succeed.." and he is every bit "the" versatile talented stage actor. I missed "Hedwig" but even though he only did "Business" for 3 weeks, we saw him twice (Radcliffe 2x also). He just has all the stage door joan/johnnies screaming.

Being a Murphy favorite can be a curse or a good thing. Lea can do the Murphy schtick but is still unproven to me, on stage, but Criss is definitely a dedicated guy and good at his job. But, I'm not buying any of her music.

[Soaring29]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 8:28pm

BenjaminNicholas2 said: "Ever since she butchered Don't Rain on my Parade at the TONY Awards, I'm not a fan

 

Just out of interest, why  do you think she butchered it?

 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 8:59pm

What I will say for Criss is that he is a hustler. He is willing to pay his dues and work his ass off. Lea not so much. I respect him immensely. He goes against type and is willing to challenge himself. Plus he's not stupid-he seems to be a gay creative's darling and is wiling to work that angle. He's a smart cookie and I think he will have al ong career. 

[Sunny11]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 9:30pm

Lea is in the minority of former child actors who successfully transitioned to adult roles. That takes a good amount of versatility and hardwork  especially since she didn't go to college.  

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/22/17 at 3:41am

Soaring29 said: "BenjaminNicholas2 said: "Ever since she butchered Don't Rain on my Parade at the TONY Awards, I'm not a fan

 

Just out of interest, why  do you think she butchered it?

 

 

"

Thanks for asking. I've never understood why that is considered such a low point here. Like we haven't all heard it sung much worse...

[Soaring29]

Posted: 5/28/17 at 6:03am

Yeah, I just got back from rewatching it- Frankly, she is behind the beat through the first half of the song, spends too much time in the audience,  and she kind of overacts the end, but it's not a terrible performance, though not her best interpretation of the song. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 5/29/17 at 12:19am

It's not a horrible album and her voice redeems a lot of the songs but it's just not very interesting. Sometimes the slow tempo and her vocals just expose the weakness of the lyrics and the composition. I didn't think the first album was fantastic but it was certainly better. That said, I think the songs are inoffensive enough that they will eventually grow on with me repetition and I'll stop thinking about how they don't make sense. 

I think Darren Criss is good with material he can handle. But he was real... not good at that NY Pops Carnegie Hall concert. 

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 5/29/17 at 1:37am

Soaring29 said: "Yeah, I just got back from rewatching it- Frankly, she is behind the beat through the first half of the song, spends too much time in the audience,  and she kind of overacts the end, but it's not a terrible performance, though not her best interpretation of the song. "

 

Aside from all of that, it was her clear overconfidence during the performance that rubbed me the wrong way.  Her mannerisms didn't match the vocal quality.

Yes, a lot of other folks have done this song much worse:  Is that really how we're going to judge a performance of this song on a nationally televised theatre awards show?  I expect better, especially when it's nothing more than a gigantic ad for Broadway.

That being said, there are also those who have absolutely smashed this song and exuded a confidence that matches the performance.  Exhibit A:

 

https://youtu.be/I_6n3drbhV0?t=27s

 

 

Updated On: 5/29/17 at 01:37 AM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/29/17 at 1:46am

BenjaminNicholas2 said: "Ever since she butchered Don't Rain on my Parade at the TONY Awards, I'm not a fan

 

"yes...stop thinking your Streisand Lea!

 

Updated On: 5/29/17 at 01:46 AM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/30/17 at 3:01am

Soaring29 said: "Yeah, I just got back from rewatching it- Frankly, she is behind the beat through the first half of the song, spends too much time in the audience,  and she kind of overacts the end, but it's not a terrible performance, though not her best interpretation of the song. 

 

"

I trust your appraisal. I was just impressed that she had the guts to do that song in that context. And compared to the tepid performance by Michael Morrison (just before her, right?), at least she seemed to know she was performing. (FTR, I think Morrison is a hell of a singer; I just thought he was subdued that particular evening.)