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fangasmicWelcome to the very first ever Fangasmic music review! With Glee back in our lives, we decided to celebrate around here by taking a stab at talking about music for a change.
Now, you might be wondering, how in the name of Hilary Duff iswhyareyoulikethis in any way a credible commenter on music? After all, I have perhaps the worst taste in music of anyone I know. My iPod is full of cheesy pop, moldy old standards and more showtunes than you can shake a stick it at. And yet, this makes me uniquely qualified to comment on the album that is the subject of today's post.
That would be John Barrowman's latest, titled, with the kind of quiet, retiring modesty Barrowman is know for, John Barrowman.
John Barrowman is one of those reliable artists where, if you were to point to a song, I could easily imagine exactly how it would sound if he sang it (and the big TA DA! finish it would probably have). For the collection of showtunes and pop favorites Mr. Barrowman's gathered for his latest recording, this pretty much holds true.
Highlights include the heartfelt "You'll Never Walk Alone" and a disco-tastic "One Night Only." There's also Barrowman's take on the Barry Manilow classic "Copacabana," which he rips through with all the joie de vivre of a one man can-can line. (And lest you think that song is sacred territory or something, I direct your attention to the fact that there's a musical based on it out there, book written by the guy who hosts "Inside the Actor's Studio." Ponder that one.)
The biggest surprise of the album is perhaps the unexpectedly restrained cover of ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All," with a piano-driven arrangement that strips much of the disco slickness from the original. It gets right to the profound emotional heartbreak that we all know the song has always really been about anyway. (No really. I love ABBA.) I even have to give John the edge over Meryl Streep's awkwardly hilarious rendition from the Mamma Mia! movie (seriously, watch that, and then try to explain to me what the hell is happening. I'll wait).
This review would be remiss not to mention the John Barrowman treatment of "Memory," that seminal torch song from everyone's least favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Cats. I must admit, when I saw it on the tracklist I started squirming with joy. I'm happy to report it was everything I knew it would be and more. Also, it inspired me to do this:
John Barrowman + Andrew Lloyd Webber together is like if a unicorn and a creepster who lives in the basement of an opera house had a baby.
Perhaps the most delightful part of the whole album is saved for the UK iTunes bonus single. That would be John re-working the number "The Wizard and I" from Wicked into "The Doctor and I." Whether you're a Who/Torchwood fan or a musical theater nerd or both, I'm pretty sure you'll love it in all its fanservice glory.
But how does the album come off as a whole? Well, let's say if John Barrowman were on American Idol his musical stylings here would probably be derided by Simon as overblown karaoke schlock. And for those of you reading who hate things like ABBA and musicals and John Barrowman being randomly naked and you know, JOY, you might agree. But bombastic numbers and theatricality have always been the best parts of the John Barrowman Experience for me, and he at least has the vocal chops to back it all up.
In this case, after listening to John Barrowman I felt as though I'd just spent the evening front row at the gayest piano bar ever with dear Captain Jack. And since yours truly would happily stab a baby for that privilege, I do mean it as a compliment.
Overall, John Barrowman is a fun, solid effort. There may not be a single as painfully amazing as "What About Us?" here, or an accompanying awesome music video where Barrowman earnestly stares out of rainy windows, but for fans of his previous work (see: me, baby stabbing) this will not disappoint.
Grade: B
John Barrowman is available in the UK now, and has charted higher than any of his other albums. Have any of you listened to it? What'd you think?
Now, you might be wondering, how in the name of Hilary Duff is
whyareyoulikethis in any way a credible commenter on music? After all, I have perhaps the worst taste in music of anyone I know. My iPod is full of cheesy pop, moldy old standards and more showtunes than you can shake a stick it at. And yet, this makes me uniquely qualified to comment on the album that is the subject of today's post.That would be John Barrowman's latest, titled, with the kind of quiet, retiring modesty Barrowman is know for, John Barrowman.
John Barrowman is one of those reliable artists where, if you were to point to a song, I could easily imagine exactly how it would sound if he sang it (and the big TA DA! finish it would probably have). For the collection of showtunes and pop favorites Mr. Barrowman's gathered for his latest recording, this pretty much holds true.
Highlights include the heartfelt "You'll Never Walk Alone" and a disco-tastic "One Night Only." There's also Barrowman's take on the Barry Manilow classic "Copacabana," which he rips through with all the joie de vivre of a one man can-can line. (And lest you think that song is sacred territory or something, I direct your attention to the fact that there's a musical based on it out there, book written by the guy who hosts "Inside the Actor's Studio." Ponder that one.)
The biggest surprise of the album is perhaps the unexpectedly restrained cover of ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All," with a piano-driven arrangement that strips much of the disco slickness from the original. It gets right to the profound emotional heartbreak that we all know the song has always really been about anyway. (No really. I love ABBA.) I even have to give John the edge over Meryl Streep's awkwardly hilarious rendition from the Mamma Mia! movie (seriously, watch that, and then try to explain to me what the hell is happening. I'll wait).
This review would be remiss not to mention the John Barrowman treatment of "Memory," that seminal torch song from everyone's least favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Cats. I must admit, when I saw it on the tracklist I started squirming with joy. I'm happy to report it was everything I knew it would be and more. Also, it inspired me to do this:
Perhaps the most delightful part of the whole album is saved for the UK iTunes bonus single. That would be John re-working the number "The Wizard and I" from Wicked into "The Doctor and I." Whether you're a Who/Torchwood fan or a musical theater nerd or both, I'm pretty sure you'll love it in all its fanservice glory.
But how does the album come off as a whole? Well, let's say if John Barrowman were on American Idol his musical stylings here would probably be derided by Simon as overblown karaoke schlock. And for those of you reading who hate things like ABBA and musicals and John Barrowman being randomly naked and you know, JOY, you might agree. But bombastic numbers and theatricality have always been the best parts of the John Barrowman Experience for me, and he at least has the vocal chops to back it all up.
In this case, after listening to John Barrowman I felt as though I'd just spent the evening front row at the gayest piano bar ever with dear Captain Jack. And since yours truly would happily stab a baby for that privilege, I do mean it as a compliment.
Overall, John Barrowman is a fun, solid effort. There may not be a single as painfully amazing as "What About Us?" here, or an accompanying awesome music video where Barrowman earnestly stares out of rainy windows, but for fans of his previous work (see: me, baby stabbing) this will not disappoint.
Grade: B
John Barrowman is available in the UK now, and has charted higher than any of his other albums. Have any of you listened to it? What'd you think?