MJ (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Review
- Thursday, June 1, 2023
Myles Frost slides from Jackson’s signature shimmering near-falsetto to something gutsier and more urgent
Myles Frost slides from Jackson’s signature shimmering near-falsetto to something gutsier and more urgent
The tender finale points to the message of the whole story being about the power of love and having someone standing by your side
The entire cast matches the orchestra every step of the way, delivering a trove of performances that feel newly definitive.
Kimberly Akimbo is the most charmingly upbeat cast recording you’re likely to hear this year
Combined with the full score played and recorded with such lavish care, it’s a must.
It’s an album buzzing with attitude, built on well-crafted songs
Billy Crystal can actually sing, even if his is not a voice you’d necessarily want to hear in concert
The numbers blend together – not helped by interchangeable song titles
The narrative and characterisation are admirably clear, and there’s tension without it being too scary
Most interesting for 42nd Street fanatics, there’s the little-heard ‘I Know Now’, a lament for Dorothy and Billy which didn’t even appear on the original cast recording