Rent

I received the cd in a timely matter, however there are a few songs I can not listen to because of bad scratches on the cd.

Rent is an important production, because it puts a face to the AIDS crisis and this was especially new when the production first came to Broadway. The music to Rent is wonderful and spans the breadth of the pop/rock genre. The Broadway soundtrack is as crisp of a recording as the motion picture soundtrack, but overall is a much better version. The Broadway version includes a number of humorous phone calls, additional songs and it seems have more feeling to them. All of the songs on the Rent soundtrack are great, but my favorites by far are Rent and La Vie Boheme. Both take a satirical approach to contemporary culture that is refreshing and needed when discussing the issue of "social outcasts". You can't go wrong with this recording of the Rent soundtrack.

Rent launched the careers of Daphne Rubin Vega, Anthony Rapp, Taye Diggs, and (perhaps most popularly) Jesse L. Martin, of Law & Order fame. Sure he's a tough cop, but when you hear him sing "I'll Cover You" you realize exactly why it is that so many actors and actresses say their first love is the theater. Martin is so much more than some cog in Dick Wolf's Law and Order machine. He has a voice that can bowl you over.

The movie didn't bowl audiences over. (We won't blame that on the replacement of Vega with Rosario Dawson *cough* Idiots! *cough*) Seasons of Love, and Stevie Wonder, how can you go wrong there?

Especially when one takes the time to read the story of Jonathan Larson, as told by brilliant writer David Lipsky. "525,600 minutes--how do you measure a year in the life?" Larson was a man so in love with his craft that he basically worked himself to death in order to leave the world this beautiful, amazing legacy of song, of love, of heart. It is a MUST-HAVE CD!

Announced today, June 1st will be the final show for this production. I have to tell you, this show, even after 12 years, still hits home and is as entertaining as ever. This album is amazing, but on stage it's mesmerizing. If you haven't seen it, make a trip to NY just to see. You can get great seats as the theater is small and even nose bleeds are good seats. I just brought my 29 year old friend and her 22 year old sister to see it last Sat (1/10/2008) and they fell in love with it.

Seriously, don't miss it! There is no day but today people!

Wow. What a wonderfully unique show! The score is brilliant and the cast is equally brilliant. This musical stands out from the rest of them. It's gritty and edgy and it's not filled with cheesy dance numbers and special effects. It's real! People can relate to it. The plot itself is beautiful, but the music blows my mind! It's without a doubt my favorite musical. I've seen it 4 times now...twice on tour and twice on Broadway. If you only know the movie, you're missing out. This album brings so much more then the movie. It's actually the reason I changed my plans and decided to go into theatre. It's definatly a must-have for any musical fan out there! It is different from, it takes risks, but the effect is glorious. I'm still dazzled by it and I must have listened to it at least 100 times by now.