Cats (Original London Cast Recording)
Audio CD
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£10.99
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Reviewer
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Given that it's now nearly 30 years since Cats was released, and the soundtrack album has been released on LP, Tape, and now 3 times on CD, you could be forgiven for thinking that this 2005 release is the best quality, most complete version of the album available. After all, it's been remastered at Abbey Road (according to the label), hasn't it?
Sadly, no. This release is nothing more than the 1998 discs with new packaging. As for the recording itself, that's identical to the original CD release, which has a shorter running time than the original LP!
This is due to a large part of the Jellicle Ball being cut from the original CD master and on every CD release since.
30 years on, and the best available version of this album is STILL only found on the LP...
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I purchsed this CD for my best friend who is mad about Cats the musical. I had already bought her the DVD version and thought this would complete the set for her.I had ordered it as a Christmas present and it arrived within a week of placing the order.
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The CD of cats is exactly what you expect, a great soundtrack to a very fun musical. Sit back, relax and enjoy.
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Having seen the show live and falling instantly in love with it I could not wait to buy the Ultimate DVD. Although the DVD was different to the live show I had seen it is still great and gave me access to great stars such as Elaine Page, Sir John Mills and Jason Gardner to name a few. So it was with eager anticipation that I ordered the soundtrack for me and my daughters to listen to in the car. We expected the soundtracks to be the same as our much loved show and DVD - THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Some of the soundtracks are sung by other people and the standard is no where near the standard recieved on the DVD - the only exception being Memories by Elaine Page. We were personally horrified by one of our favourites Mungojerri and Rumpleteazer where the music is completely different and Mcavity has completely lost the sultry sound that it has in the show. At a massive 14.99 I really did expect much more from my money, especially from a CD that I will probably never listen to again.
The one star is for Elaine Page managing to keep the continuity, Thank you!
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If you're expecting another amazing classic from the genius who is Andrew Lloyd Webber, then you'll be sorely disappointed.
Lloyd Webber created a score around a series of poems by TS Eliot about a clutter of "jellicle" (?) cats. And the word "jellicle" is not the only tosh involved in this musical farce. The fact that the basis for the show is not a story but several, individual verses tells heavily in the lack of any definable plot. The only storyline to tell of is the meeting of the cats to await Old Deuteronomy's decision about who will move on to the Heaviside Layer (ie die), which any fool can work out will be the weathered outcast, Grizabella. End of plot! This covers only the very beginning and very end of the show, leaving the majority to suffer the merciless introduction of pointless characters, who are inconsequential to the little bit of plot that there is, and the skipping from one unrelated scene to another. A 25-pound cat and two cat burglars, none of whom reappear, a feline felon whose only purpose is to kidnap (or is that catnap!) Old Deuteronomy so that the magical Mr Mistoffolees can be introduced. To the show's credit, however, this number is the best after "Memory". And the reminiscences of Gus are ridiculous, as they refer to his theatre days - again inconsequential.
To be fair, Lloyd Webber has worked his magic in the score - the music is varied and interesting, but not sufficiently so to relieve the boredom created by the lack of storyline and meaningful lyrics. The lack of relevant characters and plot means that you don't bond with the show and don't care what happens.
I have owned this CD for years and have never been able to get into it. Even watching the DVD didn't resolve this. I recently went to see the show, under the impression that, if I saw it, I would understand the story better and therefore appreicate the show more. All I can say is that the whole dubious charm of the show lies in the visuals - the choreography and its execution, sets, costumes and makeup, all of which are truly fantastic. I wouldn't see this show again, however, and I certainly wouldn't recommend purchasing an audio version, as, without the visual aspect, there is little left to bother with.
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