M. L. Bergman | Alexandria, Virginia USA | 05/27/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Robber Bridegroom is one of a group of little known but wonderfully performable musicals. This recording, which features Barry Bostwick as the romantic hero of this bluegrass fantasy, gives you a little of the freewheeling flavor of the show. Written by the team that went on to give us Driving Miss Daisy, the story is based on a novella by Southern writer Eudora Welty. The bluegrass score is the foundation for this strange, funny, romantic love story, and the characters include a gentleman-by-day bandit-by-night hero, a wicked stepmother right out of a fairy tale, and a pair of bumbling villians, one of whom is a talking severed head! The songs are singable- listen to the lullaby Sleepy Man or the haunting Deeper in the Woods- the plot, hilarious. If you're a music theatre person, give this a try."
The Robber Bride Groom - Soundtrack Review -
Claire R. | Atlanta, GA | 11/26/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Robber Bride Groom is a wonderful production that has been one of the best kept secrets of Broadway. It's music is so lively and "foot stompin'" on CD that it makes you want to get up and square dance when you listen to it. Certainly you do not have to love country music to love these extraordinary musical pieces. "There's Nothin' Up", "Rosamund's Dream", and "Deeper In The Woods" are some of the most beautiful songs that you will ever hear. And "The Prickle Pear Bloom", "Two Heads", "Love Stolen", and "Goodbye Salome" are hilariously funny and entertaining. I would highly recommend this soundtrack to anyone!"
BUY IT NOW
cindy | Escondido, CA | 03/30/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been looking for thisa for about 8 years on CD. My old 33 1/3 wore out and so did my cassette tape. I HAD TO HAVE THIS ON CD and it took calls all over the country as well as the internet and 8 years to find it... buy it now if you are interested it's a rarity.. By the way the samples are off by one so if you are not faliliar with this wonderful show don't get too confused just sit back and enjoy!"
Authentic & Spirited
David Cady | Jersey City, NJ USA | 03/19/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Replacing my collection of Broadway LPs is a daunting, and expensive task. I've had to be selective, of course, and have usually used my inner juke box as a guide. If there are songs that I just can't get out of my head, I usually buy the CD. "Goodbye Salome" (fun and infectious) and "Sleepy Man" (a gorgeous ballad) are two such songs. But they're just a sampling of this super strong, melodious, unjustly forgotten Broadway score. Another reviewer called it "redneck" music, and perhaps it is to some degree, but that's completely in keeping with the subject matter. For me there's more musical complexity to this than just Flatt & Scruggs hillbilly fiddle scratching. Robert Waldman has composed a real score, one with terrific variety, some haunting melodies -- and the lyrics (by Tony, Pulitzer and Academy Award winner, Alfred Uhry) are simple, yet clever and elegant. The cast is uniformly great, with Barbara Lang's vivid Salome a standout.
My one issue (hence the three stars) is with the audio transfer, which is abysmal. The recording sounds as if it were made in the bottom of a barrel (particularly on an iPod), which has seriously hampered my enjoyment of it. But no-one else has complained about this, so maybe it's just my copy. Hopefully there will be a remastered version out soon; you might want to wait and see."
An excellent underknown musical
E. C Goodstein | Northern CA United States | 02/07/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This show should be better known. I think it's just as good as "Big River" and in several ways much more complex. One of the few musicals that really combines country and folk and Broadway
effectively. It's a forgotten gem-- & cast all do a fine job too."