The first concert I ever went to was Alanis Morissette in Seattle in 2000. Needless to say, her music had a huge impact on my teenage years and into my adult life. I never thought in a million years that my love for Alanis and my love for Broadway theater would collide.

The songs from the original album translate surprising well to the Jukebox Musical format. And, while the original album is not necessarily a “concept album” by itself, the original song lyrics required very little altering to fit together into a cohesive storyline. I guess credit for that goes to Diablo Cody’s ability to translate Alanis’ lyrics to a modern and relevant narrative.

Not only is every track from the original 1995 Album represented here on the Cast Recording, but additional tracks, mostly from her albums Supposed… and Under Rug Swept, as well as a couple new songs written for the musical, are included as well.

My favorite tracks:
Smiling
New song written for the musical. This song is haunting and on stage it all the character motions play out backwards, or in reverse time, and the result is chilling.

Perfect
Alanis’ music and lyrics being sung through a strong male voice hits me on a personal level. Props to Derek Klena for pulling off this solo ballad. It is fairly early in the show but it does not slow the show, nor does it bring the energy down.

That I Would Be Good
This song has been changed from a more linear one dimensional solo track to a polyphonic quartet(?) of sorts. This song comes from Alanis’ sophomore album Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and is a decent, melancholy tune, but it really reaches out to new dimensions in this production.

Unprodigal Daughter
Catchy tune that keeps you on your toes. The bridge is especially delicious pop. Shout out to Alanis for including this random B-Side from her 3rd album Under Rug Swept. I know I wasn’t the only longtime Alanis fan thrilled to see this song on the album list. What a throw back!

One day I’ll saddle back and speak foreign adventures
One day I’ll double back and tell you about these unfettered years
One day I’ll look back and feel something other than relieved
Glad that I left when I did, I know you, you can’t get the best of me

And the kicker at the end:

I’d invite you but I’m busy being unoppressed

You Oughta Know
Lauren Patton earns her Tony Award for this tremendous performance. Full audience standing ovations are rare mid-performance, but this number received one when I saw it in New York in early 2020. Well deserved to say the least. This song is electrifying and the studio recording does not hold back.

You Learn
The finale is lovely and much more interesting than the original 1995 track. The original is good but it is very repetitive and all the background vocals are just Alanis’ own voice duplicated. The creativity here is taking a repetitive track and making it interesting for 5 minutes, which I feel that they have succeeded at. The harmonies are bright and vocals feel warm and strong. The inclusion of Thank U song melody and lyrics overlapping the last chorus is a nice touch.


In summary, it is such joy to see Alanis’ iconic album immortalized in the form of a Broadway musical. As Jukebox Musicals can be hit or miss, I feel that the creators did a great job showcasing the emotional power and complexities of the source material. Alanis really elevates the Jukebox musical experience by treating Jagged Little Pill as a concept album that can be expanded and built on, musically and lyrically. I look forward to see how the musical evolves in my lifetime.


Here is Lauren Patton mental-breakdown interpretive-dancing-to-find-God energy. Quality is not studio or pro, but you can feeeeeeeel it, man:

You can listen to the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/3JUvh3Ch6QFxguLABtTOE3?si=yJWmI_VXRJOnfMyvGwXOEA

Since Covid, and probably before, it’s been harder to find new musicals that spark up that boyhood excitement of hearing a new show. Three tracks from the new show Lempicka were released in 2022 in a digital release titled “Suite 1.” What a breath of fresh air! As a big fan of Witness Uganda, I was excited to see Matt Gould as composer of this new addition to Broadway.

Woman Is
Big 11 o clock number that doesn’t leave you snoozing. Gould’s melody is catchy without being repetitive. with periods of mellow piano/vocal followed by more layered orchestrations over a buzzing percussion. Eden Espinosa hits some impressively high notes to articulate Kreiter’s lyrics. The song is beautiful and sensual and you can feel Eden’s heartrate beat faster and faster through her opium-induced love fever-dream.

Black night, bodies and breath, I am alive
Black water, roll me another one
Tobacco and opium, I am on fire
Please let me blow the smoke into your open mouth
Here in the light

Perfection
The more I listen to it, the more I like it. Sounds like something doomsday villain-pop out of Metropolis, Chess or Hadestown. George Abud keeps us captivated during the opening which is not very melodic and some of it is sung-spoken. When the chorus and drums come in, Abud shows us his ability to sell a melody. Gives me Murray Head singing One Night in Bangkok vibes. The orchestrations are weird and bouncy and it feels a little ahead of it’s time. Like is this the future of Broadway? If so, sign me up.

Stay
A ballad more in the style of Hamilton or Six and not as wildly melodic as the first two tracks, but it it does have it’s hooks. And the song has a gentle tone that makes me want to give Amber Iman a big hug.

Overall, I’ll be honest, I’ve been listening to these three songs on repeat for a couple days now. Definitely looking forward to the full cast recording dropping later this year.

Listen here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/22UlcdIxtmapTzhh6koX1o?si=38WaLLzgSmqi52C5CJRj_w

https://m e g a.nz/file/9cwEhTxR#uDHn6b3GncbXE9mVzWXx64eDBMCKmOMqQwgNRp9weRE

“Carrie White… eats… shit…”

but we actually love it. Michael Gore’s 1980s Horror-Thriller-Musical-Flop receives a new breath of life in the 2012 revival of the cultiest of cult musicals. May she rest in peace, Marin Mazzie delivers a stunning performance as the conversative mother who just can’t stop her daughter from going to prom. There is jaw dropping quality that Betty Buckley deliveres in the original 1988 Broadway cast and Mazzie takes that energy and places a strong silver in the Scary Mother Vibrato Olympics.

Highlights from this studio recording are:

In – The opening number showcases the transition from 80s Pop to 00s Alt Rock in mood. The original In is easy to make fun of for being so corny. The creepy lady gym teacher rap (keep those muscles tight… keep that body thin…) is removed and the singers don’t have to sing over ridiculous cheerleading and tumbling moves. Compares to the leotarded original pop vibe, this feels more like my high school emotional experience.

Carrie – The beat is bumpy and the vocals are belty. It’s the title song and Michael Gore keeps the audience and Carrie on our toes as to whether the time signature is odd or even. That’s not her naaaaaame!

Open Your Heart – My favorite song from this show. A simple prayer sung between mother and daughter but somehow it reaches very deep into my heart. The song is short and in this newer version, more upbeat and soulful. Mazzie’s verbrato shines over the chorus singing praise to Jesus who can hopefully save this broken family from the cursed demon child.

I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance – A mother’s sorrowful reminiscing of boys and the trouble that they bring. A hauntingly beautiful and also terrifying number.

Carrie 2012 teaches us that bad musicals can be good under the right conditions. Gore just needed to wait for alternative rock and grunge pop to be invented for his creation to make sense to general audiences. I see Carrie 2012 as a great success in musical theater artistry. And as someone who enjoys Broadway flops as an entire genre in itself, this 2012 album is a great listen for me.

Listen to full album here:


https:// m e g a . n z /file/gYhE0I4R#dfBZ_PDoqg4Dah6iUVFw-zdvwb13JU0TjK8o7tltO6M