After having listened through the concept recording several times now, here are my general thoughts:

OVERALL:
Rating: 8.5/10

This recording is a solid attempt by Frank to show he's more than just pop ballads. The album features a variety of genres. Like most of his shows, the songs are really hit-or-miss. Almost all of them are very repetative and only a few really stand out.

1. Worst Day of My Life
Genre: Power Ballad-esque
- The album opens with a power ballad sung by Alice (Janet Dacal). It's a fairly exciting opener that is reminiscent of similar showtunes like "You Can't Stop The Beat" from Hairspray. Like that piece, this song is VERY repetative. The orchestration is OK, but it's very predictable except about 3/4 through when the accompaniment is just strings. The piece sounds a little too high in Dacal's voice. You can hear her straining to get the notes, and it comes off as very whiney at times. Overall, it's a pretty strong opener that will leave most audiences wanting to hear more.

2. Advice From A Caterpillar
Genre: Jazz
- A fairly slow paced shmoozy piece sung by a caterpillar (Eugene Fleming). Again, very repetative. There are several references to modern pop culture like "googling the internet." There's not much to say about this song. The brass orchestration keeps the piece from completely dying, and Fleming gives a pretty good performance to this somewhat dull piece.

3. Keep On Dancing
Genre: Hispanic Pop (Latino)
- Heavily based off of 90's latino hits by artists like Enrique Inglesias and Ricky Martin. The song is sung by the Cheshire Cat (Jose Llana). Like the Caterpillar's song, it's a character song. It's a pretty upbeat piece that will probably be more interesting in the context of the show. Right now, it just comes off kind of cheesy.

4. The Mad Hatter
Genre: Big Band-esque
- Nikki Snelson (The Mad Hatter) did a pretty good job of making this piece her own by incorporating a some quirks that usually work well. I still have mixed feelings on this piece for now.

5. One Knight
Genre: 90's Boy Band
- This song is heavily based off of popular boy bands of the 1990s (N*Sync, Backstreet Boys, etc). The lyrics are intentionally very cheesy. The song borders on clever and very repetative (like many songs on this album). Darren Ritchie's vocals are just OK. He's obviously trying to emulate the sound of singers like Justin Timberlake and Nick Carter, but it doesn't quite work.

6. Home
Genre: Ballad
- Very generic piece sung by Alice's daughter, Chloe. Julie Brooks has a beautiful voice, but there is nothing particularly special about this song.

7. Once More I Can See
Genre: Pop Ballad
- This song has kind of become the show's theme. It's easily one of the strongest pieces on the CD-- BUT we already knew Frank was good at writing pop ballads.

I will finish this soon.

I'm not going to lie I'm slightly disappointed by what has become of the show - I had some really really high hopes, still have high hopes for it but something was going through my head saying this was going to be a huge amazing piece that would garner Frank a new fanbase,...but I just don't think so.

I know the old opener (according to a playbill article/news papers in Tampa) was called "Where is the Girl I Knew?" or something like that...just based off the title it sounds better to me. "Worst Day of My Life" just seems like this is trying to seem Legally Blonde-esque.

I like the rest of the songs you have in your first post (1-7), but I agree - "Home"'s lyrics almost don't make sense, but it's a pretty LITTLE Wildhorn tune. According to Wonderland's website "Go with the Flow" is in the show not "Keep on Dancin'," which I like the latter better!

Overall, it's a Wildhorn score that I don't have that many emotional draws to and I thought I would. It'll make people smile, but for the first time, all Wildhorn has done has made a bubble-gum score (Exceptions include/not limited to: "Finding Wonderland," "Love Begins," "Once More I Can See"). Murphy's extra rhyming lyrics don't help.

And here's my review ;)

The English Concept of Wildhorn's new show, WONDERLAND, is released in limited 5000 copies edition and so I had to order a copy for myself so here's the review. Only song by song since I really don't know the actors.


1 - Worst Day Of My Life (Alice/Janet Decal) - The first song in the CD isn't exactly my cup of tea. It deals with this Alice of the modern times, a mom and author, who's rushing to the release of her new book and feels the pressure of being related to Lewis Carrol and the original Alice. The song itself sounds like something that came out of Legally Blonde honestly...so if you like that kind of musical, you'll really like this song. If like me you're not so fond of this tipe of music, this song will be pretty boring. Janet sings ok. I don't like her that much honestly. I think Brandi would have given a better Alice but what can ya do...

2 - Advice From A Caterpillar (The Caterpillar/Eugene Fleming) - Really liked this song. It's a very jazzy-tune and fits really well the character. Alice is lost in Wonderland looking for her daughter Chloe who was taken by the white rabbit and there she finds the Caterpillar. He tells her that he knew an Alice once and she's not her. Then he sings the song when Alice asks if he knows where her daughter is. Eugene Fleming does a great job with the song. It sounds really cool. THIS song yes, reflects the idea of Wonderland you would have, definitly more than the first song. The lyrics are also interesting as far as Jack Murphy's lyrics can go although I really don't like the line "to seek advice from a Caterpillar it's not the same as googleing the internet"...I mean, ok this is takes place in modern days but it just sounds odd to me...apart from that, cool song.

3 - Keep On Dancin' (El Gato/Jose Llana) - And another crappy song. This one is supposed to be sung by the Cheshire Cat...here knowned as "el Gato" (the Cat in spanish). This song in particular sounds more like something taken from In the Heights or a Ricky Martin CD. It's even more worse than the first song. I really can't stand it since I can't stand spanish-inspired tunes.

4 - The Mad Hatter (Mad Hatter/Nikki Snelson) - This song is the amazing! Just WOW! It's definitly my favourite song in the entire CD. As it would be expected, it's the villains song. In Wonderland, there's a new twist. Wildhorn not only turned the Mad Hatter into a girl but also made that girl the evil ploter who's waiting for the Queen's defeat to take her place. Nikki Snelson is also amazing...I really like Tracy Miller in the original Demo and my feeling towards which version I like the best are split. They're two different interpretations. Nikki makes the Mad Hatter really mad and evil and that's cool. Also the lyrics are cool. I specially like the "I've got a welcome plan/ here in Wonderland...it's an audience with an axe!" part. It's just freakin' sweat.

5 - One Knight (White Knight/Darren Ritchie) - Aaaand we're back to the bad songs! Are you fan of Backstreet Boys? Or N'Sync? If so this song is for you. If you're like me, this song will be the WORSE in the entire CD. It's just soo irritating that it's unbearable. I simply can't stand it. And Darren Ritchie doesn't make it better. The lyrics are also pretty dull...I won't even writte much about it. Just know this: it's that song that you can skip in the CD. And you better do. lol

6 - Home (Chloe/Julie Brooks) - The first thing that will come to your head when listening to his song is "Beauty and the Beast". And no wonder. The song isn't really that different from the one in BatB. Except the lyrics are worse. The music is nice but honestly not really memorable. Julie Brooks has a wonderfull voice though but the song is not even 2 minutes long so it passes quickly.

7 - Once More I Can See (Alice/Janet Decal) - I really like this song. However, if in "The Mad Hatter" I was split between Nikki and Tracy, in this song I have no doubts. Brandi Burkhardt beats the crap out of Janet. I really don't like Janet's version, she has a very "strong" dark voice for the song. And she also prints very little emotion to it. However it's a wonderfull song and sure it's one of the good ones in the CD. On the other hand, the orchestrations here are stronger which makes the song even more good. The lyrics are also very good.

8 - Through The Looking Glass (Alice & White Knight/Janet Decal & Darren Ritchie) - And we're back to the HSM-like songs. This one really really sounds like something that came out of High School Musical. I don't like the song it's boring and repetitive and the lyrics are again very dull. The worse is that the song beggings really well, with big orchestra...and then turns into a pop crappy song...a shame.

9 - I Give You The Queen of Hearts (The Rabbit/Ed Staudenmayer) - This is a 49 seconds song...yeah you heard well. Basicly it's hardly a song, it's just the Rabbit presenting the arrival of The Queen of Hearts. Nothing else. So there's little to judge here.

10 - Off With Their Heads (Queen of Hearts/Karen Mason) - Second best song in the show. Really funny! And the lyrics are pretty cool too...although I must say I really dislike the "Mamma says off with their heads" in the end. Apart from that really cool song and Karen Mason sounds like a really amazing Queen of Hearts. I can imagine her Cruella-like singing this. Favourite line "When there's debate...then legislate...when in doubt it's off with their heads!"...perhaps you won't find this that funny but believe me, if you studies Law this sentence would have an all different meaning to you XD

11 - Don't Wanna Fall In Love (Alice & White Knight/Janet Decal & Darren Ritchie) - This song is another popish one althoug this one I have to admite I like. It's rockish without beeing boring...sounds like something that could have been in a Avril Lavigne album. I'm just not sure about the classification for this song...I mean, if Wonderland is a show for kids...I don't know what their parents will think of "the fights before the make-up sex" in the lyrics...Nevertheless it's a cool song and Janet and Darren don't sound that bad in this kind of song)

12 - Love Begins (Alice & White Knight/Janet Decal & Darren Ritchie) - You didn't thought you would leave a Wildhorn CD without a love duett would you!? This one is a pop-love-song that it's not as bad as it could have been. It still isn't that good. The lyrics are that boring suggar-sweet type but listenable. I could see this song in Disney's Enchanted. It really sounds like something comming out of that movie.

13 - The Nick Of Time (Mad Hatter/Nikki Snelson) - Nikki's evil Mad Hatter is about to take power over Wonderland! Music-wise this song is very disco...however Nikki turns the song into something really amazing. And here you understand the true nature of the Mad Hatter. The "evil" Queen is just a puppet in the Hatters hands. It's like the Mad Hatter is the wife of Graf Taaffe.

14 - Misunderstood (Jabberwock/Tad Wilson) - Third best song in the CD to me. I really like it! It's amazingly funny and evil. Music-wise it's like "According to plan" from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride and that's really cool. The lyrics are also really funny and I definitly bursted in laughs with the "Just because I like to cook the people that I meet...doesn't mean I don't deserve to eat!" LOL Tad Wilson as a wonderfull baritone voice and does wonders to the music. Really like it.

15 - Finding Wonderland (Alice/Janet Decal) - The closing song sums up really well the entire journey of the musical. I really liked Janet's redention and the music is also great.

16 - Go With The Flow (El gato/Rob Evan) - This song is a bonus and was taken from the Demo recordings. Rob plays the Cat far much better than Jose Llana. The song is very similar to "Keen on dancin'" and I suspect that it was just an earlier version of the same song. Beeing this a Concept CD, I don't know which of them will be on the show and apparently neither does the producer. I personally prefer this song rather than "Keep on dancin'" 'cause I really hate that "let's turn the Cat into a spanish pussy"...but well...let's see what happens.


Overall I didn't had big expectations about this show and according to the clips of the songs I had already heard I ended up disliking the songs I already knew I was going to dislike. Good surprises were definitly "The nick of Time" and "Misunderstood". I don't regreat having ordered a copy though. The CD costed in the total, shipping included, 18€...less than I pay for a single CD from SoM-shop without shipping...
In the end, this CD will take 5 out of 10.

Since everyone else is doing one, here's my insight!

Since I first heard of this I became instantly fascinated with the idea. Been a fan of "Anything Can Happen" for a while as well, but throw in the songs "Once More I Can See," (Jack Murphy's site) and the clips of "Finding Wonderland," "Through the Looking Glass," "The Mad Hatter," and "The Caterpillar's Song" and I was hooked, although many weren't.

Let's all face it - we were expecting a Wildhorn "favourite" in the title role, whether you were for Brandi Burkhardt or Lauren Kennedy. Unfortunately we don't have either. I'm not sure why Kennedy's not doing it any more, but regardless the void had to be filled. Janet Dacal does a nice job to say the least, but I'm not entirely bought on her through the recording. I agree with what's bene said above - her voice has a bit of more darken tone to it than that of the crystal soporano of Burkhardt or Kennedy's almost comedic-style-d voice. Not to say she won't be good, for we shall see at the show.

Here's my comments on the song:
1. Worst Day of My Life - Personally, not that big of a fan. It seems like this was a jab to capture the more youthful audience. From my knowledge of the story, Alice needs a song to say "what has become of my life," a more melancholy feeling. This song does the opposite - it's an exciting tune, but even stemming from the title of the old song "Where is the Girl I Knew?" that song sounds more appriopriate. Furthermore, I get no emotional pull from Alice / this song other than a get excited vibe. It's a fine song, but I just think it needs to be more reflective in the context of it.

2. Advice frmo a Caterpillar - I like it. It gets the job done. I think the lyrics are totally fine - this is a modern re-telling, so modern lyrics make sense. Deliver is fine, and I agree it's a slow, but like-able tune.

3. Keep on Dancin' - I guess I'm in the minority, but I like this more than Go With the Flow. While both seem like low points, this atleast seems like they can do some fun dance stagings.

4. The Mad Hatter Attacks - Snelson is FANTASTIC for this role. She may very well be the best part of this cast. This song really seems to have a great tune to go with lyrics that seem to have the intent to rhyme to make it upbeat. The orchestration is great as well - Mad Hatter with the big band just seems like a great idea.

5. One Knight - I like it, but I don't like it. I like the idea of the backup singers, but I think they just took it a little TOO far. The melody (as with most of this piece's songs) is fantastic, but sometimes Richie does sound a little too much like he's trying to hard to imitate that style. Overall I like it though and hope it stays - just toned down a little bit. I've always been a fan of Darren Ritchie's since DRACULA, the musical so I'm sure it'll somehow work out.

6. Home - As one of the other posters said, it sounds like it came out of Beauty and the Beast with worse lyrics. I do like the tune though, but the lyrics are some of the worst I've seen. "Home is not a place, an address you memorize" or whatever it is. Julie Brooks has a fantastic voice, but if she is still playing a "10 year old" she doesn't sound, nor look 10 which could be negative. Hopefully the lyrics get some work on the opening and she has some more songs to sing. She's one of the best singers on the album.

7. Once More I Can See - This is a great song, but it seems like they lost a place for it in the show. It always seemed to me that it'd be Alice singing to Chloe and Jack/White Knight at the very end of the show, not just plumped near the end of the first act. As everyone said, Brandi sings it better than Janet but it's just one of those things where you know the song was written with someone in mind (such as many people's opinions on songs clearly written for Linda!). Still a great song, I just don't see how it necessarily fits into the story, since it seems like she's already in Wonderland? Or are all the characters singing to Chloe instead of Alice...? ?

8. Through the Looking Glass - A lot of people have said they don't like this one but I have no idea why. This is one of my favourite part in the piece. Dacal and Ritchie do balance each other out enough where it compliments each others voices. Murphy's lyrics similar to "Mad Hatter's Attacks" are fast and witty and work great. I have a problem with ONE lyric: "As my life begins to approach critical mass"...I don't know why just bothers me :-P! The orchestrations are pretty good but a little goofy. I don't know why it's not more traditional Wildhorn style!

9. I Give You the Queen of Hearts - This album is so like the DRACULA, the musical concept album - The orchestrations are done in a way where they most likely won't be on stage, lots of bells, and then the song ("Mina's Cry") just to add something to the album for no purpose. Here's this song.

10. Off With Their Heads - At first I didn't like it, but then I realized that there's no reason not to. It's done wonderfully, with the exception (as said above) of the line that says "Mama says off with their heads." I could see if it was maybe The Queen says of fwith their heads...not sure who Mama is...

11. Don't Wanna Fall in Love Again - Again not what I expected but I like it. It's too overly pop-y, and a little too quick, but I guess that's what they feel is right. Again, I love the melody but not the orchestrations. For some reason I just imagine this more with a lot of heavy piano more than anything. Really like some of the lyrics too!

12. Love Begins - No complaints about this one. I like it, it's a great love duet and isn't a typical "Take Me As I Am" / "You Are My Home" done over the top (but I love both of those as well!) -- it fits into what I think I know of the piece great.

13. The Nick of Time Like it, but again the Orchestrations make me question. Almost like they saw what Snelson did with "Whipped into Shape" from Legally Blonde and twisted it to this number. The random monologue-rapping part is weird. Again, love the melody though.

14. Misunderstood - I really have no complaints nor any compliments for this one. It's a decent song and have no problem with it in the show.

15. Finding Wonderland - Obviously a centerpiece for the show. Really really like this one. Dacal does a great job of this one as well.

16. Go With the Flow - I'm not sure why, I just don't like it. Maybe it's because it sounds extra like Ricky Martin-esque. Looks like they put this back in though!

Overall, at this point, I feel like the only emotion one gets from the show until Finding Wonderland is nothing or sometimes happy - which is rare in a Wildhorn score. Usually they're very emotionally pulling and it's something I'm not getting. There's no song for us to feel sorry for Alice. The opening number seems like she's used to it and we should expect it. The character songs obviously wouldn't provide an emotion. As a big Wildhorn fan, this is what disappoints me. It's lacking the emotional draw that I believe has attracted people to his music. It seems like pure pop music. I'm hoping when I do see the show I'm wrong, but we'll have to wait. It's not that it's not listenable either - it is, but in a theatrical sense I just feel like something might be missing.

With a big choreographer, I don't even see a song for the type of skills you'd think they'd be doing. It seemed like they'd be doing flips in the air and all that magicery like there was in DRACULA, the musical...but again I have not seen the show so we'll shall see.

"Mamma" is the same as "mamma Morton" in Chicago. It means "mommy". She's talking about herself lol "Mommy says, off with their heads"...it's still awfull :lol:

Haha Fantasma I know that! :P I just don't see why it isn't something like The queen says off with their heads...considering she is the queen and that makes better sense!