There was a new CD on sale in the lobby of the New Amsterdam Theatre today, sat proudly alongside the original cast recording of Aladdin, as title star Adam Jacobs celebrated the release of his debut album Right Where I Belong!
If, like me, you don't live close enough to the New Amsterdam to grab a copy in person (I wish I did!) then you can get it online right now at CD Baby! If you're a fan of Adam, musical theatre, Disney or Alan Menken (or all of the above!) then you owe it to yourself to buy this wonderful collection of songs.
For his debut album Adam has brought together a collection of songs covering Alan Menken's entire career, from Little Shop of Horrors right through to Galavant, from the classic Disney tunes you knew as a kid to some pieces you've likely never heard of. Alan Menken is a storyteller and Adam brings those stories to life with magnificent vocal performances on every track, showcasing his phenomenal range as a performer.
The album starts off strong with a spine tingling rendition of Hercules' "Go the Distance" and doesn't let up. It's rare to find an album where there isn't a single weak track but having an album of Alan Menken songs is one way to do it!
I love that Adam, having already recorded the Aladdin songs for the cast album, took the opportunity to play with them a bit here. The acapella rendition of "Proud of Your Boy" (with the aid of his Aladdin cast mates) is beautiful and his brilliant new take on "One Jump Ahead" may just be my favourite track on the album!
There are so many stand outs on this album, I could literally write about every track, but I just have to mention how much I love that it showcases some of Alan Menken's lesser known work. From the previously unrecorded "Sailing On" to the revised lyrics of The Little Mermaid's "Her Voice" this album is a treasure trove of Menken's music. It would have been so easy for Adam to just pick Alan Menken's greatest hits but instead he dove deeper, choosing the songs that spoke to him, and the album is so much stronger for it. This album is just a joy to listen to, a perfect meeting between singer and song writer that I believe will speak to anyone who listens.
Congratulations on your debut album Adam, I truly hope that it's the first of many to come!
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