Cynthia Erivo is the hottest west end performer of 2013, having wowed audiences with her performance in The Colour Purple. She is about to star in the X Factor musical I Can’t Sing but her version of Suddenly on the new Anderson and Petty album goes to show that is anything but true. A beautiful voice to fit a beautiful song.
You Are Home is a songbook of material written by writing duo Anderson and Petty over the last couple of years. The 16 song album has an impressive list of American and English theatre performers.
The album opens with the poppy, big band number Beautiful Day which sounds like it could have been written by Take That’s Gary Barlow. A very catchy number that is pleasing to the ears!
You Are Home is one of the most beautiful songs on the album lyrically and singer Coleen Sexton gives the song the delivery it deserves. A real country sounding number that makes you want to put on your Stetson and lasoo the cat in the garden.
The ever popular Gina Beck (who has just embarked on the US tour of Wicked the Musical after completing her run as Glinda in the London production) sings Forever Child like the true soprano she is. A beautiful piano led song about the sad death of a newborn child. You definitely need a box of tissues next to you for this one as Gina Beck conveys the real feeling of a mothers grief.
Don’t be deceived when the song Superman starts. It’s not another ballad but has an incredible build into a jazz-slam party that makes you rock your head back and forth until you realise you’re too old and fragile to be doing such moves! Autumn Hurlbert has an incredible voice! Definitely a favourite of mine of the album.
Love Will Find Its Way is another country line dance moment that could quite easily be part of Dolly Partons back catalogue. A fun song with a nice trumpet moment and a good belt at the end from Lucia Spina who sings the song was sass.
New Star Tonight was written especially for Kieran Brown who sings it on the album in honour of his nana who passed away. A beautiful song that I am sure would be her favourite!
The bonus track Stand Up, sung by everyone’s favourite cat (with a huge set of lungs), Sophia Ragavelas, is a big old dance number that doesn’t really fit with the rest of the album (so is perfectly placed as a bonus track). A beautiful piano melody and something you might play before going out at night.
Now, everyone stand up, log on to iTunes and download You Are Home – the songs of Anderson and Petty this Christmas.