If/Then, a new Broadway show staring Idina Menzel, released its cast album on June 3rd.
Normally I would have to see clips of shows or see the show itself to buy songs from the show BUT this year I decided to buy both Violet & If/Then's whole album.
Why?
For If/Then. One word. IDINA! With her return to Broadway since last being seen "defying gravity" in Wicked, Idina is back! The show which features the music of Next to Normal creators Tom Kitt & Brian Yorkey has been stuck in my head since I downloaded the album. The cast is full of amazing artists, some of the highlights include LaChanze, Anthony Rapp, & James Snyder.
Even if your not like me & take a risk buying the whole album then I provided a list & rundown of special tracks that are worth buying or a least checking out on YouTube.
Here we go:
What if? - The first song from the show is the classic intro song. With relying heavily on the chorus members, the song is catchy & fun!
It's a Sign - LaChanze! This song shows a glimpse of her powerhouse vocals.
Ain't No Man Manhattan - Anthony Rapp leads this rock tune. It has a very catchy melody & Rapp really ROCKS this song. The song is a fun theatre addition to your collection of Showtunes.
What the F**k? - Umm this is simple. Who doesn't want to hear Idina Menzel say f**k multiple times in one song!
Here I Go - This duet is damn catchy! You can tell Menzel & Snyder have fun playing opposite each other in this song. Plus it won a Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for "Best New Song"!
And just look at this photo:
You Don't Need to Love Me - Anthony Rapp doesn't sing this song, he SINGS the song! The lyrics are true to anybody stuck in the "friend zone". It rings true to both men & woman!
Hey Kid - A true stand out song for James Snyder! The song is a letter to the characters unborn kid & it's true to the feelings of many dads before the birth of their child. The song has special meaning to the composers too! They had to change their original song to fit the concept of the show but it's still a fantastic song.
Some Other Me - This is just plain nostalga. Menzel & Rapp sing this duet and if you know their past Broadway credits you know that they where Maureen & Mark in RENT! So this song is very nostalgic to me cause sometimes I listen to this song has if they where their Rent characters!
I Hate You- Idina is perfect in this song! The song itself is very catchy but Menzel adds her own addiction to this song. Also it includes major spoilers to the shows plot.
You Learn to Live Without - Another fabulous Idina solo! This song though is stand alone song. It will keep going WAY after this show closes... Which hopefully isn't for another year or so!
And last but not least...
Always Starting Over - Idina's big 11 o'clock number! The song really shows Idina's powerhouse vocals & control! Like "Learn to Live..." this song will be sung by many belters in their auditions for the next 20 years. This song has replaced "Defying Gravity" (from Wicked) as Idina's big number that no one can ever beat.
P.s GO SEE IF/THEN IF YOU GET THE CHANCE AT THE RICHARD ROGERS THEATRE IN NEW YORK CITY!