Bombshell

by Smash Cast

Overview

NBC's musical-within-a musical TV series Smash kicked off its second season by releasing the original cast recording of Bombshell, the Marilyn Monroe-inspired production the show's characters struggled to get off the ground in the first season. That was a smart move, since the Bombshell songs that were included on the season one soundtrack were among the most vibrant, capturing the passion that fuels staging a Broadway show. Bombshell plays like a true original cast recording, tracing the show's plot in its liner notes and separating its songs into acts. While the competition between Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) over who would be Bombshell's leading lady was one of the main plot points of season one, the cast recording features both wannabe Marilyns, allowing each performer to play to her strengths, whether they're singing together, as on "Let Me Be Your Star," or separately. While both actresses sing ballads and rousing songs, McPhee's more delicate voice works especially well on vulnerable numbers like "Never Give All the Heart," and Hilty's playful Monroe impersonation sizzles on "The National Pastime" and "I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl." As with the tracks that premiered on the season one soundtrack, Bombshell was written by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, who bring the same wit to the rest of these songs. The slick, brassy "Smash!," "Public Relations," and "Dig Deep" examine the star system and publicity machine that Marilyn used (and was sometimes abused by) with clever lyrics, while "Don't Forget Me" is exactly the kind of showy finale expected from this kind of old-school musical. Elsewhere, Bombshell spotlights Smash's on-the-mark casting: Bernadette Peters gives the project more Broadway credibility with her turns as Marilyn's mother on the bubbly '30s pastiche "At Your Feet" and the unabashedly sentimental "Hang the Moon." Tony Award-winner Christian Borle delivers a show-stopping performance as a motor-mouthed Daryl Zanuck on "Don't Say Yes Until I Finish Talking," and Leslie Odom, Jr. embodies Nat King Cole on "Let's Start Tomorrow Tonight." Even if Bombshell isn't a real Broadway musical, it hits all the notes a production like this should, and showcases the most appealing parts of Smash in the process. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	02/12/2013
Label:	Columbia / Sony Music Entertainment
UPC:	0887654467928

Tracks

1. Bombshell~Act 1. Let Me Be Your Star (extended intro)
2. Bombshell~Act 1. At Your Feet
3. Bombshell~Act 1. Smash!
4. Bombshell~Act 1. Never Give All The Heart
5. Bombshell~Act 1. The 20th Century Fox Mambo
6. Bombshell~Act 1. The National Pastime
7. Bombshell~Act 1. History Is Made At Night
8. Bombshell~Act 1. I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl
9. Bombshell~Act 1. Mr. & Mrs. Smith
10. Bombshell~Act 1. Don't Say Yes Until I Finish Talking
11. Bombshell~Act 1. On Lexington & 52nd Street
12. Bombshell~Act 1. Cut, Print... Moving On
13. Bombshell~Act 2. Public Relations
14. Bombshell~Act 2. Dig Deep
15. Bombshell~Act 2. Second Hand White Baby Grand
16. Bombshell~Act 2. They Just Keep Moving The Line
17. Bombshell~Act 2. Let's Be Bad
18. Bombshell~Act 2. The Right Regrets
19. Bombshell~Act 2. (Let's Start) Tomorrow Tonight
20. Bombshell~Act 2. Our Little Secret
21. Bombshell~Act 2. Hang The Moon
22. Bombshell~Act 2. Don't Forget Me

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Smash Cast   Primary Artist
Bernadette Peters   Primary Artist,Vocals
Jaime Cepero   Primary Artist,Vocals
Katharine McPhee   Primary Artist,Vocals
Will Chase   Primary Artist,Vocals
Uma Thurman   Primary Artist
Phillip Spaeth   Primary Artist,Vocals
Savannah Wise   Primary Artist,Vocals
Henry Stram   Primary Artist,Vocals
Megan Hilty   Primary Artist,Vocals
Debra Messing   Primary Artist,Vocals
Leslie Odom, Jr.   Primary Artist,Vocals
Nick Jonas   Primary Artist,Vocals
Wesley Taylor   Primary Artist,Vocals
Christian Borle   Primary Artist,Vocals
Bombshell Studio Orchestra   Orchestra
Sophia Caruso   Vocals
Bombshell Cast Ensemble   Choir/Chorus
Julian Ovenden   Vocals

Technical Credits

Scott Wittman   Lyricist,Liner Notes,Executive Producer
Roy Hendrickson   Engineer
Brian Garten   Engineer
Todd Whitelock   Engineer
Brett Mayer   Assistant Engineer
Jim Black   Music Supervisor
Brett Macias   Music Preparation
Darryl Frank   Executive Producer
Justin Falvey   Executive Producer
Theresa Rebeck   Executive Producer
Dan Fyfe   Assistant Engineer
Andy Zulla   Mixing,Engineer
Brad Dechter   Orchestration
Jonathan Tunick   Orchestration
Jeff Atmaajian   Orchestration
Joshua Safran   Executive Producer
Jeff Ryan   Assistant Engineer
Jen Ross   Music Supervisor
Jim Chory   Executive Producer
Marc Shaiman   Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Liner Notes,Orchestration,Executive Producer
Mike Bauer   Assistant Engineer
Lawrence Manchester   Mixing,Engineer
Josh Wilbur   Engineer
Vlado Meller   Mastering
Steven Spielberg   Executive Producer
Bob Mallory   Assistant Engineer
Larry Blank   Orchestration
Gary Seligson   Music Contractor
Michael Keller   Music Preparation
Ethan Popp   Producer,Orchestration
Doug Besterman   Orchestration
Craig Zadan   Executive Producer
Neil Meron   Executive Producer
Ian Kagey   Engineer
Scott M. Riesett   Engineer,Producer
Brett Pierce   Engineer
Tyler Hartman   Assistant Engineer
Dan Tobiason   Assistant Engineer
Charlie Kramsky   Assistant Engineer
Akihiro Nishimura   Assistant Engineer
Jojo Villanueva   Music Supervisor
Gloria Kaba   Assistant Engineer
Fred Sladkey   Assistant Engineer
Bryan Crook   Orchestration
Timothy Marchiafava   Assistant Engineer