Les Miserables: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
Les Miserables has been an extremely popular stage musical since its release in the 1980s, and with Tom Hooper’s newly released film, Victor Hugo’s novel will reach a wider audience than ever before. The music of Claude-Michel Shönberg is orchestrated beautifully for this release, and with a superior cast filled with talented singers, including the A-list actors Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway, the album really comes together well. The Highlights CD is basically just the vocal tracks from the movie compiled together on a disc, although large chunks of the film’s music are omitted from the release. For fans of the stage show, this is somewhat of a disappointment because some of the show’s definitive numbers don’t appear on the soundtrack, such as “Do You Hear the People Sing?” and “A Little Fall of Rain.” However, the musical’s most popular songs are all masterfully sung by the actors, such as the classics “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” and “Bring Home.” The inclusion of a new song which is not part of the stage version, “Suddenly,” is a great addition to an already amazing score.

Tracks to Download: “Suddenly” “On My Own” “I Dreamed a Dream”

Overall Grade: A

Alicia Keys – Girl on Fire
In a music industry where many artists seem to release the same albums over and over again with slightly different titles, Alicia Keys is known for the individuality that comes to a head in her latest CD, Girl on Fire. Keys successfully tackles the genres of pop, R&B, blues, gospel, and hip-hop on her fifth studio album. The singer’s classical piano training is especially noticeable on several sweet ballads, such as “Not Even the King” and “Brand New Me.” “That’s When I Knew” and “Listen to Your Heart” are similar to some of Frank Ocean’s slow jams on his album channel Orange or the classic songs of the late Luther Vandross. On the other hand, “New Day” is far more like her collaboration with Jay-Z in “Empire State of Mind” with a grinding beat and hip-hop styling. Alicia Keys continues to be relevant as her career progresses, and Girl on Fire is another awesome addition to her already great catalogue.

Tracks to Download: “Not Even the King” “Brand New Me”

Overall Grade: A-