Hedwig and the Angry Inch

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Music reviews of Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Music Review: Glam rock at it's best.
Rating: 5 Stars

1. "Tear Me Down" - This song evokes the image of Hedwig in her glittering cape, reading "Yankees Go Home" on one side, and "With Me" on the other. One of the more "rock" songs. It's got a great beat, and some smashing guitar. The right way to start off the album.

2. "Origin Of Love" - This song is based of a story by Plato, playing with the idea that there were once beings that looked like two people fused back-to-back. When they were split into two seperate people, the longing for your other half is what we now know as "love". It's a beautifully-written song, a nice pace change from track 1.

3. "Angry Inch" - THE Hedwig song. Serious guitar and drums going on here. Explains the origin of Hedwig's anatomy situation. It is HARD not to get sucked into this song. Real upbeat and rock-ish.

4. "Wicked Little Town (Tommy Gnosis Version)" - sung by none other than the composer, Stephen Trask. If you've seen the movie, this about sums up the Tommy/Hedwig relationship. Again, a great pace-change from the previous song. I personally like the Hedwig version at the end of the cd, but it's still a good song.

5. "Wig In A Box" - My second fave on the album. Once you know the lyrics to this song, you'll put it on loop and sing it for hours. So freaking catchy. Alot of John Cameron Mitchell's personality comes through in this song. Great tempo change towards the end of the song. Really picks up.

6. "The Long Grift" - A song that was in the original run of the movie, but got cut in post-production. (You can hear it in the background of an added scene, in the DVD version.) Stephen Trask is singing, I believe. One of the songs you could probably skip if any... just a connecting piece, really.

7. "Hedwig's Lament" - the intro to Exquisite Corpse. Her final performance. Fabulous lyrics in this song, and with John Cameron Mitchell's melodious voice, it's a great peak in the movie.

8. "Exquisite Corpse" - probably the hardest song on the album. Imagine the strobe lights and spastic jumping in this part of the film, and that's a good description for the feel of this. A little eccentric, with a good rock feeling.

9. "Midnight Radio" - I once heard this described as the "manditory lighter song". Hell yah... pull out those lighters. The absolute perfect song to follow Exquisite Corpse. This is my favorite of the album. Heartbreaking, and completely beautiful.

10. "Nailed" - This was meant to be a track by Tommy Gnosis, the rock star in the movie. I believe it's sung by Stephen Trask as well. Not much to do with the movie, but it's an alternative-sounding song that picks up the pace after Midnight Radio.

11. "Sugar Daddy" - Just a fun, campy song. It's got acoustic guitar reminiscent of country music, with a little tamborine in the background. Another one to sing along to. ^_^

12. "Freaks (With Girls Against Boys)" - From one of Stephen Trask's bands, I believe (I might be mistaken in that.) Not in the movie, but it's upbeat, and carries on a gay-pride theme.

13. "In Your Arms Tonight" - Another Tommy Gnosis track. Ever-so-slightly repetitive after a while. It's a slower song, with a great guitar melody.

14. "Wicked Little Town (Hedwig Version)" - My other favorite song on the album. A beautiful piano accompanies this piece, which fits John Cameron Mitchell's voice really well. You can almost feel the emotion running through Hedwig. A flat-out beautiful song, music and lyrics. The whole deal.

The whole collection fit together perfectly. Knowing the movie puts a reason to the rhyme, but even a first-time listener could appriciate the talent and heart behind this. But the movie is beautiful - highly, highly recommended.

Enjoy. :)

5 STARS

Description of Hedwig and the Angry Inch

The soundtrack follows the cast album pretty faithfully, except that the whole thing somehow feels turbocharged. Fast numbers like "Angry Inch" (with fab backup vocals by Miriam Shor) and "Exquisite Corpse" rock harder; ballads like "The Long Grift" and "Midnight Radio" are more poignant. The original off-Broadway cast recording was good, but now everything feels sharper, better defined. Even Hedwig's backing band, the Angry Inch, is beefed up by ex­Hüsker Dü Bob Mould on guitar, while Girls Against Boys contribute to "Freaks," a track that would be right at home on an old David Bowie album. Even your punk pals will approve when they catch you listening to this musical. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

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