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Floyd Collins (1996 Original Off-Broadway Cast) | 
 enlarge | Artists: Adam Guettel, Christopher Innvar, Jason Danieley
Label: Nonesuch
Category: Music
Buy New: $18.98
New (30) Used (14) Collectible (4) from $7.95
Rating:  58 reviews
Sales Rank: 36503
Format: Cast Recording
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 79434
UPC: 075597943429
EAN: 0075597943429
ASIN: B000005J4F
Release Date: March 18, 1997
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Pre-Order (0-0 Business Days)
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| Tracks:
| • | The Ballad of Floyd Collins | | • | Part I: the Call | | • | Part II: It Moves | | • | Part III: Time to Go | | • | Lucky | | • | 'Tween a Rock An' a Hard Place | | • | Daybreak | | • | I Landed on Him | | • | Heart An' Hand | | • | The Riddle Song | | • | Is That Remarkable? | | • | The Carnival | | • | Through the Mountain | | • | Git Comfortable | | • | The Ballad of Floyd Collins (Reprise) | | • | The Dream | | • | How Glory Goes |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
One thing is certain: Adam Guettel's Floyd Collins is a musical like no other on Broadway. Based on a true story from 1925, Collins follows a Kentucky farmer who seeks riches by trying to discover the largest cave in the region, gets trapped, and becomes the subject of an intense media circus (happening just above him on ground level). Floyd is never saved and the gawkers eventually pack up and move away, but don't be confused: this production is about far more than spelunking gone awry. Adam Guettel has created an infectious musical filled with Americana (plenty of bluegrass and Aaron Copland references in the music), smart lyrics, and true depth. Christopher Innvar plays Floyd to great effect, a guy so immersed in his quest for the American Dream it's hard not to fall for him. The music is gorgeous and varying--"The Riddle Song," sung by Floyd's brother Homer (played here by Jason Danieley), is funny; "The Dream" is downright angelic--and the story is simply spellbinding. Broadway in the 1990s has seen few musicals so original. --Jason Verlinde
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| Customer Reviews: Read 53 more reviews...
 Breathtaking. April 2, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I live in West Virginia, only seventy miles from where this story takes place. I've been exposed to Appalachian rhythms since I was born.
And right off the bat, as soon as the beautiful melody kicks in on "The Call", it's immediately apparent that Guettel knows what he's doing. The gorgeous orchestrations sweep carefree from tempo to tempo, making brilliant use of Appalachian fiddle, banjo, and acoustic guitar, in addition to more traditional musical theater instrumentation. The melodies in each song careen along, bouncing off different musical genres, taking bits and pieces here and there, and with seemingly no regard for traditional song structure. The end result is genuinely American - Guettel can evoke more emotion and history in a single piano line or fiddle sting than any other composer currently working. I realize this is pure, fawning adulation, but listen to Floyd harmonize triumphantly with his echo on the wrenching final track, How Glory Goes, and tell me you're not moved.
The cast is perfect, every member displaying a rangy and powerful voice. Christopher Innvar's rich, earthy baritenor rings clearly in all of his songs, bringing all of Floyd's emotion and yearning to life. It doesn't hurt that his acting is without flaw, either. As Floyd's little brother Homer, Jason Danieley navigates the stratospheric upper ranges of his tenor with ease. His voice is strong, crystal clear, and possesses astounding range. Theresa McCarthy, Don Chastain, Cass Morgan, Jesse Lenat, and Martin Moran are uniformly excellent in their supporting roles, and look for a young Brian D'Arcy James as one of a group of muckraking reporters.
There is not a single bad song to be found. From the giddy yodeling of "The Call" to the enchanting, yearning beauty of "Daybreak" to the exhilarating "Riddle Song" to the comforting "Heart an' Hand"... actually, I should stop, because I'll just wind up naming every song on the album. Suffice it to say, Guettel's little slice of Americana never fails to amaze, revealing beautiful ballads, rollicking folk songs, duets, and quirky character numbers - sometimes within the same song.
Floyd Collins is one of my favorite shows of all time.
 A diamond in the rough (yay for dumb mining jokes...) August 16, 2005
12 out of 14 found this review helpful
Sometimes you can go to your local music store (or amazon.com, if that tickles your fancy), buy a soundtrack to a show you have never seen before, listen to it, and immediately fall in love with the show and really dont care that you havent actually seen a production of it. Unfortunately, Floyd Collins does not happen to be one of those shows. I have found that people who see the show and run out and purchase the soundtrack are much happier than those who pick up the CD without having see the show. I was one of the people who never saw Floyd Collins, but heard about Adam Guettel in a roundabout fashion and emptied my piggy bank to risk it on this CD. The results were mixed.
When you first listen to Floyd Collins, a few things make themselves immediately clear. First is that their accents are dumb. There is no way getting around the fact that some music and lyrics that had the potential to be timeless are dragged down by silly Southern backwater twangs. While it may have given the show some sort of realism, it does nothing but hamper the recording. Next. There are no "tunes". By that I mean that there are no clear memorable melodies (with the one obvious exception being the ballad of floyd theme that is eerily catchy), and you probably wont suddenly start whistling one of the songs the next day as you are knitting or driving to work or whatever. The songs are made up of notes that dont fall on the beat and dischordant harmonies. It is beautiful, but unconventional, which really sets the tone for the entire show.
The main thing that really took away from the Floyd Collins experience by not having seen the show was matching the songs up with some actual storyline. We all know that the show is about a guy who gets trapped in a cave, but a lot of the songs revolve what is happening above ground versus below ground, and I never really picked up on any of the changes between reality and Floyd's fantasy. I just recently saw an excellent amateur production, and I have a newfound appreciation for the actual storyline which drives the intense songs and plot along. If you ever have a chance to see a production of this show, take it, because it is an invaluable opportunity to making this soundtrack amazing.
Now that I have walked a bit on top of Floyd, some highlights. The one thing that always amazes me, that I can listen to twenty times in a row and still be stunned, is the echo. Floyd Collins must be the only show in which a person sings in three and four part harmony with his own echo, and does so with such beauty... The best example of it is in Part 1: The Call, but throughout the show, Guettel infuses this self harmonization, which is original and, in my personal opinion, genius. Other peaks in the soundtrack include the reprise of the Ballad of Floyd Collins, which is a repeat of the haunting melody, sung with real raw passion, and the Riddle Song, which demonstrates the vocal prowess of the leading men and the ability for Guettel to write complex yet fun music. The rest of the album is filled with strong songs sung by a strong cast (Christopher Innvar really stands above the rest as a spectacular singer). As a side note, all of Adam Guettel's productions come packed exceptionally well, and I was very impressed Floyd Collins' large accompanying booklet thing. Just for people who care about those sorts of things. Anyway.
Hopefully, now that The Light in the Piaza (or however you spell it) is getting so much acclaim, people with revisit Floyd Collins and find something new and exciting. And while Floyd has its flaws, it really is a remarkable album that I highly suggest people purchase.
 Very disappointing... March 20, 2005
1 out of 13 found this review helpful
From the reviews I read, I expected something amazing but all I got was mediocrity. Floyd Collins isn't bad, but it isn't exactly good. The actors are all top notch but the accents get annoying and the lyrics are sometimes hard to understand, though they are printed in the booklet. As far as I'm concerned, the best part about it isn't the music but the packaging. Beware.
Adam Guettel is a Genius December 5, 2004
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
We saw Floyd Collins in Chicago at Goodman Theater -- and saw it again and bought the CD. This confluence between Sondheim and country (?)/folk (?) music is just so remarkable, that it takes my breath away every time I hear it.
Fine lyrics but needlessly complex music. September 22, 2004
2 out of 9 found this review helpful
FLOYD COLLINS is one of those shows that is far more interesting to see than to just hear it on record. The story is rivetting and the characters fascinating. Adam Guettel is a major new talent and one whose career should be watched closely.
That said, FLOYD being his first commercially produced musical, he sometimes tries to show off too much of his musical knowledge all at once. The score as a result becomes needlessly complex at times which instead of drawing the listener into the story has the curious effect of distancing us from the drama. The wonderful opening "Ballad of Floyd Collins" is about a simple and tuneful as the score ever gets. The lyrics are first rate...full of plot development and character insight. A detained synopsis and the lyrics are in the accompanying booklet.
The cast on this recording is first rate. Christopher Innovar, Jason Danieley, Cass Morgan and especially Martin Moran as the reporter who befriends Floyd are all perfectly cast and sing and act the roles beautifully. The nine-piece band offers the sound of the period and place and is perfectly in balance with the singers. The album has been produced wirth extraordinary care by Tommy Krasker whose attention to detail reveals that he has a special fondness for this show. The prestige packaging only enhances the product.
The recording is a must for anyone going to see the show on stage, and Stephen Sondheim has publicly praised the score. It needs to be said that Sondheim is a close friend of Guettel's mother, Mary Rodgers, and years ago worked with Guettl's grandfather: Richard Rodgers! Guettel has Sondheim's gift for lyric writing. If only he had inherited a little of his grandfather's gift of melody.
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