REVIEW /// “New CD’s to Fill Your Stockings!”

Happy Holidays!

Believe it or not it’s that time of year again Cirque fans – the season for gifting and giving is upon us… and you know what that means: new merchandise to enjoy! Although there are many new items to explore as part of the “Desigual Inspired by Cirque du Soleil” line, regrettably those offerings aren’t my specialty. What I’m personally interested in is new media and this year Cirque du Soleil has two great choices for fans to enjoy – both music CDs! The “Le Best of 2” and “Amaluna” soundtracks.

LE BEST OF 2
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Released: November 6, 2012
Catalog #: CDSMCD-10045-2
UPC: 8-43277-05288-3

First up, Cirque du Soleil presents its latest highlights album “LE BEST OF 2”, compiled by Cirque Music Director Alain Vinet. The album comprises music recorded and released between 2005 and 2012, including the “Facebook fan favorite” Pageant from KÀ. (“Le Best Of”, released in 2004, included music spanning the Cirque catalog up to that point.) As a compilation album there’s not much left to be said, especially since many of us are more than familiar with the contents therein. The package is a standard DIGIPAK (the final “D” in CDSMCD denotes this), but there are a couple of interesting things to note regarding the album’s contents:

1) There are no duplicates between “Le Best of” and “Le Best of 2” and that’s a plus.
2) There are only two duplicates between “Le Best of 2” and Cirque du Soleil’s more recent compilation album “Cirque 25”: “Beyond the Cloud” (Wintuk) and “Piece of Heaven” (Zumanity).
3) Three out of the thirteen tracks are pieces from shows no longer performing. These are: “Blue Silk” from ZED, “NOI” from Zaia, and “Beyond the Clouds” from Wintuk. (And with the recent announcement of IRIS’ closing, the count will jump to four, adding “Flying Scarlett”.)
4) Two of the tracks are from TOTEM: “Qué Viyéra” and “Omé yo Kanoubé”. Why does TOTEM get that distinct honor I wonder?
5) The track from Amaluna – “Magic Ceremony I” – is only the first half of the opening of the show (the full version appears in English on the Amaluna album, which we’ll discuss in a moment)

Tracks:
01. “Magic Ceremony I”……….. (3:28) [Amaluna]
02. “Pearl”…………………. (4:06) [Kooza]
03. “Blue Silk”……………… (4:37) [ZED]
04. “Anneaux”……………….. (5:43) [Corteo]
05. “Flying Scarlett”………… (4:43) [Iris]
06. “Qué Viyéra”…………….. (4:42) [TOTEM]
07. “Flying with the Birds”…… (4:12) [Believe]
08. “NOI”…………………… (4:15) [Zaia]
09. “Secret Samba Luv”……….. (3:12) [OVO]
10. “Pageant”……………….. (2:46) [KÀ]
11. “Beyond the Clouds”………. (3:32) [Wintuk]
12. “Piece of Heaven”………… (4:55) [Zumanity]
13. “Omé yo Kanoubé”…………. (4:41) [TOTEM]

Total playing time: 55:00

As a Cirque fan for many years I am intimately familiar with all the music on this CD, and so you might be asking yourselves the very same question I did when I saw the announcement: why do I need this? Perhaps “need” isn’t quite the word; perhaps “want” is better. So why would you want this compilation? Because it’s actually quite good! From Amaluna’s “Magic Ceremony” through to Totem’s “Omé Yo Kanoubé, Cirque du Soleil entices you into its world by crafting a story with its track selection. It’s no coincidence that the album begins with one show’s opening theme and ends with another’s closing theme! So if you’re looking for a new Cirque du Soleil mix to add to your collection – this is it!

AMALUNA
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Released: November 20, 2012
Catalog #: CDSMCD-10046-2
UPC: 8-43277-05722-9

Amaluna is a fusion of the words ama, which refers to “mother” in many languages, and luna, which means “moon,” a symbol of femininity that evokes both the mother-daughter relationship and the idea of goddess and protector of the planet. Amaluna is also the name of the mysterious island where the story of this newest Cirque du Soleil product unfolds. Their queen, Prospera, directs her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony in a rite that honors femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance which marks the passing of these insights and values from one generation to the next. In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of young men land on the island, triggering an epic, emotional story of love between Prospera’s daughter and a brave young suitor. But theirs is a love that will be put to the test as the couple must face numerous demanding trials and overcome daunting setbacks before they can achieve mutual trust, faith and harmony.

I watched Cirque du Soleil give birth to AMALUNA on the quays of old Montreal, as I have with Totem (2010), OVO (2009), Koozå (2007), Corteo (2005) and Varekai (2002), but with AMALUNA I had an experience more amazing than any touring show premiere that had come before. Whereas with Varekai (my prior high point) I came away thinking “I really like this show” (and still do), I came out of AMALAUNA thinking, “I LOVE THIS SHOW!” – shocking my friends who had gathered with me because I didn’t really like the show the first night I saw it.

Sure, I enjoyed it and some of its acrobatic elements, but overall Amaluna didn’t “speak” to me, nor seem to hold a candle to some of Cirque’s more sophisticated offerings, such as Quidam, Alegria, Mystere, “O” or ZED. Then something strange and amazing happened: as we assembled for the performance the following afternoon, I grew more and more excited about seeing it again. Then as I sat, allowing the opening moments of the show to wash over me, something clicked. I don’t know why and I don’t think I could ever explain it succinctly beyond: I “got” it. I got the show, what it was attempting to say, how the music was used, and all the visionary elements the creators stirred into it. And then I fell in love with the whole kit-and-caboodle, grinning like a slack-jawed idiot.

It was uncanny, and welcome. I felt enlightened, invigorated and hungry for more. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the show’s soundtrack and now that I have what do I think? I love it, of course!

As Alain Vinet, Cirque’s Musical Director and Amaluna’s album producer says in his note, this album “was created in the spirit of a musical voyage from start to finish, the same approach as the great progressive rock albums. The Amaluna soundtrack has allowed us to unleash the energy and the rock sound of womankind” and he’s not mistaken. From beginning to end this album rocks Amaluna hard, and much of this can be attributed to using the actual Amaluna band!

o) Jenifer Aubry — Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica
o) Marie-Michelle Faber — Vocals
o) Mireille Marchalv– Percussion
o) Julie McInnes — Vocals, Cello, Saxophone
o) Teresa Morini — Bass
o) Didi Negron — Drums
o) Angie Swan — Guitars, Madolin
o) Racheal Wood — Guitars, Backing Vocals

The use (or more accurately, non-use) of the actual creation band has been a pet peeve of mine (as well as many other Cirque du Soleil fans) over the years. Thankfully Cirque du Soleil has heard our criticisms and used these very talented women in the production of this album. (I mean, how could they not?) But the album is not without a few nit-picks, which I’ll get to in a moment.

Like “Le Best of 2”, the Amaluna album package is a DIGIPAK unit, tri-fold, and unfolds at the center to encapsulate the CD (on the right side) and the liner notes (on the left), with a mural of the band’s beautiful players spread across it. (An interesting note here is that the credits list the band as 8 players, yet there are only seven on the tri-fold…) The CD sports the Amaluna logo super-imposed over one of the show’s trademark feathers, but that’s it. The booklet containing the liner notes contains the official poster image, as does the album’s paper cover. The back is relatively bland by comparison, containing copyright notices, production credits and, of course, a track listing.

Tracks:

01: “All Come Together”………. (5:54) – Magic Pageant
02: “Elma om mi Lize”………… (3:35) – Meteors & Icarian
03: “Tempest”……………….. (4:23) – The Storm
04: “Enchanted Reunion”………. (5:41) – Suspended Poles
05: “Fly Around”…………….. (3:45) – Uneven Bars
06: “Hope”………………….. (3:28) – Aerial Hoop
07: “O ma Ley”………………. (4:29) – Waterbowl
08: “Burn Me Up”…………….. (3:44) – Teeterboard
09: “Whisper”……………….. (4:41) – Manipulation
10: “Running on the Edge”…….. (4:00) – Tightwire
11: “Ena Fee Alyne”………….. (3:38) – Unicycles
12: “Creature of Light”………. (4:51) – Thousand Arms / Pole
13: “Mutation”………………. (3:43) – Juggling
14: “Run”…………………… (4:23) – Aerial Straps

Total playing time: 60:15

Naturally, since this is a studio album, additional musicians were needed, and I’m more than happy to highlight them – many of them performers in the show!

o) Sebastien Laurendeau: Band Leader, Keyboards (9)
o) Lara Jacobs (Manipulation performer): Whispers (9)
o) Viktor Kee (Juggler): Additional Vocals (13)
o) Karina Brooks, Lindsey Bruck Ayotte, Amara Defilppo, Summer
Hubbard, Renée Koehler, Tain Mokendijk, Melanie Sinclair,
Brittany Urbain (Uneven Bars): Additional Vocals (5)
o) Elsieanne Caplette: Additional Vocals (1, 9, 12)
o) Lulu Hugues: Additional Vocals (2)
o) Stéphane Lessard: Flute (12)
o) Geneviève Plante: Trumpet (10, 14)
o) Oliver Thouin, Christian Prévost: Violin (3,7)
o) Ligia Paquin: Viola (3, 7)
o) Carla Antoun: Cello (3, 7)

Okay, so, if I’m all about this album… what on Earth could I have to say against it?

My first nit-pick is the use of English!

“All Come Together”, the album (and the show’s) opening piece, is sung not in Cirquish, as it is during the live production, but in English! This may be how the song is now performed since the show has reached primarily English-speaking ears (although I highly doubt it); however, this was not expected and caused some distress for me. When an edited version of the song sung in Cirqueish appeared on the “Le Best Of 2” CD (the first 50-seconds and ending minute of the song are clipped off; however, the music mix is relatively the same), I wondered: would this be the way the song was presented on the album? Thankfully the full piece is available, but the lyrics were changed! The gathering song was not sung in English for Montreal’s premiere and I admit I miss the Cirqueish. Would it have hurt to leave the lyrics as they were? It’s a question I’ll have to grapple with as I realize that we fans have been asking this type of question ever since Cirque put English lyrics to “Let Me Fall” and “Quidam” from Quidam’s album release.

The second nit-pick is the songs are out of order!

Most of us know, or are at least aware, that Cirque du Soleil looks at its soundtracks as a different entity from the live shows upon which they’re based. In more simplistic terms: they’re two separate products – the live show and its accompanying soundtrack album. So the powers that be are free to take whatever dramatic and creative license they wish in order to produce the show’s music for sale. Sometimes this means the album follows the show order almost exactly (in the case of Kooza, Ovo, Totem, Zed and Zaia) and in other times it could mean a vastly different (and arguably over produced) offering as in the case of Varekai’s “lounge” release. And for many of us who want to relive our experience with the show through its music, having an out-of-order album is somewhat disappointing. The show’s running order is Magic Pageant, Unicycles, Meteors & Icarian Games, The Storm (Straps), Suspended Poles & Paon Dance, Aerial Hoop, Waterbowl, Uneven Bars, Teeterboard, Manipulation, Thousand Arms, Chinese Pole, Tightwire, Juggling, and Aerial Straps. So, to listen to the album in the show’s running order mix them in the following order: 1, 11, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 5, 8, 9, 12, 10, 13 and 14.

Regardless of these two contrary nit-picks, I find this album a very solid release – I’ve listened to this album every day so far!

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Okay, so, you’re on a budget with the opportunity to add only one to your collection, which of the two should you add? Although I do recommend both for any fan of Cirque du Soleil, if you’re in a bind and not sure which you’d rather make part of your collection I’d have to recommend the AMALUNA soundtrack: it’s the only one of the two with NEW music! Even if you’ve not yet seen the show, buy it. You won’t regret it! You can get both albums from Cirque’s online boutique, Amazon (both as a digital download and physical album), BestBuy.com (physical album only), and even iTunes, so there’s a plethora of ways to enjoy these two new Cirque du Soleil CDs!

So there you have it and may your stockings fill themselves with Cirque media goodies this year!