Rock of Ages Review

The One2One Network sent me the Broadway cast recording soundtrack of Rock of Ages to review. I gotta tell you… When you do reviews, you never quite know what you’re going to get!

Some info on the CD:

New Line Records just hammered the in-store release of the Original Broadway Cast Recording of five-time Tony Award nominated “ROCK OF AGES.” For those of you not in the know, Rock of Ages is the new Broadway musical starring American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis. Set in 1987 in a legendary Sunset Strip rock club, a small-town girl meets a big-city dreamer and they fall in love to the greatest metal songs of the 80′s. The musical is an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and more.

I’ll be honest… I wasn’t sure what this was. I agreed, because, well, Rock!! When I agreed, I didn’t know that this was a Broadway show. It also took me checking out the artwork and such to realize that Constantine Maroulis is a castmember. At that point I realized that I would have to add a disclaimer here, because I am no longer objective. I had a serious (totally married, pious) crush on Constantine on American Idol. I wanted to pet him and put him in my pocket.

Once I found out this was a musical, using already established rock, I was a little concerned. I was really really hoping it wouldn’t be like those covers you hear, where a really rocking song ends up sounding like Muzak. But this is… Amazing. While they changed the songs a smidge to fit the storyline of the musical, the music is straight on. And in fact I want to see if they use a live orchestra, because it is GREAT. And then I was concerned about the voices. Nothing would be worse than a wimpy version of rock. I was amazed by them!!

And seriously – I thought it WAS Jon Bon Jovi singing “Wanted Dead or Alive.” By the way – My husband was a HUGE Young Guns fan, and this song sold him on the CD. And of course “Final Countdown” reminds me of every 80′s martial arts movie there ever was. Heh.

So, this CD took me completely by surprise. I absolutely loved it. And I maybe might have made an idiot out of myself headbanging singing to it. My husband has learned to just smile and nod. If you’re into rock (think leather and hair and slow dancing in junior high) than this is for you.

I want you to buy it. No, I do have a giveaway, but since only one of you will win, you should totally buy it. See the bottom of the post for the giveaway…

Tracklisting:
Just Like Paradise / Nothin’ But A Good Time
Sister Christian
We Built This City / Too Much Time On My Hands
I Wanna Rock
We’re Not Gonna Take It
Heaven/More Than Words / To Be With You
Waiting For A Girl Like You
Wanted Dead Or Alive
I Want To Know What Love Is
Cum On Feel The Noize / We’re Not Gonna Take It (Reprise)
Harden My Heart / Shadows Of The Night
Here I Go Again
The Final Countdown
Any Way You Want It / I Wanna Rock (Reprise)
High Enough
I Hate Myself For Loving You / Heat Of The Moment
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Can’t Fight This Feeling
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Oh Sherrie
The Search Is Over
Don’t Stop Believin

If you’d like to enter for a free CD of Rock of Ages for your own, I have a simple giveaway here… Nothing fancy. No extra entries for tweets or writing about it (I simply don’t have the time to do a full blown thing right now,) just a straight up comment giveaway. Comment on this entry, and make sure you leave your email address in the proper slot. That’s it. One entry each, please. Giveaway ends (and your comments must be there) by Sunday, 8/16 at 11:59pm pacific. Good luck!