Review: Once the Musical Cast Album

I was hesitant to approach Once because as an Official Unofficial Theatre Blogger there is a clause in my contract that says- "Thou shalt not enjoy jukebox musicals, or musicals with songs unrelated to the plot." But, I overcame these hesitations and gave Once a try, with mixed results.
Let me start by praising the fantastic voice of Steve Kazee. He makes otherwise useless and emotionless songs like "Leave" and "Say It To Me Now" relevant just because of the sheer power and rawness of his voice. He is definitely deserving of the Tony he won based on his vocal performance.

Cristin Milioti's songs on the other hand come off as boring and uninspired. Her songs really put a damper on the entire affair. "If You Want Me" may contend on my list of worst show tunes ever written. But to her credit her voice has a bit of a haunting quality that fits well with Kazee. Though, to be fair, one would be hard-pressed to find a voice that doesn't sound good with the rapturous Kazee.
There is evidence of good song-writing throughout Once, but not necessarily effective show tune writing. There is (count it) one song with relevance to the plot. Grade: C+

Below is my song breakdown:
CAST ALBUM REVIEW
+ means a song helps the show, = means a song does not hurt a show, - means a song hurts a show.
+Falling Slowly, Leave, Say It to me Now, Gold
=Sleeping, When Your Mind Is Made Up
-The Moon, Ej Pada Pada Rosicka, If You Want Me, Broken-Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy, Abandoned in Bandon, Sleeping, The Hill, It Cannot Be About That

CAST ALBUMS REVIEW
+ means a song helps the show, = means a song does not hurt a show, - means a song hurts a show.
Grey Gardens
+The Five-Fifteen, Hominy Grits, Will You?, The Revolutionary Costume For Today, The Cake I Had, Jerry Likes My Corn, Around the World, Another Winter In A Summer Town
=Mother Darling, Goin' Places, Drift Away, The House We Live In,
-The Girl Who Has Everything, Marry Well, Peas in a Pod, Daddy's Girl, Entering Grey Gardens, Choose to Be Happy

Guys and Dolls
+Fugue for Tinhorns, Adelaide's Lament, Guys and Dolls, I've Never Been In Love Before, Luck Be A Lady, Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat
=The Oldest Establishment, I'll Know, A Bushel and A Peck, My Time Of Day, Sue Me, Marry the Man Today
-Follow the Fold, Havana, If I Were A Bell, More I Cannot Wish You






Gypsy
+Some People, Mr. Goldstone, I Love You, Little Lamb, Everything's Coming Up Roses, Rose's Turn, Nice She Ain't (Cut Song)
=Let Me Entertain You, Small World, You'll Never Get Away From Me, You Gotta Have A Gimmick
-If Momma Was Married, All I Need Is The Girl, Together Wherever We Go






Hello Dolly!
+I Put My Hand In, Put On Your Sunday Clothes, Ribbons Down My Back, Before the Parade Passes By, Hello Dolly, It Only Takes A Moment
=It Takes A Woman, Dancing, Motherhood, Elegance, So Long Dearie

Cast Album Reviews

CAST ALBUMS REVIEW
+ means a song helps the show, = means a song does not hurt a show, - means a song hurts a show.

The Fantasticks
+ Try to Remember, Metaphor,  Never Say No, Soon It's Gonna Rain, Plant A Radish, They Were You
= It Depends On What You Pay, The Rape Ballet,
- Much More, You Wonder How These Things Begin, This Plum Is Too Ripe, I Can See It, Round and Round

Fiddler on the Roof
+ Tradition, If I Were A Rich Man, To Life, Sunrise, Sunset, Do You Love Me, Far From the Home I Love,
= Matchmaker, Sabbath Prayer, The Dream, Miracle of Miracles,
- Now I Have Everything, The Rumor, Anatevka

Floyd Collins
+ The Cave, Lucky, Daybreak, Heart An' Hand, The Riddle Song, How Glory Goes
= Is That Remarkable?, The Ballad of Floyd collins, Through the Mountain
- 'Tween A Rock and a Hard Place, I Landed On Him, The Carnival, Git Comfortable, The Dream

Follies
+ Beautiful Girls, Broadway Baby, In Buddy's Eyes, I'm Still Here, Too Many Mornings, Your'e Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through, Losing My Mind, Live Laugh, Love
= The Road You Didn't Take, Who's That Woman, Could I Leave You? The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues, The Story of Lucy and Jessie
- Don't Look at Me, Waiting For the Girls Upstairs, Ah PAris, The Right Girl, One More Kiss

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum
+ Comedy Tonight, Everybody Ought to Have A Maid,
=Lovely, Pretty Little Picture, Impossible,
- Free, I'm Calm, Bring Me My Bride, That Dirty Old Man, That'll  Show Him

Cast Albums Review

CAST ALBUMS REVIEW
+ means a song helps the show, = means a song does not hurt a show, - means a song hurts a show.

Chicago
+ All that Jazz, The Cell Block Tango, My Own Best Friend, Mr. Cellophane
= When You're Good to Momma, All I Care About, We Both Reached For the Gun, Razzle Dazzle, Class
- Funny Honey, A Little Bit of Good, Roxie, I Can't Do It Alone, Me and My Baby, When Velma Takes the Stand

A Chorus Line
+ The Music and the Mirror, One, What I Did For Love
= I Hope I Get It, At the Ballet, Montage, Nothing, Dance: Ten; Looks: Three,
- I Can Do That, Sing!

Company
+ Company, You Drive a Person Crazy, The Ladies Who Lunch
=The Little Things You Do Together, Sorry-Grateful, Have I Got A Girl For You, Another Hundred People, Getting Married Today, Side by Side by Side, Barcelona, Being Alive
- Someone is Waiting, Poor Baby, Tick-Tock

Evita
+ A New Argentina, Don't Cry For Me Argentina, High Flying Adored, And the Money Kept Rolling In, She Is A Diamond

Falsettoland
+ Falsettoland, What More Can I Say?, Something Bad Is Happening, Holding to the Ground, Days Like This, Unlikely Lovers, What Would I Do?
=About Time, Miracle of Judaism, The Baseball Game, A Day in Falsettoland, Everyone Hates His Parents, You Got to Die Sometime, Jason's Bar Mitzvah
- Year of the Child, Round Tables Square Tables, Canceling the Bar Mitzvah

CAST ALBUMS REVIEW
+ means a song helps the show, = means a song does not hurt a show, - means a song hurts a show.
Bat Boy the Musical
+ Christian Charity, A Home For You, Comfort and Joy, Three Bedroom House, Apology to a Cow, I Imagine You're Upset
=Hold Me, Bat Boy, Another Dead Cow, Let Me Walk Among You, Children, Children, Inside Your Heart
- Ugly Boy, Whatcha Wanna Do?, Dance With Me Darling, Mrs. Taylor's Lullaby, Show You a Thing or Two, A Joyful Noise

The Book of Mormon
+ Hello!, Man Up, I Believe, Tomorrow Is A Latter Day
= You and Me(But Mostly Me), Turn it Off, All-American Prophet, Sal Tiay Ka Siti, Making Things Up Again, Baptize Me, I Am Africa
- Two By Two, I Am Here For You, Spooky Mormon Hell Dream

Bring It On: the Musical
+ What I Was Born To Do, Bring it On, Killer Instinct, I Got You
= One Perfect Moment, We Ain't No Cheerleaders, Friday Night, Jackson, It's All Happening It Ain't No Thing, Enjoy the Trip,Better, We're Not Done, Legendary
-Tryouts, Welcome to Jackson, Do Your Own Thing, Cross the Line

Cabaret
+ Willkommen, Tomorrow Belongs To Me, Why Should I Wake Up?,
What Would You Do?, Cabaret, Finale
= So What?, Perfectly Marvelous, Meeskite, If You Could See Her,
- Don't Tell Mama, Telephone Song, Two Ladies, It Couldn't Please Me More, The Money Song,

Camelot 
+ C'est Moi, Before I Gaze At You Again, If Ever I Would Leave You, I Loved You Once In Silence,
= I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight, Camelot, The Seven Deadly Virtues,
-The Simple Joys of Maidenhood, Follow Me, Then You May Take Me To the Ball, How to Handle A Woman, What Do the Simple Folks Do?, Fie On Goodness, Guinevere

CAST ALBUMS REVIEW
+ means a song helps the show, = means a song does not hurt a show, - means a song hurts a show.

Adding Machine: A Musical
+ Something to be Proud Of, I'd Rather Watch You, Didn't We?, The Music of the Machine
= Harmony, Not Discord, In Numbers, The Party, Zero's Confession, Ham and Eggs, The Gospel According to Shrdlu, A Pleasant Place, Daisy's Confession, Freedom
-Office Reverie, Movin' Up, I Was A Fool, Death March

Aida
+ My Strongest Suit, Elaborate Lives, The Gods Love Nubia, A Step Too Far, Written in the Stars, I Know the Truth
= Every Story Is A Love Story, Another Pyramid, Enchantment Passing Through, Dance of the Robe, Not Me
- Fortune Favors the Brave, The Past Is Another Land, How I Know You, Easy As Life, Like Father, Like Son

Anything Goes
+ I Get a Kick Out Of You, You're the Top, Friendship, Anything Goes, Blow, Gabriel, Blow
= Goodbye Little Dream, All Through the Night
- There's No Cure Like Travel, Easy to Love, I Want to Row On the Crew, Be Like the Bluebird, The Gypsy in Me, Buddie Beware

Assassins
+ Everybody's Got the Right, The Ballad of Booth, The Ballad of Czolgosz, Unworthy of Your Love, The Ballad Of Guiteau, Another National Anthem,
=How I Saved Roosevelt, Gun Song

Avenue Q
+ It Sucks to Be Me, Fantasies Come True, Theres A Fine, Fine Line, I Wish I Could Go Back to College, For Now
= Avenue Q Theme, Purpose, Everyone's A Little Bit Racist, Mix Tape, The More You Ruv Someone, Schadenfreude, The Money Song
-If You Were Gay, The Internet is For Porn, My Girlfriend Who Lives In Canada, There is Life Outside Your Apartment