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BWW CD Review: Shoshana Bean's 'O'Farrell Street'

Related: shoshana bean, solo album, o'farrel street

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'Wicked' and 'Hairspray' alum Shoshana Bean recently released her sophomore record O' Farrell Street. Bean produced the album with the help of Kickstarter, a website that funds independent projects. After an album release concert and party at the Sayers Club in LA, O' Farrell Street was made available February 12.

Thanks to Kickstarter, Bean earned 430 backers and raised $28,700 for the production of the album.

If her first solo album Superhero blew you away, you should prepare for a tornado after you hear O' Farrell Street. Like Superhero, Beans new album is full of powerhouse songs that will make you want to belt with Bean.

O' Farrel Street features 10 tracks that are all unique in their own way. Amongst the 10 tracks are up-tempo jazz tracks like "Cold Turkey" and beautiful love songs like "Smoke and Mirrors."

Bean's "Gin and Cigarettes," will transport you to an old school Jazz bar and have you snapping. If you are not one for ballads or slow passionate love songs, you will still love this album thanks to Bean's fun fast songs like "Cold Turkey" and "Runnin' Out of Days." However, if you are one for ballads, you will love "5 Minutes," and "Water."

Bean's talents shine through her lyrics and vocals that are so powerful, yet so smooth. Her smooth vocals make this album perfect to listen to if you ever need to unwind, or put yourself in a better mood.

R&B is one of those genres that are greatly unrepresented and underappreciated. We need more R&B artists with soul. Luckily, Bean answers our prayers. She is one of those R&B artists with such passion and soul that just listening to one of her songs will transport you into another time. Listening to her perfectly crafted lyrics, you will be taken back to a time of love or loss. Her music makes you relate with her lyrics and get lost in them.

The songs on this record are mainly about love, both attaining it and losing it. This makes the album key for anyone who has recently gotten together with someone, or broke it off. Ultimately, this is an album for any hopeful heart. Her lyrics are about hope in love, and even hope after loss. It seems like Bean has the complexity of love figured out.

The solo albums of most Broadway actors and actresses do not differ from the music that they sing on stage. Covers of show tunes or original songs that sound like they could be a show tune normally dominate the tracks on the record. This is not a bad thing; it can be a great thing if that is the music you want to hear. Nevertheless, there is something to be said for hearing stage actors take on a sound that is both unique and their own.

Gavin Creel's solo albums feature possibly the most upbeat pop songs to grace the music industry, and Megan Hilty's new album is more crooner than show stopper. Bean, like Hilty and Creel, has created a unique, well-received sound.

O'Farrell Street features a mixture of jazz and R&B tracks that are slow, up-tempo, and in-between. If you are a fan of toe tapping and strong vocals, you will enjoy this album.

O'Farrell Street is currently available for purchase on iTunes