sounds familiar

Review Score: (2/10)
Let's see...a musical that takes place in the 1950's in New York City, that concerns a Puerto Rican gang, that involves a gang-rivalry murder....It seems to me I've very recently seen a production of this musical, only it wasn't called "The Capeman". For that matter, unlike "The Capeman" it had a point and a plot and witty lyrics and charming music--and it was originally produced on Broadway forty years before "The Capeman" was.

So why re-invent "West Side Story"? To make it grittier and more realistic? Sorry, but compared to "West Side Story" (judging by "Songs from the Capeman"), "The Capeman" is a cartoon. (Also: it is ridiculous to suggest that any song here can work as a song alone, without reference to the narrative.)

More Reviews:

• His Best Since Hearts and Bones
• Amazing - how did the musical tank??
• Gushingly positive review of The Capeman
• good, but could be better
• Why Isn't the Rating of ZERO Included
• good music
• Honestly, I'm writing to raise the rating
• What are you people talking about?
• Album could have done more justice to show
• unbelievably bad play...amazing score
• Worst cd in 20 years
• TERRIBLE ALBUM BY A MUSICAL LEGEND!!!
• By all that is holy, this is ATROCIOUS
• Fine music
• The Capeman Is Far From Super, Man
• Production failed, but the music lives on!
• A brilliant novel in musical form.
• Important to judge this album as it is
• Soft hearts and strong stomachs
• A mixed bag
• Very underrated but very good
• Favorable review
• heavy-handed and insipid
• misses by a mile
• So much better than the reviews
• myopic and unimaginative--a very shabby work
• way, way off
• indisputably Paul Simon's worst album
• so unbelievably underrated.......a gem
• So what if it's about a grown up subject?
• Simple Simon
• Jeez lighten up!
• AESOP'S FABLES FROM THE PROJECTS
• The Capeman is Super
• Paul Simon does it again!
• The Man Just Gets Better
• instant classic
• C'mon...
• Some terrific songs
• Better than the ratings
• UGH! SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT!
• Bad Musical with Great Music
• Long, long waited album
• bemused and confused......
• Skip this one, get another
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• An important classic!
• Big Big Big Mistake, Paul
• Took a while!
• The return of the Paul Simon we all love
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• mixed feelings
• Great!
• Pathetic
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• I felt the CD was very heart felt and very well made.
• El mejor disco de Paul Simon
• Musically sound but above all listenable
• VERY DISSAPOINTED
• His Best Work
• Brilliance
• This album grows more beautiful with repeated listenings
• incredible tunes
• Good, not great
• Paul Simon does it again
• BEST LYRIC AND TUNE SINCE WEST SIDE STORY
• It grows on you.
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• I love it!!!!!!
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• Incredible as usual.
• Culturally Shallow Music
• Paul Simon again creates fantastic music.
• A Haunting Musical Tale Filled with Life and Soul
• Offensive glorification of gang violence
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• Wait For the Original Cast Recording to be Released
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• The subject matter is intriguing-what I'd expect from Simon.
• Buyer's should be made aware of the frequent profanity used.