Editorial Reviews

A lesser cousin to Annie, musically speaking, I and Albert enjoyed a brief London run under director John Schlesinger, which yielded this album, produced by Norman Newell. The recording is fine enough technically, spacious and rich in texture. The music is mostly less memorable, this being a highly British musical composed by an American (Charles Strouse, of Bye Bye Birdie and Annie), and suffers from a certain archness. It seems as though everyone is straitjacketed by the combination of their origins and the subject matter -- "I and Albert" and "Just You and Me" are the highlights, and "Victoria" is a poignant ballad, but they weren't enough to carry the piece as a stage work. On a recording, however, they are just enough, assuming that one has a weakness for the material, the period, or the historical personages. The Jay CD reissue offers even better sound than the excellent LP original. Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

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