The Greatest Showman - Reimagined

Songs from the 2017 hit film are covered here by a variety of contemporary artists in a new collection titled "The Greatest Showman: Reimagined." The film's composers, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, have a style that is melodically suited to musical theater and film writing. Also, they have the ability to tap into the zeitgeist of contemporary pop songwriting, as evidenced by this album.

This particular grouping of artists re-interpret these songs quite well. Among others, contributions by veteran artists such as Panic! At The Disco, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Sara Bareilles, and Craig David sit alongside those of newer artists such as Years & Years and Jess Glynne, MAX & Ty Dolla $ign, and James Arthur & Anne-Marie.

The arrangements and production are decidedly contemporary, with real instruments augmenting electronics and the vocal tracks placed right up front. The approach appears to remain faithful to the original compositions in the film while placing them squarely in the context of popular music, playing to the strengths of each artist.

Because these songs are a natural fit with contemporary pop music, the album largely works. Other than the fact that "A Million Dreams (Reprise)" is perplexingly included here (performed by Willow Sage Hart) while "Never Enough (Reprise)" from the original film soundtrack is absent, it's difficult to point to anything really problematic.

Album opener "The Greatest Show" is performed by Panic! At The Disco, perfectly suited to their usual aesthetic. Included as a bonus track, the song is performed again near the end of the album by the celebrated a cappella group Pentatonix, and the result is even more dynamic. Similarly, "Come Alive" is performed earlier in the album by Years & Years with Jess Glynne and then by Craig David later (tacked on as a bonus track) – the former is rooted in electro-pop and the latter in an R&B arrangement, both are booty shakers. A third repeated track, "This is Me," works better in its bonus track version by Kesha. Earlier in the album, Kesha joins Keala Settle (who starred in Lettie Lutz in the film) and Missy Elliott on a slightly different version that is much less effective.

P!nk's "A Million Dreams" is particularly well suited to her voice, and could ply her with a hit single. The same can be said for MAX & Ty Dolla $ign's turn with "The Other Side" and Kelly Clarkson's interpretation of "Never Enough." James Arthur & Anne-Marie take on "Rewrite the Stars" and the result is eerily similar to Coldplay's more recent electro-informed productions.

The album's two highlights come toward the end – Sara Bareilles' "Tightrope" and Zac Brown Band's "From Now On." For an artist who has found a new life outside mainstream pop and in musical theater writing, Bareilles' version is very much in a singer/songwriter mode, and probably the least conventional track on this album. Her version of "Tightrope" shares the sparse piano-centered focus of recent work by Tori Amos. Ending the standard edition of the album, Zac Brown Band's take on "From Now On" also breaks from the electronic aesthetic that dominates much of the album, with banjo, acoustic guitars, and Brown's powerful voice working up to a climactic middle section. It's also nice to hear just a touch of country included on this album, if just to give the listener another flavor.

Whether or not listeners are compelled to revisit the original soundtrack or even the film (even if the music was by far the most redeeming feature of the movie), these reimagined versions are evidence that these songs stand on their own legs apart from the movie.

"The Greatest Showman: Reimagined"
$10 (CD) and $9.99 (digital)
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