Cabaret Scenes CD Review - Robert Creighton

He might just be the perkiest performer since Donald O’Connor, the spirited song-and-dance great from the MGM canon of bouncy musicals who stood for all the candy in a candy store at the MGM commissary. Crooner Robert Creighton is a most happy fella seemingly cut from a similar cloth of lollipops and moonbeams.

This Broadway character actor brings his cheerful, light baritone to his own buoyant stylings on this debut album, Ain’t We Got Fun! on LML Music. Currently appearing in Broadway’s Anything Goes, Creighton offers a song-and-dance style album of mostly upbeat songs. There’s no risk-taking here. He practices safe singing. But, he knows his strengths. With assists from some special guests—Kate Baldwin, Heidi Blickenstaff, Tituss Burgess, Joel Grey—he shows himself to be a formidable showman, with even a hint of the young Mickey Rooney in his heyday.

Moreover, as Creighton says in his liner notes, this Canadian once pondered a life as either an NHL goalie… or being Fred Astaire. He made his decision. Consequently, some of those comparisons are appropriate and invariably evident with this disc of syrupy songs like “Crazy ’Bout You,” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” “I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)” or “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (and Dream Your Troubles Away).” The saccharine level is lethal here and suits his sweet-voiced singing with bouncy arrangements. This almost recalls the original (forgotten) crooner Rudy Vallee. In lesser hands, all this sugary optimism and fun times could have been a disaster. To his credit, Creighton’s childlike enthusiasm, clear phrasing and commitment to his songs shine and have him rise to the task. He serves this material well and ultimately creates a special album. There’s not a lot of wearing his heart on his sleeve, which is refreshing in an age of too-often predictable balladeers. Instead, Creighton takes the opposite approach and, with some imagination, one can picture being at happy hour on a Carnival Cruise. Whatever you think of Robert Creighton, one thing is sure: he makes someone happy.

John Hoglund
Cabaret Scenes
May/June 2012
www.cabaretscenes.org



	Robert Creighton Ain't We Got Fun LML Music
He might just be the perkiest performer since Donald O’Connor, the spirited song-and-dance great from the MGM canon of bouncy musicals who stood for all the candy in a candy store at the MGM commissary. Crooner Robert Creighton is a most happy fella seemingly cut from a similar cloth of lollipops and moonbeams. This Broadway character actor brings his cheerful, light baritone to his own buoyant stylings on this debut album, Ain’t We Got Fun! on LML Music. Currently appearing in Broadway’s Anything Goes, Creighton offers a song-and-dance style album of mostly upbeat songs. There’s no risk-taking here. He practices safe singing. But, he knows his strengths. With assists from some special guests—Kate Baldwin, Heidi Blickenstaff, Tituss Burgess, Joel Grey—he shows himself to be a formidable showman, with even a hint of the young Mickey Rooney in his heyday. Moreover, as Creighton says in his liner notes, this Canadian once pondered a life as either an NHL goalie… or being Fred Astaire. He made his decision. Consequently, some of those comparisons are appropriate and invariably evident with this disc of syrupy songs like “Crazy ’Bout You,” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” “I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)” or “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (and Dream Your Troubles Away).” The saccharine level is lethal here and suits his sweet-voiced singing with bouncy arrangements. This almost recalls the original (forgotten) crooner Rudy Vallee. In lesser hands, all this sugary optimism and fun times could have been a disaster. To his credit, Creighton’s childlike enthusiasm, clear phrasing and commitment to his songs shine and have him rise to the task. He serves this material well and ultimately creates a special album. There’s not a lot of wearing his heart on his sleeve, which is refreshing in an age of too-often predictable balladeers. Instead, Creighton takes the opposite approach and, with some imagination, one can picture being at happy hour on a Carnival Cruise. Whatever you think of Robert Creighton, one thing is sure: he makes someone happy. John Hoglund Cabaret Scenes May/June 2012 www.cabaretscenes.org

Robert Creighton

Ain't We Got Fun

LML Music