Does this score kick butt or what? While the staging of the 2003 Little Shop of Horrors revival is entertaining enough, the recording is even more rewarding. Since you're not distracted by the sight of a huge plant devouring one cast member after another, you can focus on Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's ace songs. No wonder the show is a high-school and summer-stock fave, packed as it is with appealing characters and catchy 1960s-flavored tunes. As Audrey, Kerry Butler won't make anybody forget Ellen Greene, but she certainly is lovely. Hunter Foster's Seymour strikes a perfect balance of sweetness and klutzy desperation as he delivers perfect interpretations of all his songs. Even better, this cast album is a complete rendition of the show, unlike the recording of the 1982 Off-Broadway production ("Call Back in the Morning" is now included for instance), and comes with a glossy booklet. Cherry on top: Five previously unreleased songs are included in demo versions performed by the show's authors. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
