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Morgan Freeman - "Freeman in Paris"
Though undeniably classy, Morgan Freeman's live jazz recording was deemed too uncommercial for release. It features Joni Mitchell's title track along with a blistering workout on Roger Kellaway's"Organ Morgan." No duets with Ashley Judd, unfortunately. | |
Julia Stiles - "Stiles Over Substance"
This radio-friendly pop recording was intended to cash in on "Save the Last Dance," but was ultimately shelved. It's mostly tepid bubblegum, except for a heartfelt version of the Beatles' "Julia" and a revamped "She's Just My Stiles." |
| Lacey Chabert - "Leather & Lacey"
This bold and deeply personal recording by the former "Party of Five" star certainly would have helped reinvent her image, as it is more frankly sexual and twisted than Liz Phair and Alanis Morrissette combined. The highlight is surely the extremely graphic phone-sex anthem "Chantilly Lacey." |
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Victoria Principal - "The Pleasure Principal"
Refuting notions that sexiness is for the young, Victoria Principal took her cues from Janet Jackson and Madonna on this erotically-charged album of slow jams. The would-be single, a cover of "Victoria" by the Kinks, just doesn't fit, though. |
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Ellen Degeneres - "Degenerosity"
Ellen Degeneres didn't have many options for new artistic pursuits following the cancellation of her TV sitcom, so she recorded this dance-oriented album clearly targeted at her gay following. Most of it is her stand-up comedy routines set to deep house backing. | |
Wil Wheaton - "Cream of Wheaton"
Though most fans know he runs a popular Internet blog, few realize that Wil Wheaton is also a prolific home recording artist, having released nearly 60 albums since 1995. Cream of Wheaton collects the highlights from those albums, plus a new version of "Wil You Still Love Me Tomorrow." |
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Benjamin Bratt - "Bratt Out of Hell"
Certainly no one expected Benjamin Bratt to quit "Law & Order" and record a song-for-song tribute to the classic Meat Loaf album … and no one wanted it, apparently. Still, it was ambitious, and a lot better than his Ramones tribute Bratt On the Beat. | |
Don Cheadle - "Your Cheadlin' Heart"
Perhaps portraying Sammy Davis, Jr. went to Don Cheadle's head in leading the actor to record an album of country classics, but whatever the inspiration, it didn't fly. Songs like "Who's Cheadlin' Who" and "Cheadle Stopped Loving Her Today" just didn't fit his range. |
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Ving Rhames - "Blame it On the Rhames"
Ving Rhames is a beloved and boundlessly talented entertainer who can do it all, but his overproduced attempt at urban radio stardom simply misfired on every level. Things weren't helped by his takes on "Here Comes the Rhames Again" and "Ving of Wishful Thinking." |
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Lance Armstrong - "Lance the Night Away!"
He may have beaten cancer and conquerered the Tour de France, but Lance Armstrong proved no master of club music. This overblown effort included tepid remakes of "Lance, Lance, Lance (Yowza, Yowza, Yowza)" and "No Parking on the Lancefloor." It's disco with a testicle removed. | |
Joyce DeWitt - "The Joyce of a New Generation"
In the annals of celebrity albums, Joyce DeWitt's attempt at a Britney-style makeover ranks as one of the most pathetic. Aiming for the teen market was a miscalculated risk that didn't pay off, despite potential hits like "En-Joyce the Silence" and "Joyce to the World." | |
Gedde Watanabe - "Gedde Up!"
Admittedly, there may be a cultural barrier toward "gedding" what the former "Sixteen Candles" star was up to on this 1995 solo album, but it wasn't even released in Japan! Gedde traverses many styles on this record, but there's little to enjoy in his ransacking Badfinger's "Come and Gedde," and less so with "You Can't Always Gedde What You Want." |
