Album highlight “Till I Hear Her Sing” shows some of the hallmarks that made Lloyd Webber a household name: soaring, if melodramatic vocals, dramatic piano-and-string instrumentation and hurting words that tell the story of the Phantom’s lingering pain of losing Christine go. By sticking to his tried-and-true formula, the English composer does remind us why we fell in love with his work.

Then “The Beauty Underneath” — Lloyd Webber’s attempt to tweak his soul key for the modern listener — reminds us why sequels usually suck. The track ventures into heavy metal territory, pushing oddly jarring, disjointed amalgamation with snarling vocals, guitar riffs, a jaunty drumbeat and a screaming finale. Although it breaks the broody love-ballad precedent, “Underneath” becomes the end-all indicator that Lloyd Webber is trying way too hard.

From that point on, the soundtrack blends together into one long, angsty whine. “The Phantom Confronts Christine” fails as a tumultuous duet between the lovers, but turns into an impressive vocal exercise for Boggess, whose chords climb to awe-inspiring octaves and vibrate with all the trills of a seasoned diva. We’re left gaping at her inhuman abilities, yet are unable to remember anything about the song itself — or what any of it is supposed to mean.