American history gets a fascinating hip-hop update on this Broadway soundtrack

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway show celebrating the life of Founding Father and American icon Alexander Hamilton winds its tale ingeniously around a series of sinuous hip-hop and R&B grooves. The twists and turns of Hamilton’s complex story mirror the deft, sometimes tongue-twisting directions the performers take in their delivery. It’s not all hip-hop; the ’60s-influenced pop of “You’ll Be Back” and the classical influence of “Take a Break” underline Miranda’s range, and it all adds up to a visionary redefinition of musical theatre.