Next to Normal (Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Next to Normal (Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: "Next to Normal", Far from it
Hit: 5 Stars
Not your typical Broadway show indeed.
If somebody were to approach me on the street and asked me if I would go see a show about a Bi-Polar depressant, usually, I would say something along the lines of "Hell no! Are you kidding!?" But after receiving this album, I plan on seeing it in December.
Next to Normal finds itself to be one of the best cast recordings I've ever heard (which encompasses quite a few shows, contemporary and "classic"). It's Tony-award winning orchestrations prove to be easy on the ear and incredibly satifying, while vocal performances from everyone in the cast are very strong; but that doesn't mean one doesn't stand above them all. Aaron Tveit proves to be the strongest voice, having excellent control that is well expressed in such songs as "I'm Alive (Reprise)" and "There's a World"
The music provides a great atmosphere, Tom Kitt really hammered the nail on this one. I have heard his only other recorded score, "High Fidelity", and I will tell you that while it did have a few gems, I was a bit disappointed. But after hearing this, I would not consider it a hyperbole to say that this could very well be Tom Kitt's equivalent of Stephen Sondheim's "Company", the show that first brought him to wide acclaim (as well as bringing him his second Tony award, his first for writing a score; his very first was for being a co-producer on "A Funny Thing Happened On My Way to the Forum") His music is well backed up with Michael Yorkey's exceptional lyrics, which perfectly communicate the feelings of the characters.
This show is just utterly fantastic, and finds itself to be my second favorite cast recording of the year (the first being Sondheim's "Road Trip", which only played off-Broadway but bested Next to Normal in winning the Drama Desk for Best Music and Lyrics (as well as winning the Obie in the same catagory)). I highly recommend it to anybody, whether they have seen the show or not (the album comes with a booklet summarizing the whole show so you can fully understand the lyrics).
Free Music Review: The best new Broadway score of the season
Hit: 5 Stars
"Next to Normal," with music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, is the kind of cast recording I respond to immediately, in which the music is in perfect synch with the plot. The songs are not just "songs," but extensions of the characters--direct outpourings of their emotions. Musical fans know it's not just about a catchy melody or lyric--the music has to hook into your emotions in an almost intangible way. On the best cast recordings, you don't have to listen to an entire "song"--sometimes just a mere musical phrase or dramatic moment can tingle the spine. I suppose, in theory, good musicals should always do this, but the last time I felt a musical worked this well, particularly in a sung-through style, was "Caroline, or Change." There are no clunky moments here--just two discs of musical theater bliss.
Like "Caroline," "Next to Normal," features a nimble, varied score--here it ranges from pop, rock, to folk, even a waltz and a hilarious Rodgers and Hammerstein parody. It's hard to pin down the sound exactly-- which is one of the great pleasures of the recording. Another pleasure is the cast. The fantastic (and soon-to-be Tony winner) Alice Ripley is Diana, a suburban mom in the throes of bipolar disorder. She's well matched with J. Robert Spencer, affecting as her well meaning but hopelessly enabling husband. Jennifer Damiano and Aaron Tveit make strong impressions as the struggling teens rounding out the family, and Adam Chanler-Berat and Louis Hobson add fine support in smaller roles. Singing Yorkey's smart and perceptive lyrics, the cast gives full due to the weighty subject matter. This is certainly the best new Broadway score of the year, and a superb cast recording. Not to be missed.
Free Music Review: Next To Normal Rocks !
Hit: 5 Stars
How interested would most people be in a musical about the trials of a bi-polar [manic-depressive] wife and mother? Well, don't let the topic fool you. Next To Normal is one of the best new musicals I've experienced in years. It's easy to see why its female lead, Alice Ripley, received a Tony. Her portrayal of a woman struggling with bi-polar disorder is stirring and her voice is a delight, even in her most tortured moments. Whether or not you think you'd enjoy experiencing the agonizing- but sometimes humorous- journey of each family member in this touching musical, its lessons are for all of us and are told so resonantly with the brilliant lyrics and engaging music of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. No, you've never heard of them, but you will be hearing accolades about these two gifted artists well into the future. With one of the strongest ensemble casts on Broadway, Next To Normal is going to take musical theater by storm. And I predict you'll be seeing its cast - Ripley, J. Robert Spencer, Aaron Tveit, and Jennifer Damiano in many theater and -I hope- film and television venues for many years to come.
I've been playing the CD's for weeks now and can't get enough of them. While rock is ordinarily not my thing- I'm an old codger- this music is nothing short of sensational and the lyrics are as clever and creative as I've seen. "Brilliant" seems an apropos adjective for this tremendously moving and innovative piece of simply extraordinary musical theater.
I can't encourage you strongly enough to purchase Next To Normal. You won't be sorry. Next To Normal is next to genius.
Free Music Review: Beautiful....devastating...rewarding
Hit: 5 Stars
So many emotions are stirred by listening to this....just what good music and a good musical should do.
Ringing true to life, it's a story with a hopeful but not happy ending.
As a person who suffers with depression, the lyrics hit so close to home:
In "You Don't Know": "Do you wake in the morning and need help to lift your head? Do you read obituaries and feel jealous of the dead?"
"My Psychopharmacologist" tells of the struggle in trying to find a medication that helps and won't cause 15 other undesirable side effects.
Alice Ripley (TOMMY, SUNSET BOULEVARD, SIDE SHOW, Kennedy Center's COMPANY) gives a heart-breaking, tour-de-force performance and richly deserves the Tony she was awarded.
J. Robert Spenser (JERSEY BOYS) delivers another great performance that builds in vulnerability as the story progresses.
Aaron Tveit (HAIRSPRAY and WICKED) has an incredible voice.
Some of the best numbers:
"You Don't Know"/"I am the One" (Listen to them together, back to back)
"I'm Alive"
"Superboy and the Invisible Girl"
"I Miss the Mountains"
Take a chance and buy this...you will have tried something new and in the future you will be hearing from these actors and these composers again.
This is a cast album that will stay on my mp3 player for a long time.
Free Music Review: Breathtaking Production
Hit: 5 Stars
Next to Normal is a breath of fresh air on the Broadway stage. Very rarely does a show this fantastic come along. I was fortunate enough to see this production live on stage with most of the original cast, and the experience was breath taking. This cast recording is just as phenomenal. Each member of the ensemble gives an outstanding and highly emotional performance, particularly Aaron Tveit and J. Robert Spencer as Gabe and Dan respectively.
I bought this recording with almost no knowledge of the production, except that it had won the Tony Award for Best Score. After enjoying the Tony awards performance, I thought I would give it a listen. I did not expect this to become one of my all time favorite shows. This musical works on every level. The characters are realistic and believable, the performances are gut wrenching and emotional, and the score is brilliant--absolutely inspired. While there is not a single song in the show that I dislike, or that lacks energy or emotion, some highlights include Just Another Day, He's Not Here, I Am The One, I'm Alive, Light in the Dark, How Could I Ever Forget, and I Am The One (Reprise). All in all, this is a brilliant new musical. I highly recommend this recording to any fan of theatre. Also, if you enjoy it, be sure to see it live if you ever get the chance.