Next to Normal (Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Next to Normal (Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: Unbearably powerful
Hit: 5 Stars
This is an extraordinary piece of work unlike anything I've ever heard in theater. While it's typically described as a musical about a woman with bipolar disorder, it is more accurately a study of the entire family as they cope with tragedy, adolescence, and mental illness. The characters are well-drawn and sympathetic, and the writers have clearly done their research in exploring bipolar disorder and its effects on the family. Their ability to so accurately convey not just the broad themes of this struggle but also the more subtle nuances is brilliant. I found the music itself compelling and memorable; multiple songs have been running through my head for weeks, and many were memorable with a single listen. There is a range of styles that fits the characters and story: uptempo numbers where people try to make everything okay, rockers where anger and despair are expressed, tender ballads of sadness, loss, and regret. The actors convey their emotions extremely well; Ripley in particular is able to display anger/rage, searing depression, hopelessness and despair, but all of the characters are developed through their vocal performances. Overall, this is an excellent recording of an exceptional musical. Highly recommended for those who are prepared to become emotionally invested in a struggling family.Free Music Review: most unusual musical
Hit: 5 Stars
Highly Recommended!
I bought this to listen to the show while listening and overcome my usual hearing problems so that I'd not miss anything when I went to see the actual play, which was on Saturday. Both the sound track and the play are spectacular. This is another example of understanding of the effects of mental illness on the victims and their families. A Beautiful Mind comes to mind, not that the stories are at all similar, but that you begin to understand and feel the pain. Masterful!
Hint, the notes to the CD have an announced spoiler alert. take it to heart as I think I would have rather experienced that which was spoiled while listening. So just skip to the lyrics, listen and enjoy.
To some extent, if you're going to see the play, the CD is a bit of a spoiler, because the staging is really terrific and you'd be better off being surprised. The offset of that is that, even if you hear well, there are several segments in the play when multiple people are singing different lyrics (i really find that annoying as I think that almost all hearing people can't understand those sequences, much less we deaffies) that you can understand if you're reading along with the lyrics (duh).
Free Music Review: An unexpected reaction
Hit: 5 Stars
Picking up Tonys for both score and orchestration I figured I'd have a listen of this cast recording - at first and completely out of context it is an enjoyable, if a little long listen.
Thought I'd to put things in perspective so I 'read along' with the wikipedia plot summary as I gave it another listen and had a completely different reaction!
Literally in tears, a reaction I have *never* had simply listening to a recording before, "You don't know/I am the one", "I'm Alive", "There's a world" become so appropriately tied to the characters thoughts and emotions, I don't even feel I need to see the show to 'feel' it - proof of a successful cast album if it can capture (what I assume to be) the show's spirit.
I found Alice Ripley (Diana) and Aaron Tveit (Diana's son) to be the highlight - though J. Robert Spencer (Dan), Jennifer Damiano (Natalie) and Adam Chanler-Bera (Henry) are excellent too. I'm not sure how the cast could be improved.
And it should be noted the show can be very funny, e.g. "My Psychopharmacologist and I" (though this song is also darkly insightful) - the music covers quite a broad range of emotions.
Free Music Review: Best new musical I've heard in years
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the best new musical that I've heard in many years. The music itself is very engaging, and reinforces the emotions of the words. It is mainly rock, but has a variety of styles to keep things interesting. And the singers all breathe life into the music and their characters. One or another of the songs have been haunting my mind almost continuously for the past week. The lyrics have something to say through almost every section of every song. Finally, the show tackles an original and difficult subject - mental illness - and manages to weave an engaging story with multiple plot twists that made me care about what happens to the characters. I also liked that the writer seemed to take extra effort to make the descriptions of the medical symptoms, treatments, and unintended consequences as accurate as possible. (And instead of taking a cheap shot, the doctors are portrayed as good people trying to help, but being limited by the relatively primitive state of knowledge of how the illness and the cures really work.)
In any case, the total effect of the music, lyrics, and story are very powerful. A real breath of fresh air.
Free Music Review: All Around Great Musical!
Hit: 5 Stars
I just bought this soundtrack (I got it yesterday) and it is excellent. It's one of my new favorite musicals. I just heard it was nominated for 11 Tony's so I looked it up and listened to some of the tracks and read a synopsis. I was hooked. This is a musical about a not so typical suburban family dealing with a mother/wife who is battling bipolar disorder and depression. This musical really has everything: rock music, ballads, sadness, comic relief, and drama. Some of my favorite songs (and it's hard to choose because it has 37 songs!) are Superboy and The Invisible Girl, I Am The One, I'm Alive, Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I'm Falling and Wish I Were Here. Seriously like 90% of the songs are my favorites though. The thing I like about this musical is that it hits close really to home. Some musicals such as Legally Blonde, Wicked and Sweeney Todd are kind of a fantasy. This one is different because it's quite often some kind of a reality in peoples lives- mine for instance. So this is just a great musical and soundtrack. I would definitely recommend it.