Reviewed by Dream Catcher
Song Time: 1 hour and 23 Minutes
Next to Normal is a show that is currently on Broadway. It was nominated for eleven Tony’s including best musical. It won best original score (for music and lyrics by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey), best orchestration (for Tom Kitt and Michael Starobin), and best performance by a leading actress in a musical (for Alice Ripley) in the 2009 Tony’s. The original cast includes Alice Ripley (playing Dianna Goodman), J. Robert Spencer (as Dan Goodman), Jennifer Damiano (as Natalie Goodman), Aaron Tveit (as Gabe Goodman), Adam Chanler-Berat (as Henry), and Louis Hobson (as Dr.Fine/Dr.Madden).
Next to Normal is a show about a normal family living under the stress of the mother’s (Dianna Goodman) bipolar depression and delusional episodes. Her husband, Dan, is struggling with his own depression and worries for his wife and daughter, Natalie. This is the story of their life and their experiences with depression, love, and loss.
Warning: Some of the songs on the CD contain swears. Some contain inappropriate content. Most include heavy topics such as suicide, depression, and treatment.
Prelude-8/10- Well, it’s a prelude. Not much else to say here. It’s very short, but not unpleasant. All instrumental, of course. I’m not really a huge fan of preludes, so an eight is pretty good. But I’m sure this is as good a prelude as any. (There are no words here, so I couldn't really put in a favorite line)
Just Another Day-10/10- The first song of the CD. A good one. In it, they sing about how they’re the “perfect loving family”. It’s an ironic kind of song, because while they claim to be the perfect family and that today’s just another day, they also say that they struggle to keep going, and that their family is completely messed up. Alice Ripley’s voice is amazing, as it continues to be throughout the CD. Same with Jennifer Damiano and Aaron Tveit. Together their voices sound amazing, and this song definitely starts the show off on a good note (pun kind of intended). Favorite Line: "Some days I think I'm dying/ but I'm really only trying to get through".
Everything Else-10/10- Another song I love on this CD. Not only is the singing amazing (Jennifer Damiano) but it’s a song that a lot of people can relate to. Feeling stressed, over-protective parents, the one thing you know will make it better is to just get away for a while. Yeah, that’s the gist of it. It’s just an all-around good song. Another favorite. Love the piano in it, too. But the lyrics are the best part. It's hard to pick the favorite. Favorite Line: "And you play till it's perfect/ you play till you ache/ you play till the strings or your fingernails break/ so you'll rock that recital and get into Yale/ so you won't feel so sick/ and you won't look so pale".
Who’s Crazy/My Psychopharmacologist and I- 12/10- I absolutely love this song. I’m not exactly sure why, because it’s very weird and really sad, but it’s one of my favorites. The first part of the song is sung by J. Robert Spencer, asking himself who’s crazy, himself or his wife? It’s a powerful part of the song, because it’s like her being crazy made him go crazy (figuratively) because he cares about her. The second part of the song is mind-blowing. Alice Ripley sings with her psychopharmacologist (Louis Hobson) about her treatment. It may not sound like a good song, but it’s amazing. The third part of the song combines the husband’s lament with the wife’s rant about her treatment, and together they create something sad and thought-inducing. The lyrics are so genius. They're cynical and sad and completely amazing. Favorite Line: "My Psychopharmacologist and I/ call it a lover's game/ he knows my deepest secrets/ I know his name/ And though he'll never hold me/ he'll always take my calls/ it's truly like he told me/ without a little lift a ballerina falls" or "I was so young/ and so dumb/ but now I am old" or "They say love is blind/ but believe me/ love is insane" (there were too many to pick from! I love them all).
Perfect for You-8.5/10- I don’t know why, but this song never really impressed me. Adam Chandler-Berat tells Jennifer Damiano he can be perfect for her. And if he’s not, he’ll make himself perfect for her, no matter what. Sweet, right? I don’t know. I always skip this song when it comes on. I think part of the reason is that Adam is a great singer, but not as amazing as Aaron Tveit or J. Robert Spencer. So in comparison, a song that is basically just him singing, isn’t as good as some of the other songs. Don’t get me wrong, the song’s not completely horrible, it’s just not great. One of my least favorites of the CD. Still...after listening to it a few more times...I really have grown to like it. It's too sweet not to at least give a chance. Favorite Line: "The world is pretty much broken beyond all repair/ but one thing is working/ if you're standing there".
I Miss the Mountains-9.5/10- The creepy thing about this song is, she’s basically saying that she misses being bipolar. With her new medication, she doesn’t feel anything, so I can understand her wanting a life less bland. Truthfully, when I first heard this song, I hated it. But after listening to the lyrics keeping my mind open, I found that I honestly really liked this song. Now, I find that it’s always in my head, so I’m always singing it (much to the annoyance on the North Star). I know of a lot of people who hate this song, but I think it’s a good song on the CD. I never skip it (anymore). Give it a chance. Favorite Line: "Everything is balanced here and on an even keel/ everything is perfect/ nothing's real".
It’s Gonna Be Good-9/10- A weird song, but not necessarily a bad one. They’re all trying to be optimistic, and not doing such a good job of it. That’s about it. In short it’s quirky and different. I like it! Favorite Line: "We'll smile and chat and just like that it'll all be all okay!".
He’s Not Here-9.5/10- This is a sad, slow song. Sung by J. Robert Spencer (the father) to a delusional Alice Ripley (mother). It’s a fairly normal song, but I still really like it. I love his voice, and in this song, he plays his part convincingly. He really sounds sad. Which makes the song more real, and therefore better. I sing this song all the time, but I don’t know why… At first it wasn’t my favorite song, but now I really like it. Even if it’s short. Favorite Line: "Why is it/ you still believe?/ Do you dream/ or do you grieve?".
You Don’t Know-12/10- I love this song so much. I’ve listened to it far too many times, yet somehow I still enjoy it. This song is a solo sung by Dianna (the mother) telling her husband that he doesn’t know how she feels. The lyrics in this song are amazing. They’re really descriptive and powerful. The music itself is really cool, too. Like no Broadway song I’ve ever heard. And in a good way. Her voice is also completely amazing, so that’s an added bonus to the all ready fantastic song. One of my favorites on the CD, definitely. Favorite Line: "When a world that once had color fades to white and grey and black/when tomorrow terrifies you but you'll die if you look back" or "You don't know/ what it's like to live that way/ like a refugee, a fugitive/ forever on the run/ if it gets me it will kill me/ but I don't know what I've done".
I Am the One-12/10- This song might be my favorite of the whole CD. It’s amazing! It combines the voices of J. Robert Spencer, Aaron Tveit, and (at the end) Alice Ripley. So you can’t go wrong. I LOVE Aaron Tveit’s voice so any song with him singing is automatically one of my favorites. But not only does this song have the amazing voices, the meaning, the lyrics, and the melody are superb. No words can describe this song. I love the lyrics. They mean something, which is a nice change from most music now. The voices all blend together perfectly: they were made to sing together. My favorite part is the very end, when Alice Ripley comes in and they all sing all at once. It’s really beautiful. Love it. A lot. Favorite Line: "I am the one who knows you/ I am the one who cares/ I am the one who's always been there".
Superboy and the Invisible Girl-9.5/10- This is a good song too. Sung mostly by Jennifer Damiano, she sings about feeling invisible to her parents. It’s a sad song, but I love singing to it, and Jennifer really does have a great voice. It’s a great sad song. What else can I say? Just another amazing song on the CD! Favorite Line: "Superboy and the the Invisible Girl/ son of steel and daughter of air/ he's a hero, a lover, a prince/ she's not there".
I’m Alive-9.5/10- Aaron Tveit sings this song all by himself so obviously I love it. His voice is incredible. I could listen to this song on repeat and never get tired of it. It’s kind of an upbeat song because he keeps singing about how he’s alive. He also sounds inspired while he’s singing it, which adds a lot to the dramatic parts of the song. It’s a really great song.
Make Up You’re Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling-9/10- Here Louis Hobson tries to hypnotize Alice Ripley into giving away the source of her depression. She’s sure it won’t work, but it actually kind of does. When I first listened to it, I thought that it was J. Robert Spencer singing, but it’s not. He has a one-liner in there somewhere, but not the whole Make Up Your Mind part of the song. Aaron Tveit sings the Catch Me I’m Falling part of the song and it’s pretty impressive. At first I only thought of it as a filler song, but now I really like it. The singing is amazing, of course. Another good song on the CD.
I Dreamed a Dance-10/10- Alice Ripley sings to her son about wishing to dance with him. At first I didn’t really like this song. I thought it was just okay. But after listening to it a few times, it kind of grew on me. Now I really like it. It’s a pretty slow song but it’s really pretty. They lyrics are also a great part of the song. Not only do they go with the sad, slow melody but they kind of help you visualize her dance. It’s a great song.
There’s a World-10/10- I love this song. Sung by Aaron Tveit. This is another slow, sad song. But I like this one as much as I Dreamed A Dance. Here he sings about how he knows of a world where there’s no pain or suffering – which probably sounds like a miracle to someone with depression. Like I said, it’s a really sad song, in my opinion, but also very beautiful. His voice is also completely amazing in this song…so that’s kind of like an added bonus!
I’ve Been-10.5/10- J. Robert Spencer sings alone in this soulful song. Here he sings about how Alice Ripley’s depression hurts him, too. Together they’ve been through so much, and he doesn’t want to lose her. It’s a great song; one of his best I think because it’s great for his voice specifically. It’s really grown on me. Now I LOVE it! Powerful and sorrowful all in one. An AMAZING combo.
Didn’t I See This Movie?-9.5/10- This is a bizarre song. Very weird, but very good. Alice Ripley belts out this song about her refusal to go through with ECTs (electroconvulsive therapy). Her voice is a little wild with this song, but, of course, still sounds amazing. I really like the lyrics of this song, because they’re very forceful and they have some interesting references. It an all-around interesting song. Be warned I thought it was a creepy weird song when I first heard it, but now I really like it. Just go with it – you’ll learn to love it even if you don’t at first. 
A Light in the Dark-10/10- A slow song sung by J. Robert Spencer. His wife’s ECT’s give him some hope that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. A light in the darkness that has been her depression. This is a really great song for his voice. He makes it sound like he doesn’t think there will be a light, which really makes the song a lot sadder (in a good way). Not only that, but the lyrics are really good too! It’s a good song, and perfect for his voice. Another amazing song of soul by J. Robert Spencer.
Wish I Were Here-9.5/10- I really like the tune of this song. It has that good-to-sing-along-to quality to it…at least for me. It has a definite beat which is a little different from some of the others on the CD. But it’s good for an album to have variety. And this one certainly does. Alice Ripley sings here and her voice is just as great here as in any other song.
Song of Forgetting-9/10- J. Robert Spencer, Alice Ripley, and Jennifer Damiano sing the song of memory loss. J. Robert Spencer and Jennifer Damiano try to get Alice Ripley to remember the past she now forgets. It’s a very average song. I don’t skip over it, but I don’t love it to pieces. I like it, but it’s nothing compared to some of the other songs on the CD. My favorite part – which I actually really love – is a solo from Jennifer Damiano where she expresses her frustration about her mother not knowing anything. It’s really awesome and extremely sarcastic. So I love it. Overall it’s a good song.
Hey #1-8/10- Weird song. It’s like Adam Chandler-Berat and Jennifer Damiano are having a real conversation. But a weird one. Adam Chandler-Berat is trying to convince Jennifer Damiano to go to the Spring Formal Dance with him and she doesn’t want to. It’s a very normal song, but some of the lyrics are just plain weird. For instance: “It’s some spring formal dance…/it’s March 1st, and it’s cheese” Ummm what does that even mean? Cheesy? I dunno, it’s weird. The whole song isn’t that bad, but it’s definitely not one of my favorites.
Seconds and Years-8/10- Here, Louis Hobson (Diana’s therapist) tells J. Robert Spencer to slowly try to bring back Alice Ripley’s memory. By showing her pictures from their past, or other things like that. It’s kind of sad, because she think her wedding ring is a tacky trinket from some cheap store, until her husband tells her otherwise. It’s a good song, but I never really jumped out at me. It was kind of just there. Not very memorable.
Better Than Before-8/10- I dunno, there’s something about this song that just makes it okay. Maybe it’s the fact that following it is a completely amazing song, so this one can’t really compare. Here Alice Ripley, J. Robert Spencer, and Jennifer Damiano sing about their family and the past that Alice Ripley now forgets. It’s a good song, but compared to some of the others on the CD it’s just okay.
Aftershocks-11/10- This is an awesome song. Sung by Aaron Tveit about his mother’s ECTs. It’s kind of sad, but really great. I listen to it over and over on my iPod. The orchestration is really interesting…violin I’m pretty sure. Really cool. The lyrics are also fantastic. They go along with the down-cast song and really describe how his character is feeling about the whole situation. In my opinion, it’s one of the best on the CD.
Hey #2-8/10- This is better than Hey #1. At least in my opinion. Again, Adam Chandler-Berat is trying to convince Jennifer Damiano to go to an dance with him, an the say the word hey a bunch of times throughout the song. Really, it’s good, but not anything amazing. Her voice isn’t at its greatest with this song (though it’s still good) and neither is his, but that all right. The song’s pretty good.
You Don’t Know (Reprise)-10/10- I like this one almost as much as I like the original. They tune is just as edgy and interesting, her singing is as amazing. The only thing I can say is that the lyrics aren’t as good. The lyrics of the original were incredible. These were good, but not as good as the previous. This time she’s not talking about her depression, she’s talking about trying to remember her past. I still love it, though.
How Could I Ever Forget?-10/10- This is a really good song. Slow and very sad – seems to be a pattern here. Here Alice Ripley remembers her son and some things that happened to him that previously she couldn’t remember. They lyrics tell a story which is really interesting. It really draws you into the song. At first I thought this song was just average, but after listening to it a few times I found that I really liked it. And, again, Alice Ripley’s voice is fantastic.
It’s Gonna Be Good (Reprise)-9/10- I almost like the reprise better than the original. Weird, huh? This one has more of an idea to it, I guess. Here Alice Ripley is trying to remember the name of her son, while her husband, J. Robert Spencer, tells himself over and over that everything will be okay. It’s a crazy song – makes it sound like the both of them sound insane. But in a good, cool way. Kind of. It’s definitely a different sort of song. But that doesnt’ mean it’s bad. I like the little crazy twist.
Why Stay?/A Promise-9.5/10- This is a cool song. I like the Why Stay? AND the A Promise part. Alice Ripley sings to J. Robert Spencer about her frustrations, and Jennifer Damiano sings to Adam Chandler-Berat about the same thing in Why Stay?. Things switch up in A Promise, when J. Robert Spencer and Adam Chandler-Berat sing about making promises and keeping them. The lyrics of Why Stay? are more interesting, and they tune and singing is harsh which I found really interesting for this song. I used to think A Promise is a little boring except for one part near the end where J. Robert Spencer sings this really funky-sounding line. But after listening to it more, I found that both parts are fantastic and that I like them equally. Together they make a pretty good song. Ugh. I’m saying the words “Pretty good” a lot. Oh well.
I’m Alive (Reprise)-10/10- Another Aaron Tveit song. Which is great because, like all of his other songs, his voice is phenomenal. I like this one as much as I like the original, if not more. Here he has more passion in his voice. More of a purpose, maybe. The lyrics are very similar, so there’s not much of a change there. Overall, it’s a really great song.
The Break-9.5/10- This is a crazy song. But I really like it. The fist few lines are my favorite part because they’re so full of words and she has to say them all very quickly. The effect is really cool. It’s a fast song, so that’s kind of a change from some of the other songs on the CD (slow and sad). The only thing I don’t like about this song is the very last line because it slows down a lot and she repeats a line she all ready said. It’s redundant (but intentionally) and the whole slowing down thing has been done a million times before and now is just cheesy. But that’s the only thing I don’t like about it.
Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling-9/10- This is a pretty good song, though not one of my favorites. This is very similar to the previous original song, and I think I like them both equally. Louis Hobson sings to Alice Ripley about her treatment and fighting her depression. She feels like she’s falling, and her husband, J. Robert Spencer, explains that medicine doesn’t always work, and it doesn’t work forever. A good song, but not amazing.
Maybe (Next to Normal)-8/10- Woo! A song that uses the title of the show in the song. That’s special…actually I was hoping that they wouldn’t do that with any song on this CD, because I just find it to be really corny. Could they pull it off here? No. This was no exception. The line in the song where they sang “next to normal” was very cheesy. But I got over it. It’s really not that big a deal…anyway, here Alice Ripley and Jennifer Damiano sing a heart-warming song about caring for each other. It’s a pretty good song, but definitely not one of my favorites overall.
Hey #3/ Perfect for You (Reprise)-8.5/10- Here we mix the Hey‘s with Perfect For You. Overall, I like it. I like this version of Perfect For Youbetter than the original (though I don’t know why…). Hey #3 might be my favorite of the Hey songs, because Jennifer Damiano’s part is really cool. She ings about being afraid of going crazy, while Adam Chandler-Berat says that going crazy doesn’t matter because he’d stay with her and always try to make things perfect. It’s a really sweet song, and definitely one of the better of their duets.
So Anyway-10.5/10- I think the very end is my favorite part of this song. The beginning is still great but not as good as the end. Alice Ripley sings about needing to leave for a little while to clear her head. Here’s another sad song, because she’s singing to her husband about how they loved each other once but now her depression has changed things for them. Very sad, but her voice is perfect for the song. The end is the saddest part of the song and the melody is so beautiful. Very pretty.
I Am the One (Reprise)-10.5/10- It’s not as amazing as the original, it’s still awesome. Aaron Tveit and J. Robert Spencer sing this without Alice Ripley, and their voices together are simply fantastic. The lyrics are very similar, but have more to do with the son trying to get the father to admit that he knows him. Interesting, and very emotional, because the father doesn’t want to recognize his son. It’s another great song on the CD.
Light-10.5/10- Ahhh, the final song of Next to Normal. Has to be a dramatic finish, right? And does it live up to it? Yes. This song is very dramatic with the whole cast singing and a bunch of beautiful harmonies. It’s really the perfect finale song for this show. Not only is the singing beyond amazing – they really outdid themselves with this song – but this might be the only song on the whole CD that has HOPE in the lyrics. It’s seriously uplifting. Everytime I hear it I feel more hopeful than I did before I listened to it. It’s crazy. Basically, everyone has come to terms with the way life is. The “price of love is loss”, “give me pain if that’s what’s real, it’s the price we pay to feel” and things like that. They know that things can get hard, but they’re willing to get through the hard things so they can feel the things that are good too. I think the best line is the last one. “There will be light”. Because it really makes a huge statement. Even though life is hard, and you think you may not be able to make it through, there will be light. No matter what, there will be light.
So, in short, I really love the music in this musical, and am desperate to see it on Broadway someday soon. The singers are fantastic, the melodies are unique, and the story is heart-breaking. I’ve listened to this whole CD on repeat on my iPod for a week straight. My parents got annoyed with it (they don’t enjoy the topic) but even now, after listening to it for a while, I still love it. I say that everyone should listen to it. Especially people who love a good musical.
Real Teen Rating~ A+ : Look it up right NOWWWW!!!!
Reviewed by The North Star
Prelude-8/10- Dramatic
Just Another Day-9/10- Good start to the show
Everything Else-10.5/10- Mozart was crazy but brillant (like this song)
Who’s Crazy/My Psychopharmacologist and I- 11/10- Valium is my favorite color and apparently an amazing song too!
Perfect for You-7.5/10-Pitch would be nice
I Miss the Mountains-5.5/10- Don’t bother
It’s Gonna Be Good-8.5/10- Quite peppy
He’s Not Here- Tear jerker ):
You Don’t Know-10/10- I love the ananlogies
I Am the One-11.5/10- Mind-blowing
Superboy and the Invisible Girl-12/10- Breath-taking and connecting
I’m Alive-8.75/10- Great when you first hear it but can get tiring
Make Up You’re Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling-10/10- You learn a lot with this song
I Dreamed a Dance-8.5/10- Pretty and Soothing
There’s a World-11/10- Just flat out amazing and very convincing!
I’ve Been-9.5/10- Soulful and Powerful kind of go hand in hand with this song
Didn’t I See This Movie?-8.5/10- Head-banging song
A Light in the Dark-9/10- Gets you thinking….
Wish I Were Here-9.5/10- Makes you want to get up and dance with a hairbrush in hand.
Song of Forgetting-9/10- Memories make your life what it is
Hey #1 -8/10- Anger can get the best of some people
Seconds and Years-7.5/10- Short little diddy
Better Than Before-7/10- Sad and a little annoying
Aftershocks-11/10- Aaron should share his amazing talent with the world and it would be a happier place to live!
Hey #2-9.5/10- Favorite Hey
You Don’t Know (Reprise)-9/10- Liked the first one better
How Could I Ever Forget?-10/10- Painful memories stay more in our brains than the good ones
It’s Gonna Be Good (Reprise)-7/10- Guilty Conscious
Why Stay?/A Promise-8.5/10- The second part of Why Stay and all of A Promise is really good
I’m Alive (Reprise)-9/10- Like this better than the original
The Break-7.5/10- Not crazy about this one….
Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling(Reprise)-8.5/10- Love the heartbeat
Maybe (Next to Normal)-8.5/10- Sad but inspirational
Hey #3/ Perfect for You (Reprise)-9/10- Sweet
So Anyway-9/10- A cappella is genius when done right
I Am the One (Reprise)-10.5/10- Gabe plus Dan equals perfect duo
Light-10.5/10- Hope (:
Real Teen Rating~ A+ : Look it up right NOWWWW!!!!
Just Another Day-9/10- Good start to the show
Everything Else-10.5/10- Mozart was crazy but brillant (like this song)
Who’s Crazy/My Psychopharmacologist and I- 11/10- Valium is my favorite color and apparently an amazing song too!
Perfect for You-7.5/10-Pitch would be nice
I Miss the Mountains-5.5/10- Don’t bother
It’s Gonna Be Good-8.5/10- Quite peppy
He’s Not Here- Tear jerker ):
You Don’t Know-10/10- I love the ananlogies
I Am the One-11.5/10- Mind-blowing
Superboy and the Invisible Girl-12/10- Breath-taking and connecting
I’m Alive-8.75/10- Great when you first hear it but can get tiring
Make Up You’re Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling-10/10- You learn a lot with this song
I Dreamed a Dance-8.5/10- Pretty and Soothing
There’s a World-11/10- Just flat out amazing and very convincing!
I’ve Been-9.5/10- Soulful and Powerful kind of go hand in hand with this song
Didn’t I See This Movie?-8.5/10- Head-banging song
A Light in the Dark-9/10- Gets you thinking….
Wish I Were Here-9.5/10- Makes you want to get up and dance with a hairbrush in hand.
Song of Forgetting-9/10- Memories make your life what it is
Hey #1 -8/10- Anger can get the best of some people
Seconds and Years-7.5/10- Short little diddy
Better Than Before-7/10- Sad and a little annoying
Aftershocks-11/10- Aaron should share his amazing talent with the world and it would be a happier place to live!
Hey #2-9.5/10- Favorite Hey
You Don’t Know (Reprise)-9/10- Liked the first one better
How Could I Ever Forget?-10/10- Painful memories stay more in our brains than the good ones
It’s Gonna Be Good (Reprise)-7/10- Guilty Conscious
Why Stay?/A Promise-8.5/10- The second part of Why Stay and all of A Promise is really good
I’m Alive (Reprise)-9/10- Like this better than the original
The Break-7.5/10- Not crazy about this one….
Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling(Reprise)-8.5/10- Love the heartbeat
Maybe (Next to Normal)-8.5/10- Sad but inspirational
Hey #3/ Perfect for You (Reprise)-9/10- Sweet
So Anyway-9/10- A cappella is genius when done right
I Am the One (Reprise)-10.5/10- Gabe plus Dan equals perfect duo
Light-10.5/10- Hope (:
Real Teen Rating~ A+ : Look it up right NOWWWW!!!!
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