NEXT TO NORMAL launches updated website (videos, sound clips, etc)- Page 2

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 7:27pm

Ugh, these clips remind me of why I don't enjoy lestening to the score. Alice, J. Robert, and Louis have NO buisness in singing rock music. At least RENT cast good rock singers. This is a very miscast piece, I have no idea why people are raving abou those performances, especially Alice's. Her vocals are a mess. Take a look at this disaster.

(It's particularly ugly from 33-36)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzUS3K0xKKc

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 7:34pm

Alice Ripley is a mess.

She's a wonderful actor but please euthanize me if I end up listening to her voice for more than 5 minutes.

That vibrato that pulls her under the tone, ever so slightly, KILLS me.. note by note. It is so upsetting to hear.

[snl89]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 7:39pm

Ugh, these clips remind me of why I don't enjoy lestening to the score. Alice, J. Robert, and Louis have NO buisness in singing rock music. At least RENT cast good rock singers. This is a very miscast piece, I have no idea why people are raving abou those performances, especially Alice's. Her vocals are a mess. Take a look at this disaster.

I actually do kind of have to agree that this cast, for the most part, ISN'T so much people who I'd necessarily go crazy over their voices. I mean, I adore Jenn's voice, and Aaron sounds great too, but other than that.. yeah. Not so much the hugest fan of Alice, Bobby, or Louis' voices. I mean Bobby and Louis sound good, their voices just aren't particularly special to me. And Alice took a long time to grow on me vocally. I thought her voice was very strange at first. Now I've gotten used to it, but I still don't love it or anything.

So yeah, this is definitely NOT one of those shows that hinges on having the most perfect, amazing singers out there.

That said, the cast is extremely strong as a whole, because they're really rather superb actors :) For me, acting ALWAYS trumps singing no matter what, and they can act their butts off. And, particularly in Alice's case, I think the fact that her voice has flaws kind of adds something to it when you're there seeing it live, somehow. Plus they all have great chemistry together, they LOOK like this nice little family unit, etc. So yeah, over all I think the casting was wonderful. But in terms of the recording, yeah, I mostly am excited for it for score itself, and not so much because I expect the vocals alone to be like... out of this world impressive.

Updated On: 3/19/09 at 07:39 PM

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 7:42pm

Listening to the clips really make me miss Brian d'Arcy James

[snl89]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 7:44pm

^YES. I miss Brian so much

Brian DOES have a voice I go crazy over. It's so amazing and gorgeous. Bobby sounds good, but it's just not the same at all. Why oh why did he have to go to Shrek?

Updated On: 3/19/09 at 07:44 PM

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 7:53pm

Let me make it clear that I actually DO like Jenn's, Aaron's, and Adam's voices. They can sing rock music. Louis and Robert have good voices too, but they are not meant to sing rock songs. Even though I do quite like Brian, I'm glad he's not doing N2N, he is even LESS fit to sing rock music. Off-Broadway, his acting was strong but my god his vocals made NO sense. I don't think teenagers are going to love this show because they will be turned off by the overall lack of solid rock voices. I will say though, they are all excellent actors, but acting doesn't trump singing when there are THAT many songs in a show. By the way, I'm just curious... I kind of like 'perfect for you', but I never liked henry singing 'f*cked up is percet'. It's such a sweet, pretty song... and the word 'f*ck' is the oppisite of sweet and perfect, it kind of took away from the moment. Did they change it?

[steven22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 7:54pm

snl89...he is GREAT in Shrek though so its ok :)

[heo1128]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:00pm

RE: Alices voice, isn't she in a rock band...? But I do agree, I'm just not that big of a fan of her voice in general. It sounds so forced.

[snl89]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:00pm

Haha oh I'm sure he is! (still need to get on SEEING Shrek, actually)

But still.. he is needed in Next to Normal :)

[KingKong]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:02pm

By the way, I'm just curious... I kind of like 'perfect for you', but I never liked henry singing 'f*cked up is percet'. It's such a sweet, pretty song... and the word 'f*ck' is the oppisite of sweet and perfect, it kind of took away from the moment. Did they change it?


no, THANK GOD. Does **** hurt your fragile sensibilities? good lord. teenagers say ****, deal with it.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:28pm

KingKong, totally uncalled for and childish! I did not say that I don't like that word, and I do understand that teenagers use it. I'm a teenager and I say it ALL the time, so think before you say things. I have even used it on this board! There is nothing wrong with the word f*ck at all, I use it, it is used in scores that I love including SA, RENT, and Chicago, but I don't think it is belongs in a song that's so sweet and romantic. I find that when I listen to that song, I'm being enchanted by a beautiful, lush melody and then all the sudden I go 'Did he just say f*ck?!?!?!'. It takes away from the moment.

[steven22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:34pm

Aaron Tveit is singing I'm Alive on the website right?

[KingKong]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:37pm

Have you seen the show?

Cause, THE LANGUAGE IS COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE.

Good lord, please stop making asinine remarks that have no business being made.


Its a good thing they've changed the song natalie sang while she was practicing the piano cause otherwise your head might explode. She used to say that evil dirty word like 15 times in ONE SONG ZOMG!!!!!!!!!!



Steven, Considering he's the only person to play the role in the last two year.

[snl89]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:45pm

Aaron Tveit is singing I'm Alive on the website right?

yup

his voice sounds loverly recorded! I mean it always sounds awesome, but the recording is really great

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:48pm

King Kong, I haven't seen the show live.. but have heard all the full show audios and I'm well aware of the language, it's perfectly fine and makes sense. You are an ignorant jerk because you refuse to listen to my point, the F word is a perfectly fine word to use but it makes NO sense in that song whatsoever, it briefly takes away from the moment. I have heard Natalie's song and her language perfectly fit the moment, it didn't take away from anything at all. I do have business in make my remarks, this is a board that allows us to voice our opinions even if others disagree (and refuse to listen to the entire opinion because they don't want to admit that the misread a comment).

[KingKong]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:50pm

it makes PERFECT sense in the song, it is completely in character and IN FACT, adds to the charm of the character.

you're the ignorant one, continuing to make comments as if you know what the **** you're talking about, when you don't.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:53pm

Um, I'm sorry but it has nothing to do with his character, it is to do with the structure of his song. I do know what the f*ck I'm talking about, and I don't know what makes you think that I don't.

[broadwayrob]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:53pm

ok ok ok.. Everyone calm down. First of all, I think the songs are recorded beautifully. I do miss the tenderness that Brian was able to convey in this show.

On a side note: I don't expect everyone to love this show. It's a show that has those who love it.. and those who hate it just as equally. HOWEVER, I do believe that a show like this should be lauded for the simple fact that it's a COMPLETELY original show. Nothing from a book/movie/tv show/any other facet of pop culture.

I know there are those who are angry that there are no more original shows... welllllll, we have one now :).

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:55pm

Amen broadwayrob, while I'm not a biggest fan of the actual material... I do think it is a decent show, it isn't my favorite but it is not garbage. I'm glad to see a half decent original musical making its way to broadway.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:56pm

Actually in the scene preceding "Perfect For You" NATALIE is the one who brings up the f-word the first time. "I'm like...one f-up from disaster." So yes, it IS appropriate in that song.

[KingKong]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:57pm

Um, I'm sorry but it has nothing to do with his character, it is to do with the structure of his song. I do know what the f*ck I'm talking about, and I don't know what makes you think that I don't.

What the **** does **** have to do with the structure of the song? It's not a rhyming issue, it's not an issue of fitting too many syllables into the phrasing, the lyric is in character. I'm failing to see the problem other than you just don't like that he say's ****.

[KingKong]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:58pm

Actually in the scene preceding "Perfect For You" NATALIE is the one who brings up the f-word the first time. "I'm like...one f-up from disaster." So yes, it IS appropriate in that song.

Ah but see, it hasn't seen the show, but thinks it knows what its talking about. So its opinion is just as valid even though it really has no ****ing clue what it is talking about.

[broadwayrob]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:58pm

Seriously. Let's all just take a breather and keep the conversation constructive folks. I don't care who started it, let's just talk about the recording as it is.. and obviously everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion about it.

Updated On: 3/19/09 at 08:58 PM

[steven22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:59pm

sorry kingkong...chill...i just started learning about this show the past week or two..chill

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 9:02pm

jordangirl, I feel that henry is being very romantic and this whole fluffy feeling of romance and love is being created, when he says the f-word it very briefly takes away from the romance... and Natalie's f bomb is not during the song, so it still doesn't mean that Henry's f bomb fits, IMO. PS, I appreciate you being respectful :)

KingKong, by structure... I mean the pattern of emotions, in which I feel it does not fit.