The Normal Album
| The Normal Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
_cover_art.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 10, 2020 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 45:47 | |||
| Label | Say-10 Records | |||
| Producer | Jonathon Maisto | |||
| Will Wood chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Normal Album | ||||
| ||||
The Normal Album is the third studio album by American musician Will Wood, released on July 10, 2020, by Say-10 Records. It was produced by Jonathon Maisto, who also produced his first album, Everything is a Lot. The album was financed in part by a crowdfunding campaign, which met its goal in its first day.[2]
The album is most well known for its track I / Me / Myself, which gained notoriety after trending on TikTok around late 2021, which lead to the track being Will's most streamed song by far.[citation needed]
Trivia
Most of the songs on the album are studio recordings of songs Wood had been developing and performing since the release of his previous album, SELF-iSH. Examples include "...well, better than the alternative", which was originally titled "Millie Rolls a 7", "2econd 2ight 2eer" (originally titled "Evil") and "BlackBoxWarrior – OKULTRA" (originally "Black Box Warrant"). Live versions of "Black Box Warrant", "Millie Rolls a 7", and "Love Me Normally" were released as bonus tracks to the live album THE REAL.[citation needed]
Other songs include lyrical and thematic elements of Wood's earlier unreleased work; "Laplace's Angel" and "Marsha, Thankk You For the Dialectics, but I Need You to Leave", for example, both bear similarities to the unreleased track "Good Old-Fashioned American Depression".[3]
Two songs eventually included in the live album IN CASE I DIE, "Misanthrapologist" and "...And If I Did, You Deserved It.", had been intended to appear on The Normal Album and later its successor, "In case I make it," but were omitted from both.[citation needed]
Release
The Normal Album was partly financed by a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, as well as by subscribers to Will Wood's Patreon page.[4] The Indiegogo campaign reached its funding goal within a day of its launch, and went on to raise nearly $28,000.[2]
The tracks "Love, Me Normally", "Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)", and "...well, better than the alternative." were released as singles prior to the release of the album.[2][4][5] The album was released on July 10, 2020, through Say-10 Records.
Reception
Jordan Blum of PopMatters wrote that The Normal Album "explores themes of normality, identity, morality, and other psychological traits", and called it "a thrilling mix of genres (jazz, new wave, doo-wop, and disco among them)";[6] Blum highlighted the song "BlackBoxWarrior – OKULTRA" as being "a great glimpse into Wood's bold and brilliant aesthetic."[6] Bleeding Cool's Joshua Nelson gave the album a positive review, noting the "sardonic bite" and varying moods of its tracks.[7]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Will Wood
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Suburbia Overture"
| 6:16 |
| 2. | "2econd 2ight 2eer (that was fun, goodbye.)" | 3:26 |
| 3. | "Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)" | 4:01 |
| 4. | "I / Me / Myself" | 4:51 |
| 5. | "...well, better than the alternative" | 4:15 |
| 6. | "Outliars and Hyppocrates: a fun fact about apples" | 4:12 |
| 7. | "BlackBoxWarrior – OKULTRA" | 4:54 |
| 8. | "Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics, but I Need You to Leave" | 5:19 |
| 9. | "Love, Me Normally" | 5:44 |
| 10. | "Memento Mori: the most important thing in the world" | 2:49 |
Personnel
|
Adapted from the album's liner notes.[1]
|
|
References
- ^ a b From the album's liner notes.
- ^ a b c "Will Wood To Release "The Normal Album"". New Jersey Stage. May 28, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ "Good Old-Fashioned American Depression" on YouTube
- ^ a b "Will Wood Releases Music Video For "... well, better than the alternative"". New Jersey Stage. July 1, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "Video Premiere: Will Wood Swings Maniacally with Dark and Swanky Pop Tune "Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)"". Glide Magazine. June 11, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ a b Blum, Jordan (September 10, 2020). "Will Wood Works His Madcap Magic On "BlackboxWarrior – OKULTRA [Live in Studio]" (Premiere)". PopMatters. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ Nelson, Joshua (July 12, 2020). "Review: Will Wood's "The Normal Album" – Anything But, And Better". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved May 17, 2022.