The Normals
Nashville, Tennessee9 reviews across 2 releases
The Normals were a Christian alternative pop-rock band from Normal, Illinois, formed by childhood friends Andrew Osenga, Mark Lockett and Clayton Daily. They signed with ForeFront Records in 1998 after Billy Smiley heard their music and introduced their demo to Eddie DeGarmo. Better Than This used acoustic guitars, programmed percussion and close harmonies in a style reviewers compared to Jars of Clay, PFR and other late-1990s alternative pop bands. Its lyrics treated human weakness, self-criticism and God's grace with unusual directness, occasionally turning toward vivid stories such as the waitress and homeless man in "Everything." After Daily's departure, the group expanded its lineup and moved into darker, more atmospheric writing on Coming to Life. A Place Where You Belong brought the earlier pop sensibility back into a quieter setting built around folk-rock textures, restrained drums and Osenga's personal, searching lyrics.
Clayton Daily left before the band recorded Coming to Life, and Mark Lockett and Andrew Osenga continued with B.J. Aberle, Cason Cooley and Mike Taquino. The enlarged lineup toured for several years, then stopped touring in 2002 as marriage, family responsibilities and the economics of sustaining the group took precedence. A Place Where You Belong became the final album, despite its blend of the band's catchy debut sound with the more considered writing developed afterward. Osenga went on to solo work and later joined Caedmon's Call, while Lockett moved into web development before returning to recording and production. Aberle worked in audio production and sound design, and Cooley continued as a songwriter, producer and musician.
2 releases reviewed
Better Than This
