Their past two albums got them two Dove Award nominations and a #1 radio hit. Now The Normals are back with their third release, A Place Where You Belong, and, in my opinion, this deserves just as much--if not more--recognition.
Taking it down a few notches, A Place Where You Belong takes on a slow, more peaceful sound. Using basic instruments for a majority of the songs (acoustic guitars, piano, light drumming, etc.), the sound is kept simple. But the album is still very enjoyable as each song includes beautiful melodies and displays their extraordinarily touching lyrics. Slow is not always a bad thing--especially in this case.
The opener, "I'll Be Home Soon," got me hooked on the album right away. The song is very quiet and uses very few instruments. But the one instrument that is most apparent is the piano, which adds extra simplicity and beauty. And through this, it makes it easier to focus on the vocals, which are also very quiet and calming.
The next two songs, "Radio" and "Innocence" take on a faster beat, adding in more drumming, guitars and a bit louder vocals. They are still not as upbeat as most music being released lately, but it's still a very pleasant sound.
"Grace" was by far one of my favorites. It goes back to the slower sound but also has a great drumbeat. And with that simple beat it adds just enough moving melody. And the focus is again, more on the lyrics, which profess in the powerful bridge, "Oh God I need your grace." Following this is "Less Than Love," which has more of a bouncy beat and louder chorus. As does the next song, "King," which has lyrics that really stand out as he sings: "Have you ever been scared? Well everybody's been scared. I've been scared. God, I've been scared. Have you ever felt pain? Well everybody's felt pain. I've felt pain. God, I've felt pain/ Have you ever had doubt? Well everybody's had doubt. I've had doubt. God, I've had doubt. And it will get better. It doesn't matter. Because I feel love. Oh God, I feel love."
The next few songs continue like this: Ear pleasing mixes of quiet yet melodious songs, to upbeat yet instrumentally simple songs. All feature beautiful lyrics. And they take us to "Epilogue," the closing song, which is a perfect ending to this album. It's got a faster beat, it's a bit more obscure with instruments (sliding guitars and keys, and drums which jumble the sounds together at the end), it has a great beat, and amazing lyrics.
A few bands popped in mind while listening to this album. In the Christian scene I would compare this mostly to Starflyer 59, and in the mainstream I would compare it to artists such as Augie March, Hayden, David Gray and others in that genre. But no matter whom they sound like, The Normals have proven their incredible talent in this album.
Overall, this is one disc I'll be spinning over and over. It's relaxing, but has just enough upbeat mixes in there to keep your attention. I highly recommend it to anyone, but especially to those who enjoy quieter/softer music.
4.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Bert GanglThe career of Illinois' the Normals, up to this point, has been something of a study in contrasts. The power trio's 1998 debut, Better Than This, was an effort populated, for the most part, by catchy, straight-ahead pop/rock songs bearing a slight alternative rock inflection. Following the departure of bassist Clayton Daily, guitarist Mark Lockett and songwriter/vocalist Andy Osenga recruited…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Josh McConnellAfter releasing their first album in 1998, then their second in 2000, The Normals are back again with their latest release; A Place Where You Belong. But is it as good as their past albums? Consisting of eleven tracks, this soft/pop rock album was a definite surprise to me, I was expecting an album with a little more of a rock edge to it. I heard some clips of it on the Internet, and it sounded…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Matt WilliamsA concept album rarely produces a consistent theme (see Third Day's Come Together), and even rarer yet, does the effort result in great music. Quite often, the effort seems to bombard the listener with a "think about this" mentality and becomes overbearing in its approach. However, the Illinois-based Normals have put together one of the more impressive albums of the new year with their third…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Brian A. SmithThe Normals are a difficult band to classify. Their debut album, Better Than This, was somewhat in the PFR vein, employing singalong pop/alternative rock songs. Coming to Life, on the other hand, had more of a brooding tone that was quite a contrast from its predecessor. A Place Where You Belong seems to be a mixture of these two styles. "Radio" is a fun song about love and driving down the road…The Rebel Base 2001Reviewed by David MartinAre you one of those melancholy, hopeless romantic types who gets homesick easily? Well, come on in and pull up a chair. The Normals would like to welcome you into their humble abode. Okay, well, it's not really their home, but the blue house that graces the cover of the low-key Christian rock band's latest album, A Place Where You Belong, must have been a cozy place in which to record a batch of…Similar sounding releases
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