{{Short description|2020 album by Will Wood}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox album | name = The Normal Album | type = studio | artist = Will Wood | cover = File:Will Wood - The Normal Album (2020) cover art.jpg | alt = Will Wood reaches out and waves from an open window; the picture is surrounded by a black frame with colorful zig-zags scattered around and the album's name and author written in a serif font that has been wriggled around | released = {{Start date|2020|07|10}} | recorded = 2019 | venue = | studio = * Backroom, Rockaway, New Jersey * Ponderosa, Lafayette, New Jersey * SOMD, Beltsville, Maryland<ref name="Liner">{{cite AV media notes |title=The Normal Album|others=Will Wood|year=2020|publisher=Say-10}}</ref> | genre = * Pop rock<ref name="Marsha">{{cite web|last=New Jersey Stage|url=https://www.newjerseystage.com/articles/getarticle.php?titlelink=will-wood-releases-lyric-video-for-marsha-thankk-you-for-the-dialectics-but-i-need-you-to-leave|title=Will Wood Releases Lyric Video For "Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics, but I Need You to Leave"|website=New Jersey Stage|language=en|date=August 18, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024|archive-date=August 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815232954/https://www.newjerseystage.com/articles/getarticle.php?titlelink=will-wood-releases-lyric-video-for-marsha-thankk-you-for-the-dialectics-but-i-need-you-to-leave|url-status=live}}</ref> * new wave * disco * jazz<ref name="Noise">{{cite web|last=Herron-Wheeler|first=Addison|url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/premieres/album-premiere-will-wood-the-normal-album/|title=Album Premiere: Will Wood - The Normal Album|website=New Noise Magazine|language=en|date=July 9, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024|archive-date=August 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815211845/https://newnoisemagazine.com/premieres/album-premiere-will-wood-the-normal-album/|url-status=live}}</ref> * doo-wop<ref name="PopMatters"/> * ska<ref name="Bleeding">{{cite web|last=Nelson|first=Joshua|url=https://bleedingcool.com/pop-culture/review-will-woods-the-normal-album-anything-but-and-better/|title=Review: Will Wood's "The Normal Album" – Anything But, And Better|website=Bleeding Cool|language=en|date=July 12, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024|archive-date=November 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129175626/https://bleedingcool.com/pop-culture/review-will-woods-the-normal-album-anything-but-and-better/|url-status=live}}</ref> * dark cabaret | length = 45:52 | label = Say-10 Records | producer = * Jonathon Maisto * Matt Squire | prev_title = The Real Will Wood (Music from the Award-Winning Concert Film) | prev_year = 2020 | next_title = Camp Here & There: Original Series Soundtrack | next_year = 2021 | misc = {{Singles | name = The Normal Album | type = studio | single1 = Love, Me Normally | single1date = May 29, 2020 | single2 = Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!) | single2date = June 12, 2020 | single3 = ...Well, Better Than the Alternative | single3date = June 26, 2020 }} }}
'''''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.<ref name="Normally">{{cite web |last=New Jersey Stage|url=https://www.newjerseystage.com/articles/getarticle.php?titlelink=will-wood-to-release-the-normal-album|title=Will Wood To Release "The Normal Album"|website=New Jersey Stage|date=May 28, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2023}}</ref>
==Background== In 2016, Will Wood began receiving treatment for Bipolar II disorder. This improved his mental state, leading to him approaching his songwriting differently with inspiration from it.<ref name="American">{{cite web|last=Vitagliano|first=Joe|url=https://americansongwriter.com/will-wood-talks-process-funding-and-new-tune-love-me-normally/|title=Will Wood Talks Process, Funding, and New Tune "Love, Me Normally"|website=American Songwriter|language=en|date=August 2, 2021|accessdate=August 16, 2024|archive-date=May 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506050239/https://americansongwriter.com/will-wood-talks-process-funding-and-new-tune-love-me-normally/|url-status=live}}</ref> While developing his third album, Wood began adapting a different mindset from his previous projects. Citing maturity, a stronger skillset, and funding as reasons, he undertook new methods of writing and composing, focusing on the theme of conformity.<ref>{{cite web|last=Shumaker|first=Shannon|url=https://preludepress.com/interviews/2020/06/23/will-wood-interview/|title=Will Wood Reinvents Himself on "The Normal Album": "There Was Nothing That Couldn't Be New"|website=Prelude Press|language=en|date=June 23, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024|archive-date=April 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240413024329/https://preludepress.com/interviews/2020/06/23/will-wood-interview/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The album's songs were primarily written on piano, with these recordings receiving adaptations from Wood's band.<ref name="American"/> In an interview with ''Bleeding Cool'', Wood cited Green Day as his largest melodic influence.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nelson|first=Joshua|url=https://bleedingcool.com/pop-culture/a-perfectly-normal-interview-with-musician-will-wood/|title=A Perfectly "Normal" Interview With Musician Will Wood|website=Bleeding Cool|language=en|date=July 4, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024|archive-date=April 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409022131/https://bleedingcool.com/pop-culture/a-perfectly-normal-interview-with-musician-will-wood/|url-status=live}}</ref> He additionally stated an intention to move into folk music after ''The Normal Album'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Nelson|first=Joshua|url=https://bleedingcool.com/pop-culture/even-more-normal-interview-questions-with-musician-will-wood/|title=Even More "Normal" Interview Questions With Musician Will Wood|website=Bleeding Cool|language=en|date=July 5, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024}}</ref> which would become ''"In case I make it,"'' (2022).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Curtius|first=Robb|url=https://www.americanpancake.com/2022/04/premiere-will-wood-and-feral-folk.html|title=PREMIERE: Will Wood and the feral folk chamber poised "Tomcat Disposables" (Official Video)|website=American Pancake|date=April 28, 2022|access-date=August 16, 2024|archive-date=April 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428211109/https://www.americanpancake.com/2022/04/premiere-will-wood-and-feral-folk.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was partly financed by a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, as well as by subscribers to Will Wood's Patreon page.<ref name="Alternative">{{cite web|last=New Jersey Stage|url=https://www.newjerseystage.com/articles/2020/07/01/will-wood-releases-music-video-for-well-better-than-the-alternative/|title=Will Wood Releases Music Video For "... well, better than the alternative"|website=New Jersey Stage|date=July 1, 2020|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517140246/https://www.newjerseystage.com/articles/2020/07/01/will-wood-releases-music-video-for-well-better-than-the-alternative/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indiegogo campaign reached its funding goal within a day of its launch, going on to raise nearly $28,000.<ref name="Normally"/>
==Cover artwork== The cover artwork of ''The Normal Album'' shows Will Wood wearing a muted outfit with a pink shirt, patterned tie, and a solid black suit and pants. He appears standing at a window with black shutters on a white house, with his eyes slightly enlarged through Adobe Photoshop. This photo was taken by Angelica Pasquali, while the house was picked out by Wood with Mike Diebold. Various poses were photographed, with the final choice being of Wood waving out from the window. Wood edited this image's contrast, making it pale while surrounding it by a dark retro-pattern border with crumbled text. This stylistic choice is intended to translate Wood's sense of humor, self-describing the album art as "a piece of black comedy".<ref>{{cite web|last=Gonda|first=Christopher|url=https://v13.net/2020/09/uncovered-will-wood-discusses-his-humorous-new-cover-for-the-normal-album/|title=UnCovered: Will Wood Discusses His Humorous New Cover for 'The Normal Album'|website=V13|language=en|date=September 3, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024|archive-date=August 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815232957/https://v13.net/2020/09/uncovered-will-wood-discusses-his-humorous-new-cover-for-the-normal-album/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Release== "Love, Me Normally" was released as the album's lead single on May 29, 2020, with a music video being published on the same day. Wood described the song as a "50's doo-wop 80's power ballad", with production by Matt Squire.<ref name="Normally"/> The rest of the album was produced by Jonathan Maisto, including the following single and music video "Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)" on June 12.<ref>{{cite web |last=Vigil|first=Dom|url=https://preludepress.com/news/2020/06/11/will-wood-shares-new-single-laplaces-angel-hurt-people-hurt-people/|title=Will Wood Shares New Single, "Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)"|website=Prelude Press|language=en|date=June 11, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024}}</ref> Collector Cole Mozelesky legally provided Wood with real human remains for the video, which were then animated with stop motion. The song itself incorporates avant-pop and jazz, relying on guitar and brass instrumentation.<ref name="Glide">{{cite web |last=Glide|url=https://glidemagazine.com/244448/video-premiere-will-wood-swings-maniacally-with-dark-and-swanky-pop-tune-laplaces-angel-hurt-people-hurt-people/|title=Video Premiere: Will Wood Swings Maniacally with Dark and Swanky Pop Tune "Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)"|website=Glide Magazine|date=June 11, 2020|access-date=May 17, 2022}}</ref>
The third and final single was "...Well, Better Than the Alternative", released on June 26. Its accompanying music video was animated by Patreon member Sorin Michaels with EBsynth, editing live footage of Wood.<ref name="Alternative"/> The album was released on July 10, 2020, through Say-10. The label distributed it digitally and physically on CD, cassette, and vinyl.<ref name="Marsha"/> Two weeks later, Will Wood published a video for "2econd 2ight 2eer (That Was Fun, Goodbye.)". In it, visual effects artist Terrence Holleran utilizes visual feedback between a camcorder, television, videocassette recorder, and TV studio control board to create analog distortion.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gonda|first=Christopher|url=https://v13.net/2020/07/will-wood-gets-wild-with-his-new-music-video-for-2econd-2ight-2eer-video-premiere/|title=Will Wood Gets Wild With His New "2econd 2ight 2eer" Music Video [Premiere]|website=V13|language=en|date=July 24, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024}}</ref>
On August 18, "Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics, but I Need You to Leave" received a lyric video created by Angelica Pasquali, featuring varied imagery with a scientific focus alongside visual representations of the lyrics. On September 5, an in-studio live recording was released for the song,<ref>{{cite web|last=Mohler|first=Jordan|url=https://killthemusic.net/blog/premiere-will-wood-marsha-thankk-you-for-the-dialectics-but-i-need-you-to-leave|title=Premiere: Will Wood - Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics, but I Need You to Leave|website=Kill the Music|language=en|date=September 4, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2024|archive-date=August 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815232952/https://killthemusic.net/blog/premiere-will-wood-marsha-thankk-you-for-the-dialectics-but-i-need-you-to-leave|url-status=live}}</ref> filmed in black-and-white at GD PonderRosa Studios in Lafayette, New Jersey. This was followed by a live recording of "BlackBoxWarrior – OKULTRA" five days later. The latter performance turns the song's bridge monologue into a spoken word interlude, with Wood speaking it through an old landline telephone.<ref name="PopMatters">{{cite web|last=Blum|first=Jordan|url=https://www.popmatters.com/will-wood-blackboxwarrior-okultra-2647519268.html|title=Will Wood Works His Madcap Magic On "BlackboxWarrior – OKULTRA [Live in Studio]" (Premiere)|website=PopMatters|date=September 10, 2020|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517064233/https://www.popmatters.com/will-wood-blackboxwarrior-okultra-2647519268.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Legacy == The Normal Album was followed a year later by the documentary "What Did I Do? (The Making of the Normal Album)".<ref>{{cite web | title=What Did I Do? (The Making of the Normal Album) | date=April 2, 2021 | url=https://archive.org/details/what-did-i-do-the-making-of-the-normal-album-cyoyx-zwop-o-8 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=What Did I Do? (The Making of the Normal Album) | website=IMDb | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21631528/ }}</ref> The documentary depicts an "abstract reconstruction" of the album's creation, and is Wood's second documentary, following The Real Will Wood.
==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"; Blum highlighted the song "BlackBoxWarrior – OKULTRA" as being "a great glimpse into Wood's bold and brilliant aesthetic".<ref name="PopMatters"/> ''Bleeding Cool''{{'}}s Joshua Nelson additionally gave the album a positive review, noting the "sardonic bite" and varying moods of its tracks.<ref name="Bleeding"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = | total_length = 45:52 | all_writing = Will Wood | title1 = Suburbia Overture" *"Greetings from Mary Bell Township!" *"(Vampire) Culture" *"Love Me, Normally | length1 = 6:16 | title2 = 2econd 2ight 2eer (That Was Fun, Goodbye.) | length2 = 3:26 | title3 = Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!) | length3 = 4:01 | title4 = I / Me / Myself | length4 = 4:51 | title5 = ...Well, Better Than the Alternative | length5 = 4:15 | title6 = Outliars and Hyppocrates: A Fun Fact About Apples | length6 = 4:12 | title7 = BlackBoxWarrior – OKULTRA | length7 = 4:54 | title8 = Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics, but I Need You to Leave | length8 = 5:19 | title9 = Love, Me Normally | length9 = 5:44 | title10 = Memento Mori: the most important thing in the world | length10 = 2:49 }}
==''The New Normal!''== {{Infobox album | name = The New Normal! (The Normal Album 2024 Edit) | type = remix | artist = Will Wood | cover = The New Normal 2024.jpg | alt = Will Wood reaches out with open arms from an open window; the picture is surrounded by a black frame with colorful zig-zags scattered around and the album's name and author written in a serif font that has been wriggled around | released = {{Start date|2024|08|09}} | recorded = 2019 | venue = | studio = * Backroom, Rockaway, New Jersey * Ponderosa, Lafayette, New Jersey * SOMD, Beltsville, Maryland<ref name="Liner"/> | genre = * Pop rock<ref name="Marsha"/> * new wave * disco * jazz<ref name="Noise"/> * doo-wop<ref name="PopMatters"/> * ska<ref name="Bleeding"/> | length = 1:00:08 | label = Say-10 Records | producer = * Kevin Antreassian * Matt Squire | misc = {{Singles | name = The New Normal! (The Normal Album 2024 Edit) | type = remix | single1 = I / Me / Myself (2018 Live in Studio Demo) | single1date = July 26, 2024 | single2 = Laplace's Angel (2018 Live in Studio Demo) | single2date = July 29, 2024 }} }}
In 2024, Wood announced that a new mix of ''The Normal Album'' was in production. On July 26, a 2018 demo of "I / Me / Myself" became its lead single.<ref>{{Citation|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/01ZhqRX2U0p0rxxIoYRPcX|title=I / Me / Myself (2018 Live in Studio Demo) - Single by Will Wood|website=Spotify|language=en|date=July 26, 2024|access-date=August 9, 2024|archive-date=August 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809201512/https://open.spotify.com/album/01ZhqRX2U0p0rxxIoYRPcX|url-status=live}}</ref> It was then followed by 2018 demos of "Laplace's Angel" and "Memento Mori".<ref>{{Citation|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/2IlWu72fvbr1iZc0nqoAJv|title=Laplace's Angel - 2018 Live in Studio Demo - Single by Will Wood|website=Spotify|language=en|date=July 29, 2024|access-date=August 9, 2024|archive-date=August 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813184820/https://open.spotify.com/album/2IlWu72fvbr1iZc0nqoAJv|url-status=live}}</ref> On August 9, ''The New Normal! (The Normal Album 2024 Edit)'' was released to streaming services, featuring the three demos and new mixes of ''The Normal Album''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/6dLheNP0Uo5N7ClaLig7kB|title=The New Normal! (The Normal Album 2024 Edit) - Album by Will Wood|website=Spotify|language=en|date=August 9, 2024|access-date=August 9, 2024|archive-date=August 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815043140/https://open.spotify.com/album/6dLheNP0Uo5N7ClaLig7kB|url-status=live}}</ref> However, "Love, Me Normally" remains unaltered due to being mastered by Matt Squire rather than Jonathon Maisto, preventing Wood from mixing it for "contractual reasons".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wood|first=Will|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C-fyOK5xQN6/|title=Yeehaw! It's hitting streaming services!|website=Instagram|date=August 10, 2024|access-date=August 12, 2024}}</ref>
===Track listing=== {{Track listing | headline = The New Normal! (The Normal Album 2024 Edit) | total_length = 1:00:08 | title1 = "Blue Velvet" Reboot Starring Tom Waits (Suburbia Overture 2024 Edit) | length1 = 6:20 | title2 = Second Sight Seer! S! (2222024 Edit) | length2 = 3:27 | title3 = The Moral Implications of a Deterministic Universe feat. The Onceler (Laplace's Angel 2024 Edit) | length3 = 4:04 | title4 = I / Me / Myself (2024 Edit) | length4 = 4:52 | title5 = ...Well, Better Than the Alternative (Better Alternative Edit) | length5 = 4:17 | title6 = I Lied About the Apple Thing (Skeleton-Bones Edition) | length6 = 4:15 | title7 = Ideas Only Spread Because People Like Them, the "Free Market of Ideas" is not a Meritocracy, it's a Set of Unhealthy Coping Skills and a Corporate Oligarchy, Wake Up, Man! Don't Let the Lies Dim Your Light! Anyway This One's Black Box Warrior (2024 Edit) | length7 = 4:52 | title8 = Karen, Thannsdfghjkl You for the Casserole, but I Need You to Lea-n into a Typo (Marsha 2024 Edit) | length8 = 5:20 | title9 = Love, Me Normally | length9 = 5:44 | title10 = A Knee-Slapping Joke Title Referring to How Ending Tracks on Will Wood Albums Are Always Kind of Like That (Memento Mori 2024 Edit) | length10 = 2:52 | title11 = I / Me / Myself (2018 Live in Studio Demo) | length11 = 5:01 | title12 = Laplace's Angel (2018 Live in Studio Demo) | length12 = 4:24 | title13 = Memento Mori (2018 Live in Studio Demo) | length13 = 4:42 }}
==Personnel== Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.<ref name="Liner"/>
;Musicians {{div col}} * Will Wood – lead vocals, piano, keyboards, ukulele, marimba, glockenspiel * Matt Berger – alto saxophone, clarinet, flute (all tracks), bass vocals (1, 3) * Vater Boris – upright bass, bass guitar * Mike Bottiglieri – acoustic guitar, electric guitar * Mario Conte – drums, percussion * Richard Cush – trombone * Seamus Ronan – baritone saxophone * Robert Schaefer – trumpet * Victoria Goettel – viola * Spencer Daniele – didgeridoo {{div col end}}
;Technical {{div col}} * Jonathon Maisto – production, recording engineer, mixing, mastering * Kevin Antreassian – mixing, mastering (2024 mix) * Kevin Guillorn – additional engineering * Matt Squire – production, mixing, and engineer (9) * Angelica Pasquali – album art photography * Mike Diebold – inner sleeve art * Will Wood – inner sleeve art, album art graphic design {{div col end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Will Wood}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Normal Album, The}} Category:2020 albums Category:Will Wood albums Category:Pop rock albums by American artists Category:LGBTQ-related albums