Andy Shauf outdoes himself on imagery-filled album, "Norm"
Continuing to prove himself as one of the most prolific songwriters of our generation, Andy Shauf has put forth another outstanding album titled Norm. Please keep reading as we share our complete thoughts on the record, as well as a background on the artist.
In our opinion, Andy Shauf has consistently been one of the most underappreciated artists of our generation. Sincerely, we mean that, as everything he’s shared continues to paint a picture of beauty and vivid imagery-filled stories that feel timeless. We’ve been major fans of his work for years and of course some of our favorite records include The Neon Skyline and The Party, yet his latest work Norm somehow has managed to feel more mature and developed than the rest. If this happens to be your introduction to the artist, this is certainly a great place to jump in, however we’d still urge you to explore the rest.
Coming in at 12 total tracks that span right around 35 minutes, Andy has curated an ideal album listening experience that flows flawlessly from track to track. While the record is definitely front loaded with some of the singles that were shared over the past few months, it hardly takes away from some of the more hidden gems on the record such as “Paradise Cinema” or “Daylight Dreaming”. Compared to some of his past records like the most recent Wilds, we felt that there wasn’t necessarily a stand out “hit”, maybe the opener “Wasted On You”, but that never took away from our pure enjoyment of the album. Andy Shauf has proved time and time again you don’t need cheap theatrics or lame production effects in order to please a listener. There’s a specific sincerity in his voice that’s carried throughout his discography, a special little something that has us yearning for more as his catalog has grown to become magnificent.
Instrumentally speaking, there’s definitely a more minimalistic feel to Norm, taking things slow and easily putting this record in the slot as a grower and not a shower. Again, that’s not a bad thing, because in our opinion it gives the opportunity for everyone to come back and discover something new they might not have heard prior. The stories unfold in front of your eyes, you experience new inflections in his vocals that you’ll undoubtedly be humming soon enough, yet he’s still revolutionized his style in that this doesn’t feel like a rehashing of anything that’s been shared before. All in all, let us not spoil much else, of course we recommend you dig into this as soon as you can.
Check out the links below to enjoy, follow along, and of course to stay tuned for all future information.
Like what you read? Follow our social media and playlist for the latest in independent music: