Rick Christian – The New Normal album Review: Funky Future Musings

Music can be a window into knowing who you are. An artist oftentimes uses music as their outlet for creative expression, which gives songs such personal meaning and allows them to captivate the listener. The New Normal by Rick Christian is an album that is full of heart from start to finish. Each track is filled with musings about our lives after the Covid-19 lockdowns in America and offers his point of view on how life has unfolded and where it could go.

The opening track, The Human Race, is riddled with wavy bass that cradles the track’s wilder synth grooves. The subtle drums tie the track together by giving it a nice pulse that ties in nicely to the bass and lower synths which reveal themselves on further replays for some smile-inducing moments. This aesthetic hits hard when it comes to an abrupt stop before the track hits the chorus, making it hard to not sing along when Rick Christian gives a reverb-laden “welcome to, the human race.”

Wondering is another stand-out track with a much more laid-back aesthetic. The dreamy synths are complemented by equally dreamy, lightly-placed guitar strums to create a contemplative aesthetic. It becomes easy to get lost in when combined with the deep, slow plucks of the bass. Even more so with the more so in the vocal performance, which is softer and reflective of the contemplative nature of the instrumentals. Lines such as “I can’t even place it, it feels like they’re trying to change us” tie into it all, complementing the musicianship of Rick Christian.

The New Normal is pure musical expression, from start to finish and knows exactly who it is. The album leans into the dramatic nature of singer/songwritier Rick Christian’s social commentary. With tracks such as After 8pm and Wondering offering speculation on different viewpoints that range from heartfelt to conspiratorial, he lays out his feelings about modern day life after covid. He paints the mood of each track carefully with distinct vocal performances and synth-laden instrumentals that evoke everything from upbeat, dance-ready grooves to thoughtful contemplation. Each track has its own personality and while not every track is stand-out, there are more memorable ones than you might think. That makes The New Normal worth at least one listen through.