''Normal as the Next Guy'' is the sixth and final studio album by American rock band
the Knack
The Knack was an American power pop band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1978 by Doug Fieger (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Berton Averre (lead guitar, backing vocals), Prescott Niles (bass) and Bruce Gary (drums). Spearheaded by the succes ...
, released on September 25th, 2001. It marks the fourth comeback attempt by the band after its second album, ''
...But the Little Girls Understand'', failed to achieve the success of
the band's début album.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
critic Mark Deming noted that the album finds songwriter and lead singer
Doug Fieger
Douglas Lars Fieger (August 20, 1952 – February 14, 2010) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the rock band the Knack. He co-wrote " My Sharona," the biggest hit song of 1979 in the ...
having resolved his issues with women, but has not "found a subject that appears to compel him nearly as much as the treacheries of girls once did."
[ Therefore, Deming feels that compared to older songs by the band, the songs on ''Normal as the Next Guy'' "may be more pleasant, but they're not as interesting."][ '']The Rolling Stone Album Guide
''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...
'' gave the album a 3 star rating, as high as the group's début ''Get The Knack
''Get the Knack'' is the debut studio album by American power pop band The Knack, released in June 1979. At the time, the album was one of the most successful debuts in history, selling over one million copies in less than two months and spending ...
'', and higher than any other Knack studio album.[ ]Pat Torpey
Patrick Allan Torpey (December 13, 1953 – February 7, 2018) was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band Mr. Big, as well as playing for other various singers and artists such as John Parr, Belinda Carlisle, Robert ...
and David Henderson play drums on ''Normal as the Next Guy'', instead of original Knack drummer Bruce Gary.
Track listing
# "Les Girls" (Doug Fieger
Douglas Lars Fieger (August 20, 1952 – February 14, 2010) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the rock band the Knack. He co-wrote " My Sharona," the biggest hit song of 1979 in the ...
) - 3:21
# "Disillusion Town" ( Berton Averre, Doug Fieger) - 4:14
# "Girl I Never Lied to You" (Monty Byrom
Monty Byrom (born 1958) is an American rock, blues and country guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. He fronted the rock band Billy Satellite, co-writing several songs for the band that later became hits for Eddie Money. Byrom later beca ...
, John Corey) - 3:35
# "Normal as the Next Guy" (Berton Averre, Doug Fieger) - 3:21
# "Spiritual Pursuit" (Doug Fieger) - 2:17
# "It's Not Me" (John Bossman, Doug Fieger) - 2:57
# "One Day at a Time" (Berton Averre, Doug Fieger) - 4:46
# "Seven Days of Heaven" (Doug Fieger, Hannah Mancini, Sergej Pobegaijlo) - 4:45
# "Dance of Romance" (Berton Averre, Doug Fieger) - 3:35
# "Reason to Live" (John Bossman, Doug Fieger) - 4:20
# "A World of My Own" (John Bossman, Doug Fieger) - 4:15
# "The Man on the Beach" (Berton Averre) - 4:14
Personnel
* Doug Fieger
Douglas Lars Fieger (August 20, 1952 – February 14, 2010) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the rock band the Knack. He co-wrote " My Sharona," the biggest hit song of 1979 in the ...
— lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, Mellotron, Vox organ, percussion
* Berton Averre — lead guitar, backing vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond organ, Mellotron, synth horns
* Prescott Niles — bass, six-string bass
* David Henderson — drums
* Pat Torpey — drums
* John Amato — saxophone (track 1)
* Art Fein — accordion (track 1)
* John Jorgenson
John Richard Jorgenson (born July 6, 1956) is an American musician. Although best known for his guitar work with bands such as the Desert Rose Band and The Hellecasters, he is also proficient on the mandolin, mandocello, Dobro, pedal steel g ...
— guitar solo (track 11)
* Justin Rocherolle — percussion (track 12)
References
{{Authority control
The Knack albums
2001 albums
Smile Records (United States) albums