Approaching Normal

Infobox Album | Name = Approaching Normal
Type = Album
Artist = Blue October


Released = March 2009
Recorded = August/September 2008
Genre = Alternative rock
Length =
Label = Universal Records
Producer = Steve Lillywhite
Reviews =
Last album = "Foiled for the Last Time
(2007)
This album = "Approaching Normal"
(2009)
Next album =

"Approaching Normal" is the working title of Blue October's forthcoming fifth studio album [cite web|url=http://www.blueoctoberfan.com/openBook/viewtopic.php?t=59362|title=Songs Thus Far For Preproduction on Next Album|author=Justin Furstenfeld] . Justin Furstenfeld unveiled the title and tentative track listing on Blue October's website on January 31, 2008. Pre-production of the album began at the beginning of 2008 with demos being recorded at 5am Studio in Austin, Texas [cite web|url=http://www.5amstudios.com/Blue_October_and_Universal_Records_record_at_5am_Studios_news2515.htm|title=Blue October and Universal Motown Records Choose 5am Studios for New Album Pre-Production] . The recording of the album began on August 18, 2008 and is scheduled to be completed in September 2008 [cite web|url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/06/10/blue-october-frontman-hopes-to-sink-his-teeth-into-some-twilight-tunes/#more-2713|date=2008-06-10|title=Blue October Frontman Hopes to Sink His Teeth Into Some 'Twilight' Tunes|Author=Larry Carroll] [cite web|url=http://montereyinternational.chime.com/artists/blueoctober|date=2008-03-04|title=Blue October page at Monterey International] , with the band recording the album at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studios near Austin, Texas with grammy award-winning producer Steve Lillywhite. [cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/7502/feature/music/catching_up_withsteve_lillywhite?page=2|title=Catching Up With...Steve Lillywhite|author=Meghan Jones|date=2008-06-02] Jeremy Furstenfeld stated on July 23, 2008 that the band aimed to release the album in late February or early March of 2009.

The list of songs being considered consists of several new songs, as well as songs that Blue October and 5591 have performed live. A live version of the song "Weight of the World" appeared on Blue October's 2004 album "Argue With a Tree", and a demo version of the song "It's Just Me" appeared on "Foiled" and "Foiled for the Last Time" as a bonus hidden track. The song "Say It" made it's live premier at KDGE's Edgefest 17 on April 27, 2008 [cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJTXvrrripQ|title=Blue October at Edgefest 2008]

During an interview with the music webzine [http://www.playbackstl.com Playback:Stl] , Justin described the song "Blue Skies" as being one of the few happy songs he has written, saying, "There's nothing negative about it. It's all about beauty. It's really, really pretty and really, really happy, but it's going to be rocked out so crazy that people will kind of forget that it's a lovey, lovey, dovey song." [cite web|url=http://www.playbackstl.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1696&Itemid=63|date=2006-02-26|author=Laura Hamlett|title=Blue October : Some Sort of Crazy]

Blue October and Justin Furstenfeld have performed "Who Am I?", "Say It", "Weight of the World", "Blue Skies", "My Never" and "A Kangaroo Cry" during concerts in 2008. During concerts on July 4 and 5, 2008 Justin Furstenfeld confirmed that "Say It" and "Weight of the World" will be on the new album. Additionally, new t-shirts for sale on the Blue October website include the words "My Never" and "How Long Have You Been Down?", suggesting that these songs are favored for the new album. On July 23, 2008, during a web chat with fans, Jeremy Furstenfeld confirmed the song "My Dirt Room" would be on the album, and that of the new songs the band was recording, it was his favorite. On August 1, 2008 Justin Furstenfeld debuted the songs "Blue Skies" and "My Never" at a concert in New York City. Furstenfeld also confirmed March 2009 as the anticipated release date for the album.

ongs Selection

During an interview on April 27, 2007, Furstenfeld said that of the songs being demoed, only eleven or twelve of them will be included on the final cut of the album. [cite web|url=http://a1802.v247626.c24762.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1802/24762/v0001/cchannel.download.akamai.com/24762/779/richmedia/blue_october.wmv |title=Blue October Edgefest 17 Interview] Blue October's lead guitarist C.B. Hudson says the album will include twelve songs, but the band is recording fifteen. The remaining three songs will be used as B-Sides or for other releases [cite web|url=http://www.alternativeaddiction.com/musicnews/article.asp?id=1154|title=Blue October Recording Follow Up to Foiled]

The 15 songs recorded for the album (only 11-12 will be included in the final cut):

* "Weight of the World"
* "Say It"
* "Dirt Room"
* "Been Down"
* "My Never"
* "No One's Listening"
* "The End"
* "Jumprope"
* "Blue Skies"
* "Blue Does"
* "Voice of a Friend"
* "Graceful Dancing"
* "Kangaroo Cry"
* "Picking Up the Pieces"
* "7 8 Triple 6"

In addition to the 15 songs that were recorded, the following songs were demoed during preproduction:

* "Worry List"
* "Sleep"
* "The Wedding Suit"
* "The Fern"
* "It's Just Me"
* "Murdered a Friend"
* "Spotlight" [cite web|url=http://www.blueoctoberfan.com/openBook/viewtopic.php?p=912012|title=Songs for Upcoming Album|author=Justin Furstenfeld]
* "Who Am I?"
* "I'm Nervous" (written by Daniel Johnston)
* "Story of an Artist" (written by Daniel Johnston)

References