gusGus - This Is Normal - 1999

In 98 and 99 there were quite a few new albums that were very very good.  These albums exposed me to several new groups that I hadn't considered before, but now I'm glad to have heard them.  And in some cases, that one album was all I wanted to hear.  Gusgus was one of those groups.  I really like this album, but everything else by them has not caught my ear.  In fact, I usually cringe.

This Is Normal is the second album from Gusgus.  I got this one at the same time I got Kula Shaker and Suede's new albums, along with Fat Boy Slim's megahit album.  I was instantly drawn to the melody and vocals, along with their unique sound.  Lyrically... meh.  But, for the most part, it was awesome.  The mixes aren't bad, and there was only one b-side.  But, I threw on their cover of DM's Monument.

I bought this album when I was working at this really horrendous restaurant, and we'd play it in the kitchen.  It was the second worst restaurant job I've ever had, and I have horrible memories of the place, but I can still listen to this album and enjoy myself.  Don't you hate when there is music that you love, but your brain associates it with a bad time in your life?  Sometimes it's good times, and that's fine.  But, the bad times can totally ruin some great albums for you.  FOR INSTANCE, I cannot for the life of me listen to Cure's Bloodflowers album without thinking about killing myself and feeling that gnawing bite of dread in my chest.  This Gusgus album is almost there, but not quite....

gusGus - This Is Normal - 1999

gusGus - This Is Normal - Remixes - 1999