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By STEVE JOHNSON
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A quick google search of Bumblefoot could lead you to a description of a severe foot infection in rodents and birds or could lead you towards discovering the exceptional guitarist Ron Thal. Ron ?Bumblefoot? Thal has led a storied career in the music industry as a solo artist, writer, producer, and engineer. Most recently he has become a member of one of the world’s greatest rock bands, Guns N’ Roses.
In his 2005 album Normal, Thal tells the semi-autobiographical tale of a musician that is on the verge of insanity who decides that he must go on medication to become normal again. Of course, taking the medication has it’s side effects and the musician finds it difficult to creatively express himself. Inevitably, the musician must decide if he should live this normal life or stop taking the drugs and renew his creative spirit.
Normal is noticeably punk inspired and each of its 13 tracks features amazing guitar work by Thal. If you are not familiar with his work, get ready for an assault on your expectations of what a guitar player is capable of. Thal’s ability to shred on the guitar is at the forefront of every track and he easily proves that he nothing less than phenomenal. Thal handles all of the music/lyrics on the album and delivers a great vocal performance. The lone aspect of Normal that is untouched by Thal is the drumming, which is carried out by Dennis Leeflang.
Normal is a good album that showcases Thal’s quirkiness and amazing musical ability. Thal is without a doubt one of the best guitarists that this reviewer has ever heard and it will be interesting to see what kind of journey he leads us through on his next album entitled Abnormal. Fans of Bumblefoot that don’t have this album should be ashamed of themselves. If you are new to his music and have a love for blazing guitars and punk rock music, this is the album for you. While all of the tracks are noteworthy, highlights on the album include ?Normal,? ?Rockstar For a Day,? ?Life Inside Your Ass,? and ?Shadow.?
THE VERDICT:
4/5 Stars
TRACKLISTING:
Normal
Real
Turn Around
Rockstar For a Day
Overloaded
Pretty Ugly
The Color of Justice
Breaking
More
Awake
Life Inside Your Ass
Shadow
Thank You
