There’s a certain kind of album that doesn’t demand your attention so much as it earns your trust, settling in beside you like an old friend on a long drive. My Own Kind of Normal from Rick Lockwood is exactly that kind of record, a gently glowing collection of songs that feels tailor-made for open roads, late sunsets, and the quiet moments in between. It’s easy listening at its best and Rick truly outdid himself here!

Hailing from Cape Cod, Lockwood brings a grounded, unpretentious sensibility to his songwriting, one that leans heavily into Americana traditions. The album unfolds with a natural ease, built around acoustic arrangements that can at times be expansive. However, there’s a warmth baked into the production, a kind of analog glow that makes every guitar strum feel tangible, every note lingering just long enough to leave an impression.

At the heart of it all is Lockwood’s voice, steady, expressive, and quietly compelling. He doesn’t overreach or overcomplicate, instead he lets the emotion sit plainly in the delivery. His vocals are truly about as natural as can be and that’s what we love him for.

The acoustic work throughout the record is, simply put, divine. There’s a richness to the guitar tones that anchors the entire album, creating a sonic thread from start to finish. Lockwood’s approach to composition, building instrumentals first before layering in lyrics, reveals itself in the way each track feels structurally sound and emotionally intuitive. If you’re not starting out on “It’s Harder To Love” and letting it flow naturally from song to song, you’re doing something wrong.

Collaborations with artists like Carly Tefft, Chris Stoval Brown, and violinist Tomoko Iwamoto add subtle but meaningful textures to the record. Iwamoto’s contributions, in particular, bring a delicate, cinematic quality to certain moments, like a breeze cutting through the warmth of a summer afternoon. Those additions never overshadow the core of the album but instead enhance its depth, but one of the best parts was hearing how those collaborations came to be.

In our conversation, Lockwood spoke about the album’s creation with a focus on process, from the initial instrumental frameworks to the eventual lyrical layering, as well as the influences that shaped its direction. We spoke all about the production, process, the must see live shows, and plenty more. Obviously we loved the record, but there’s nothing better than getting an inside look on the album coming to life.

Beyond the music itself, there’s also a sense of purpose tied to the project, with portions of the album’s proceeds supporting veterans through charitable efforts.

All in all, My Own Kind of Normal isn’t about reinvention or spectacle. It’s about connection, comfort, and the kind of songwriting that meets you where you are. It’s a warm hug of a record, the kind you return to when you need something real, something steady, something that reminds you that sometimes, normal is exactly what you make it.

So please, go ahead and click those links below to listen up and of course to stay tuned for more hopefully coming this Fall or Winter!

Listen to “My Own Kind of Normal”

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Rick Lockwood outdoes himself on latest record, "My Own Kind of Normal"