Thanks to a massive pillaging of my dear friend Nicole’s music collection (one of the few collections up at school that’s actually larger than mine), I’ve got several new ideas for future additions to the Album A Day, including two great album from Ben Folds. I had previously only had Way To Normal, which despite my glowing review last year, faded from memory pretty quickly. Thanks to Nicole for taking care of that for me.
I think what makes Ben Folds such an enjoyable personality in music isn’t his talent on the piano, or his lyrical prowess. It’s the fact that in almost every respect, he’s an ordinary guy. There’s a genuine guy-next-door presence to Folds as a person and his music. His voice doesn’t blow anyone away, his lyrics are quirky and planted quarely in real life and real people. Listening to Rockin’ the Suburbs, I can imagine most of this album being played in Folds’ living room on an old, beat up piano while his friends just kind of chill out and vibe to the music. It’s that everyman mentality that fuels Folds first solo album, with the singalong chrous of “Fred Jones, pt. 2″ and the boy-meets-girl story of “Zak and Sara”. That being said, Folds is still a master of his craft. Few people on this Earth can generate such compelling music on the piano like Folds can (Billy Joel and Elton John are the only two names that come to mind), and it’s these gorgeous melodies that make Folds stand out from the pack. Rockin’ The Suburbs is a terrific example of what made Ben Folds a hit with his ironically named Ben Folds Five, and marks the start of an equally impressive solo career.
Ben Folds – Rockin’ The Suburbs [iTunes] (YSI)
Ben Folds – Still Fighting It [iTunes] (YSI)
==TJ==
Filed under: Album A Day | Tagged: Album A Day, Ben Folds
