Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Ben Folds: Way to Normal

Worth It

I’ve been a fan of Ben Folds earlier than I realized. When it was a single, I loved Underground, but I never knew who sang it. My acknowledgment of Ben Folds (Five at the time) was with Whatever and Ever Amen. I wore that disc down. I’d been a fan of Billy Joel and his piano pop since my mom bought Innocent Man when I was a kid, and listening to Mr. Folds brought back a lot of great memories. The main difference between the two performers, though, is Folds’ quirkiness. It’s quite infectious.

Before this latest disc came out, I’d heard his collaboration with Regina Spektor, You Don’t Know Me, played quite a bit on Comcast’s Adult Alternative music channel. It grabbed me immediately. Spektor has a slightly odd but beautiful voice that fits in well with Folds, especially on this track. I’d say it’s my favorite on the disc.

My least favorite would have to be Free Coffee. It’s just ugly. And really, no song about coffee can top the classic The Coffee Song covered by Soul Coughing.

This is a slightly above average record for Folds, but in general that’s still heads and shoulders above others. If you’ve like ANY of his other work, solo or with the Five, you’ll enjoy this.

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Listening to: Paramore - Misery Business
via FoxyTunes

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