Relevant Review: Ben Folds "Way To Normal"

Artist: Ben Folds
Album: Way To Normal
Ranking: William Howard Taft

My first impression is that I'm afraid Ben Folds will never make another album as good as anything from the Five discography. But then again isn't that worry just stupid nearly 10 years after their breakup? I am just going to have to get over it I guess.

In terms of solo albums, I would put this squarely between Rockin' the Suburbs [my favorite] and Songs for Silverman [better than 97% of all other albums but you know...not quite...you know...] in likability. The finest track is Folds latest addition to his "Bitch" trilogy" [after "Song for the Dumped" and "Bitches Ain't Shit"] with "Bitch Went Nuts." The song title tells you all you need to know about the song's content.

The opening track, "Hiroshima," takes a couple of listens to appreciate and at first you might think you have stumbled upon another Ben Folds live album but instead it turns into the funniest opening track since "One Angry Dwarf..."

Ben Folds -- Bitch Went Nuts

Ben Folds -- Hiroshima [B B B Benny Hit His Head]

Ben Folds Five to Reunite

I am a member of the Ben Folds Fan Club and I nearly fell off my chair when I read this email today:

BEN FOLDS FIVE TO REUNITE FOR A ONE TIME ONLY CONCERT! TO PLAY REINHOLD IN ITS ENTIRETY!

Tickets on sale Sept 8th 10AM EST via etix.com

Proceeds to go to Operation Smile.

BEN FOLDS new album Way To Normal - in stores Sept. 30th! First single "You Don't Know Me" (featuring Regina Spektor) now available on iTunes.

MySpace, the world’s premier social network, today announced the exciting launch of its newest music program, Front to Back, celebrating iconic albums that have helped shape the MySpace Generation. MySpace kicks off this program by reuniting beloved alt-pop band Ben Folds Five with an exclusive one-time live performance of their final studio album together, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, in its entirety. The concert will be the band's first performance together in nearly ten years and will take place in the band’s former hometown of Chapel Hill, North Carolina on September 18, 2008 at the UNC Memorial Hall. The show will be rebroadcast on the Front to Back official MySpace profile in October http://myspace.com/fronttoback

Ben Folds Five -- Mess
From The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner album.

Who the heck is Reinhold Messner? Find out here.

New Ben Fold Album Details

My boy Ben Folds will have a new album out in September [the 16th to be exact] and it will be called Way to Normal. Paste magazine has an interview and a few more details about the album including that there will be a cameo by Regina Spektor and a song called "Bitch Went Nuts." I can't wait...

Ben Folds Five -- Kate [Ska Remix]
From the U.S. version of the Brick single. I think it is shocking how much better this remix is over the original.

UCLA

As we all watch our NCAA brackets get destroyed over the weekend [I knew I never should have picked American University in the Final Four!] you should remember that UCLA star, Kevin Love, is the nephew of Beach Boys founding member Mike Love.

Ben Folds Five – Sports & Wine
From the Ben Folds Five album.

A Completely Self-Serving Post

What fun is it to have a blog if you can't help yourself? I just wanted to say that I am selling a big lot of CDs on eBay that you might be interested in...

Bloc Party -- Selfish Son
From the I Still Remember single.

Ben Folds Five -- Selfless, Cold, and Composed
From the Whatever and Ever Amen album.

Vampire Weekend -- I Stand Corrected
From the Vampire Weekend album.

A Musical Tribute To Brett Favre

A little anecdote about Brett Favre & living in Wisconsin: when I was home over Christmas break and visited the local Shopko they had stacks and stacks of the Sports Illustrated edition naming Brett Favre Sportsman of the Year [the one they had to do all those extra printings of]. Next to those stacks and stacks of Sports Illustrated there were stacks and stacks of 8 1/2 x 11 picture frames just begging for you to proudly display your Brett cover.

Super Furry Animals -- Lazer Beam
From the Love Kraft album.

Bloc Party -- Hero
This song can be found on the Two More Years single.

Ben Folds Five -- For All The Pretty People
From the Whatever and Ever Amen reissue.

Wilco -- Bob Dylan's 49th Beard (Live)
From the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot import bonus disk.

The Black Lips -- Cold Hands
From the Good Bad Not Evil album.

The Go! Team -- We Just Won't Be Defeated
From The Go! Team's first album Thunder, Lightening, Strike.

Christmas Ideas

Lego Imperial Walker:

Ash -- Walking Barefoot
From the Free All Angels album.

Ben Folds Five -- Eddie Walker
From the Naked Baby Photos album.

The Beach Boys -- Walk On By (Mono Version)
A bonus track from the Friends/ 20/20 double album.

The Kingsnakes -- Walk of Shame
The Kingsnakes are from my hometown of Eau Claire, WI and are now known as the Eau Claire Blues All-Stars.