Spring Break
Ben Folds hits up 'bitches' again in Way to Normal CD
Josh Aromin
Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: Entertainment
10/09/08 - "The bitch went nuts. She stabbed my basketball. And the speakers to my stereo. She called me 'cunt.'"
That sounds like a typical day out of my life. OK, not really, but they are the opening lyrics to the song "Bitch Went Nuts" off of Ben Folds' newest release, Way To Normal.
It seems that Ben Folds has been around forever, but surprisingly, this is the first Folds album I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. Frankly, I've been missing out.
Upon first listening, it's apparent that Folds definitely knows what he's doing.
The album has a mix of upbeat songs interwoven with some softer, ballad-like tracks. Every song on the album is a fun listen and there's not much more to be desired. We're not bewildered by obscure lyrics with a deep and ulterior meaning, nor are we ridiculed with an overload of nonsensical rambling.
We can see two sides of Folds' writing on the album. The aforementioned song "Bitch Went Nuts" is a fun and fast-paced song about, well, a bitch going nuts. At the same time, the song "Cologne" portrays a more serious and somewhat comforting side of Folds.
With an exquisite piano piece and backing strings, Folds sings about moving on. He sings about a long-distance relationship that isn't quite working out and the mutual desire for calling it quits.
He sings with a level of emotion that matches the story in the song perfectly. In it, you can almost envision Folds singing next to his apartment window while staring at raindrops. Few songs really create any kind of real solid mental picture in my mind, but this is one of them.
Sure, some of his lyrics might sound basic and uninventive if you just read them, but Folds seems to always have some kind of creative delivery that can change the most mundane line into sounding like lyrical genius.
Again, I'm unfamiliar with his previous work, but I'm guessing lyrical structure is part of his mantra. No one ever said you had to be complex to be creative. Folds has been successful through his career without me as a regular fan, so I'm sure others agree with his musical styling.
I think Folds is successful for his ability to portray Joe Sixpack (thank you Sarah Palin). His lyrics aren't imaginative stories about flying zephyrs, pirates or some kind of unreal utopia. He sings about everyday topics without being boring and repetitive. And at the same time, he doesn't look like the usual superstar musician.
Ben Folds is Ben Folds and that's about it. He sounds like your really hip friend from high school. You know what I'm talking about, unless you were the really hip friend from high school. It's taken me years to finally listen to a Ben Folds album, but it was definitely worth waiting for.
That sounds like a typical day out of my life. OK, not really, but they are the opening lyrics to the song "Bitch Went Nuts" off of Ben Folds' newest release, Way To Normal.
It seems that Ben Folds has been around forever, but surprisingly, this is the first Folds album I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. Frankly, I've been missing out.
Upon first listening, it's apparent that Folds definitely knows what he's doing.
The album has a mix of upbeat songs interwoven with some softer, ballad-like tracks. Every song on the album is a fun listen and there's not much more to be desired. We're not bewildered by obscure lyrics with a deep and ulterior meaning, nor are we ridiculed with an overload of nonsensical rambling.
We can see two sides of Folds' writing on the album. The aforementioned song "Bitch Went Nuts" is a fun and fast-paced song about, well, a bitch going nuts. At the same time, the song "Cologne" portrays a more serious and somewhat comforting side of Folds.
With an exquisite piano piece and backing strings, Folds sings about moving on. He sings about a long-distance relationship that isn't quite working out and the mutual desire for calling it quits.
He sings with a level of emotion that matches the story in the song perfectly. In it, you can almost envision Folds singing next to his apartment window while staring at raindrops. Few songs really create any kind of real solid mental picture in my mind, but this is one of them.
Sure, some of his lyrics might sound basic and uninventive if you just read them, but Folds seems to always have some kind of creative delivery that can change the most mundane line into sounding like lyrical genius.
Again, I'm unfamiliar with his previous work, but I'm guessing lyrical structure is part of his mantra. No one ever said you had to be complex to be creative. Folds has been successful through his career without me as a regular fan, so I'm sure others agree with his musical styling.
I think Folds is successful for his ability to portray Joe Sixpack (thank you Sarah Palin). His lyrics aren't imaginative stories about flying zephyrs, pirates or some kind of unreal utopia. He sings about everyday topics without being boring and repetitive. And at the same time, he doesn't look like the usual superstar musician.
Ben Folds is Ben Folds and that's about it. He sounds like your really hip friend from high school. You know what I'm talking about, unless you were the really hip friend from high school. It's taken me years to finally listen to a Ben Folds album, but it was definitely worth waiting for.
