Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
Rockin' The Suburbs
Ben Folds-Rockin' The Suburbs
- Thread starter Soot and Stars
- Start date
Rockin' The Suburbs
Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
"Ben and The Five Eeeeerm Three"
Ben Folds Five was an oddity, an unabashed fusion of Jazz laden coolness and anti-cool that could have only preceded the last gasp of the Grunge era. By the time '97 hit no one wanted depressing angsty anti-stars but the revolt hadn't reached it's apex aka the boy band era. There was a more contemporary cooling down with the jazzy, poetic debut of Fiona Apple and bands like Weezer were becoming more Emo with introspective records like Pinkerton for the Alt-Rock college hipster crowd. If anything Ben Folds Five's success was a hybrid of this mixing a Jazzy rock trio that blew raspberries at the punk agenda. They took Weezers geek throne while Weezer decided to take themselves to seriously. That's not to say Ben Folds Five never had a serious side. After all, their hit that introduced them to a wider audience on their sophomore album was a somber ballad about an abortion.
Ben Folds Five-Brick
It's details like that where unless you really paid close attention to Ben Folds Five and did your research that you would never have any idea what Ben Folds, the vocalist, pianist and principal songwriter, was capable of. That's right! It was three members but Ben Folds Five sounded cooooooooler!
The second you bought the Sophomore album, Whatever and Ever Amen, you are blasted with the quirkiest, bawdiest, punk rock in a bar room ode dedicated to little people that you'll ever hear.
Ben Folds Five-One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces
Actually, scratch that! You'll never hear that again period! It's that energy mixed with craftsmanship and humor that would also be found on the ultimate bitter breakup song "Song For The Dumped" and the alley cat jam "Stevens Last Night In The Town".
Song For The Dumped & Steven's Last Night In Town
Still there was an element of smooth class in tracks like "Smoke" and "Selfless, Cold and Composed". They were songs that you'd raise your glass to in a room full of smoke and sorrows or not. Just like with the best songwriters an image could be created in your head but the music infiltrates the senses regardless of environment. Billy Joel or Ben Folds, it doesn't matter. The every man songwriters paints an image but the music works for every man.
Smoke and Selfless, Cold and Composed
Even though the last Ben Folds album (pre-2012 reunion), "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" was a more concentrated overall somber affair they still had time for quirky middle finger salutes like "Army".
Army
Still, what one reflects on upon hearing the album is how much structurally this three piece of singer-pianist, bassist and drums came together to create not only a unique sound but one that was very tight together and had massive potential.
Ben Folds Five was an oddity, an unabashed fusion of Jazz laden coolness and anti-cool that could have only preceded the last gasp of the Grunge era. By the time '97 hit no one wanted depressing angsty anti-stars but the revolt hadn't reached it's apex aka the boy band era. There was a more contemporary cooling down with the jazzy, poetic debut of Fiona Apple and bands like Weezer were becoming more Emo with introspective records like Pinkerton for the Alt-Rock college hipster crowd. If anything Ben Folds Five's success was a hybrid of this mixing a Jazzy rock trio that blew raspberries at the punk agenda. They took Weezers geek throne while Weezer decided to take themselves to seriously. That's not to say Ben Folds Five never had a serious side. After all, their hit that introduced them to a wider audience on their sophomore album was a somber ballad about an abortion.
Ben Folds Five-Brick
It's details like that where unless you really paid close attention to Ben Folds Five and did your research that you would never have any idea what Ben Folds, the vocalist, pianist and principal songwriter, was capable of. That's right! It was three members but Ben Folds Five sounded cooooooooler!
The second you bought the Sophomore album, Whatever and Ever Amen, you are blasted with the quirkiest, bawdiest, punk rock in a bar room ode dedicated to little people that you'll ever hear. Ben Folds Five-One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces
Actually, scratch that! You'll never hear that again period! It's that energy mixed with craftsmanship and humor that would also be found on the ultimate bitter breakup song "Song For The Dumped" and the alley cat jam "Stevens Last Night In The Town".
Song For The Dumped & Steven's Last Night In Town
Still there was an element of smooth class in tracks like "Smoke" and "Selfless, Cold and Composed". They were songs that you'd raise your glass to in a room full of smoke and sorrows or not. Just like with the best songwriters an image could be created in your head but the music infiltrates the senses regardless of environment. Billy Joel or Ben Folds, it doesn't matter. The every man songwriters paints an image but the music works for every man.
Smoke and Selfless, Cold and Composed
Even though the last Ben Folds album (pre-2012 reunion), "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" was a more concentrated overall somber affair they still had time for quirky middle finger salutes like "Army".
Army
Still, what one reflects on upon hearing the album is how much structurally this three piece of singer-pianist, bassist and drums came together to create not only a unique sound but one that was very tight together and had massive potential.
Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
"Ben Goes Solo"
When Ben Folds Five disbanded one would have to think that Ben Folds going solo, as talented as he was, was a monumental risk and possibly just a bad idea. Here he was, with a group that had a stamp on a particular style and was still fresh enough into their career to really reach some massive heights. If Ben just hired someone to fill in for bass and someone to fill in on drums the move would be pointless and if it's just him and a piano then Ben risked just being "another piano guy". Before youtube blew up and for those not lucky enough to see the band live you really never saw how charismatic Ben is and what a lovable goof he was. His prime exposure was playing it straight in the video for "Brick" so all in all Ben hadn't created an identity for himself yet. For all we knew the quirkiness was just a great formula.
"The Single"
Rockin' The Suburbs
Then the title track to Rockin' The Suburbs came out and it was like a geek missile aimed at the ass of any critic or naysayer. Never had one geek rocked out with such self effacing wit and tongue in cheek barbs before. Ben looking as menacing as your Dad exhibits his white boy rage. In the track he hits upon the songs one autobiographical note in an album full of mini-biographies. He hilariously voices his disdain for the studio politics in making his solo album when he says:
"Some producer with computers fixes all my shitty tracks"
Best of all, and my favorite verse, really sums up the songs penchant . Ben sums up the white boy guilt he feels in a way that's so nonchalant and sensible it that it's one of the most ingenious bits of humor ever. At the time the other genre that was dying out was angry Gansta rap. The verse goes:
In a haze these days
I pull up to the stop light
I can feel that something's not right
I can feel that someone's blasting me with hate
And bass
Sendin' dirty vibes my way
'Cause my great great great great Grandad
Made someones' great great great great Grandaddies slaves
It wasn't my idea
It wasn't my idea
Never was my idea
I just drove to the store
For some Preparation-H
Then he follows it with an angry, middle class white boy shout out that parodies the attitudes of his race in the same way. The shouted line of "Ya'll don't know what it's like, being male, middle class and white" should make anyone intelligent enough for it not to go over their heads not only laugh but shake their heads shamefully that this line COULD be taken seriously. Ben takes the whole race agenda and parodies it masterfully.
Honestly, that track is the most out of place track on the album BUT it cemented Ben as a standalone. Ben was now an icon of rockin' humor laden pointdexters. Ben Folds was like if Elton John form a hybrid with "Weird Al" Yankovic. Add some rocking chords, keyboard geekery, an island savvy melody that would make Jimmy Buffett happy and a pinch of Hip-Hop and you have a perfect pop track studio ****ery and all. But like with a lot of great artist the single was a great dose of sugar but it's not the sweetest part of the album or even close.
When Ben Folds Five disbanded one would have to think that Ben Folds going solo, as talented as he was, was a monumental risk and possibly just a bad idea. Here he was, with a group that had a stamp on a particular style and was still fresh enough into their career to really reach some massive heights. If Ben just hired someone to fill in for bass and someone to fill in on drums the move would be pointless and if it's just him and a piano then Ben risked just being "another piano guy". Before youtube blew up and for those not lucky enough to see the band live you really never saw how charismatic Ben is and what a lovable goof he was. His prime exposure was playing it straight in the video for "Brick" so all in all Ben hadn't created an identity for himself yet. For all we knew the quirkiness was just a great formula.
"The Single"
Rockin' The Suburbs
Then the title track to Rockin' The Suburbs came out and it was like a geek missile aimed at the ass of any critic or naysayer. Never had one geek rocked out with such self effacing wit and tongue in cheek barbs before. Ben looking as menacing as your Dad exhibits his white boy rage. In the track he hits upon the songs one autobiographical note in an album full of mini-biographies. He hilariously voices his disdain for the studio politics in making his solo album when he says:
"Some producer with computers fixes all my shitty tracks"
Best of all, and my favorite verse, really sums up the songs penchant . Ben sums up the white boy guilt he feels in a way that's so nonchalant and sensible it that it's one of the most ingenious bits of humor ever. At the time the other genre that was dying out was angry Gansta rap. The verse goes:
In a haze these days
I pull up to the stop light
I can feel that something's not right
I can feel that someone's blasting me with hate
And bass
Sendin' dirty vibes my way
'Cause my great great great great Grandad
Made someones' great great great great Grandaddies slaves
It wasn't my idea
It wasn't my idea
Never was my idea
I just drove to the store
For some Preparation-H
Then he follows it with an angry, middle class white boy shout out that parodies the attitudes of his race in the same way. The shouted line of "Ya'll don't know what it's like, being male, middle class and white" should make anyone intelligent enough for it not to go over their heads not only laugh but shake their heads shamefully that this line COULD be taken seriously. Ben takes the whole race agenda and parodies it masterfully.
Honestly, that track is the most out of place track on the album BUT it cemented Ben as a standalone. Ben was now an icon of rockin' humor laden pointdexters. Ben Folds was like if Elton John form a hybrid with "Weird Al" Yankovic. Add some rocking chords, keyboard geekery, an island savvy melody that would make Jimmy Buffett happy and a pinch of Hip-Hop and you have a perfect pop track studio ****ery and all. But like with a lot of great artist the single was a great dose of sugar but it's not the sweetest part of the album or even close.
Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
"The Album and My Experience"
When I first bought Ben's solo album I had been listening to the band in my closing years of High School. By The time the solo came out in 2001 and I was midway through college. My taste at the time were veering towards yet another manifestation of Punk and Rock such as Emo and Screamo which were yet again another serious angsty movement in music. When I found out Ben had a solo I bought it because I was a fan of Ben Folds Five before and I had no expectations for it. While I instantly liked it and could enjoy the hooks and melodies I didn't truly gather the appreciation I do now for it until years down the road. It was always the solo album I went back to because every song hit perfectly.
One of my biggest pet peeves about it was the writing. I felt, at the time, that the whole idea of these little ditties about a different quirky character and their adventures and downfalls was a little hokey and contrived. Now as I listen to the album over the years and have seen some of these experiences and stories fleshed out before my eyes I have a much better love for the storytelling. There are parts of these songs I can put faces too and that includes my own. I never would have thought of Ben Folds as an Americana artist even with his comparisons to Elton John but he definitely is. These are stories of your neighbors, your peers, your relatives and loved ones. These are stories that I find have the recurring theme of growing up and expectations.
From the start it's Annie waiting for that call and the album threads through the letdowns of the American dream. There's Fred Jones getting replaced by the young blood at his new job and then there's the former revolutionary Stan who became everything he revolted against ie The Man!
Fred Jones Pt. 2 & The Ascent of Stan
Songs like "Not The Same" when I first heard it seemed just like a bad drug trip but in retrospect it's a final snapshot of one's free spinning wild days before they had to grow up.
Not The Same
The whole album is a photo album of the transition from when rock n' roll hearts lose their pulse to grim reality. The line from "Still Fighting It" is the most concise summary of it's them when it says:
"Everybody knows
It hurts to grow up"
Still Fighting It
The album ends on a good hopeful note with the two closing tracks "Fired" and "The Luckiest" though. "Fired" is a fun jaunt with a rollicking piano melody and the characters get an ambiguous hero turning the tables. The character here decides to fire everyone else for once and it's a turn back to rebellion. An upright, middle fingered salute after an album of slumped shoulders, apathy and defeat.
Fired
Then with "The Luckiest" which is one of the most beautiful introspective songs ever. The song is an ode of gratitude in a reflection of love and blessings. Among the most touching verses I've ever heard Ben takes the beauty of companionship into death and turns it into strength:
"Next door, there's an old man who lived to his 90's
And one day, passed away in his sleep
And his wife, she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away
I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way
To tell you that I know we belong
That I know that I am
I am, I am the luckiest"
The Luckiest
Now with all the sobering subject matter I've discussed it's not played out that way. It's not until the closing track just discussed that Ben plays it straight and performs with a somber approach. This is not a depressing album to listen to, at all. Ben takes you through this journey like a stage play with all the song and dance of a thriving narrative that matches each unique, quirky character. Like with every Ben Folds Five work before it there's nothing that humor doesn't touch hear. The piano melodies and harmonies here are as lovely as the best Brian Wilson composition. With songs so vibrant at times you could picture a backdrop of a sunrise and chirping bluebirds Ben has harnessed the best qualities of not only the Beach Boys but also the Beatles. He's taken lessons from the greats to make something that has his own stamp.
Every note of this album is the mark of a master songwriter. There aren't a lot of modern songwriters that get credit for longevity, originality, craftsmanship and a penchant for timeless storytelling but Ben has it all. He's probably the best I've ever seen at blending quirky humor with poignant, heart tugging tales. Ben's had a lot of great work since but I believe this album is his masterstroke as of now. It's a perfect fully realized whole of an album that has everything one could want. If you've never heard any album by Ben let this one un-Fold and enjoy one of the best experiences in modern music!
When I first bought Ben's solo album I had been listening to the band in my closing years of High School. By The time the solo came out in 2001 and I was midway through college. My taste at the time were veering towards yet another manifestation of Punk and Rock such as Emo and Screamo which were yet again another serious angsty movement in music. When I found out Ben had a solo I bought it because I was a fan of Ben Folds Five before and I had no expectations for it. While I instantly liked it and could enjoy the hooks and melodies I didn't truly gather the appreciation I do now for it until years down the road. It was always the solo album I went back to because every song hit perfectly.
One of my biggest pet peeves about it was the writing. I felt, at the time, that the whole idea of these little ditties about a different quirky character and their adventures and downfalls was a little hokey and contrived. Now as I listen to the album over the years and have seen some of these experiences and stories fleshed out before my eyes I have a much better love for the storytelling. There are parts of these songs I can put faces too and that includes my own. I never would have thought of Ben Folds as an Americana artist even with his comparisons to Elton John but he definitely is. These are stories of your neighbors, your peers, your relatives and loved ones. These are stories that I find have the recurring theme of growing up and expectations.
From the start it's Annie waiting for that call and the album threads through the letdowns of the American dream. There's Fred Jones getting replaced by the young blood at his new job and then there's the former revolutionary Stan who became everything he revolted against ie The Man!
Fred Jones Pt. 2 & The Ascent of Stan
Songs like "Not The Same" when I first heard it seemed just like a bad drug trip but in retrospect it's a final snapshot of one's free spinning wild days before they had to grow up.
Not The Same
The whole album is a photo album of the transition from when rock n' roll hearts lose their pulse to grim reality. The line from "Still Fighting It" is the most concise summary of it's them when it says:
"Everybody knows
It hurts to grow up"
Still Fighting It
The album ends on a good hopeful note with the two closing tracks "Fired" and "The Luckiest" though. "Fired" is a fun jaunt with a rollicking piano melody and the characters get an ambiguous hero turning the tables. The character here decides to fire everyone else for once and it's a turn back to rebellion. An upright, middle fingered salute after an album of slumped shoulders, apathy and defeat.
Fired
Then with "The Luckiest" which is one of the most beautiful introspective songs ever. The song is an ode of gratitude in a reflection of love and blessings. Among the most touching verses I've ever heard Ben takes the beauty of companionship into death and turns it into strength:
"Next door, there's an old man who lived to his 90's
And one day, passed away in his sleep
And his wife, she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away
I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way
To tell you that I know we belong
That I know that I am
I am, I am the luckiest"
The Luckiest
Now with all the sobering subject matter I've discussed it's not played out that way. It's not until the closing track just discussed that Ben plays it straight and performs with a somber approach. This is not a depressing album to listen to, at all. Ben takes you through this journey like a stage play with all the song and dance of a thriving narrative that matches each unique, quirky character. Like with every Ben Folds Five work before it there's nothing that humor doesn't touch hear. The piano melodies and harmonies here are as lovely as the best Brian Wilson composition. With songs so vibrant at times you could picture a backdrop of a sunrise and chirping bluebirds Ben has harnessed the best qualities of not only the Beach Boys but also the Beatles. He's taken lessons from the greats to make something that has his own stamp.
Every note of this album is the mark of a master songwriter. There aren't a lot of modern songwriters that get credit for longevity, originality, craftsmanship and a penchant for timeless storytelling but Ben has it all. He's probably the best I've ever seen at blending quirky humor with poignant, heart tugging tales. Ben's had a lot of great work since but I believe this album is his masterstroke as of now. It's a perfect fully realized whole of an album that has everything one could want. If you've never heard any album by Ben let this one un-Fold and enjoy one of the best experiences in modern music!
Sunny
Settled down at last and very happy.
Great write up Sooty Ben is one of my favourite singer-songwriters 
Ben is one of my favourite singer-songwriters
Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
Great write up Sooty
Been listening to the album like crazy lately! I had a friend who I thought would like his style (he did
) and then i got hooked myself again! 
