Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
Artist: Various Artist (presented by Ben Folds)
Album: Ben Folds Presents:University A Cappella!
Why I like the artist:
First of all I'm honestly not even a Monty python fan but that line really makes me think of this album and my experience with it! Now while the actual artist on here are various A Capella groups who did amazing jobs on Ben Folds work this section will have to focus on Ben Folds as well as Ben Folds Five because it's his work that got me to buy this in the first place.
I heard Ben Folds in my senior year of High School when I finally mustered up the courage to join the Chorus group (kind of full circle in relation to the current c.d. :humm. I remember thinking it was so cool to get to know people better who had a passion for music and I would often chat with them about new music before class. For some reason, the one song I specifically remember discussing was a new pop song by a new group called Ben Folds Five! The song was "Brick" and as I recall we all seemed to like it (like Breakfast at Tiffanys he he)! Here's the song for the uninitiated:
I remember thinking it was so unusual for pop radio! A band with just a piano, bass and percussion singing about an abortion! The c.d. was called "Whatever and Ever Amen"! On there Ben Folds showed his geek rock humor as well with songs like:
Song For The Dumped
Ben Folds Five released just one other c.d. after there breakthrough before Ben Folds officially went solo! To record my whole history with Ben Folds would take forever but let's just say that with both BFF and Bens solo work I'm amazed at what a catalog of work Ben has and how each song has it's own life with no filler. The best way to correlate how Ben got to this A Capella stage is to show two songs he did live to show how he changed them up and actually already incorporated audience A Capella about seven years before this new project!
Here's the original "Army":
Ben Folds "Army" live:
http//www.last.fm/music/Ben+Folds/_/Army?autostart
Here's the original "Not The Same":
Ben Folds – Not the Same – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm
Ben Folds "Not The Same" live and orchestrating audience:
So how can I tell you how I like Ben Folds without playing more from his huge catalog! Well to sum it up he's a witty piano clown prince b*****d child of Elton John! He's also a great storyteller who introduces you on a first name basis to some very original in so bizarre they're must be based on some truth scenarios! He also got me to buy an A Capella c.d. which is....
Why I like this c.d.: ......absolutely gorgeous! I didn't hear about this c.d.! I saw it listed on one of my Bullmoose Music newsletters! I saw it and thought that Ben Folds was doing an A Capella c.d. himself. I decided that I was interested to purchase it because it was Ben Folds and I am a sucker for his work!
When I finally found it it was at an Independent Music Store "Pitchfork Records" and after I picked it up I saw that it was a variety of A Capella choral groups doing Ben Folds covers and besides being behind the scenes Ben only did two songs himself! I was a little lost at that point thinking that this was the cheesiest idea ever! I was picturing that choir group from American Pie singing lol2 and I psyched myself out enough times where I picked up the c.d. and put it back ten times! Finally, I w****d myself to Ben and bought it! I'm so glad I did!
Some, not most, arrangements aren't perfect but the ones that did were pure magic (also titled of best song )! Beautiful! It's amazing how even the stories became more personalized in this context! Every vocal on here is amazing, crisp, pure, crystalline as these groups are trained to be! I'm so glad I took part in supporting this experiment that is a bout appreciating music and has taught me one more method of creating music I had previously ignored!
Thank you Ben Folds:
Here are the before and after versions (shortly):
Album: Ben Folds Presents:University A Cappella!
Why I like the artist:
First of all I'm honestly not even a Monty python fan but that line really makes me think of this album and my experience with it! Now while the actual artist on here are various A Capella groups who did amazing jobs on Ben Folds work this section will have to focus on Ben Folds as well as Ben Folds Five because it's his work that got me to buy this in the first place.
I heard Ben Folds in my senior year of High School when I finally mustered up the courage to join the Chorus group (kind of full circle in relation to the current c.d. :humm. I remember thinking it was so cool to get to know people better who had a passion for music and I would often chat with them about new music before class. For some reason, the one song I specifically remember discussing was a new pop song by a new group called Ben Folds Five! The song was "Brick" and as I recall we all seemed to like it (like Breakfast at Tiffanys he he)! Here's the song for the uninitiated:
I remember thinking it was so unusual for pop radio! A band with just a piano, bass and percussion singing about an abortion! The c.d. was called "Whatever and Ever Amen"! On there Ben Folds showed his geek rock humor as well with songs like:
Song For The Dumped
Ben Folds Five released just one other c.d. after there breakthrough before Ben Folds officially went solo! To record my whole history with Ben Folds would take forever but let's just say that with both BFF and Bens solo work I'm amazed at what a catalog of work Ben has and how each song has it's own life with no filler. The best way to correlate how Ben got to this A Capella stage is to show two songs he did live to show how he changed them up and actually already incorporated audience A Capella about seven years before this new project!
Here's the original "Army":
Ben Folds "Army" live:
http//www.last.fm/music/Ben+Folds/_/Army?autostart
Here's the original "Not The Same":
Ben Folds – Not the Same – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm
Ben Folds "Not The Same" live and orchestrating audience:
So how can I tell you how I like Ben Folds without playing more from his huge catalog! Well to sum it up he's a witty piano clown prince b*****d child of Elton John! He's also a great storyteller who introduces you on a first name basis to some very original in so bizarre they're must be based on some truth scenarios! He also got me to buy an A Capella c.d. which is....
Why I like this c.d.: ......absolutely gorgeous! I didn't hear about this c.d.! I saw it listed on one of my Bullmoose Music newsletters! I saw it and thought that Ben Folds was doing an A Capella c.d. himself. I decided that I was interested to purchase it because it was Ben Folds and I am a sucker for his work!
When I finally found it it was at an Independent Music Store "Pitchfork Records" and after I picked it up I saw that it was a variety of A Capella choral groups doing Ben Folds covers and besides being behind the scenes Ben only did two songs himself! I was a little lost at that point thinking that this was the cheesiest idea ever! I was picturing that choir group from American Pie singing lol2 and I psyched myself out enough times where I picked up the c.d. and put it back ten times! Finally, I w****d myself to Ben and bought it! I'm so glad I did!
Some, not most, arrangements aren't perfect but the ones that did were pure magic (also titled of best song )! Beautiful! It's amazing how even the stories became more personalized in this context! Every vocal on here is amazing, crisp, pure, crystalline as these groups are trained to be! I'm so glad I took part in supporting this experiment that is a bout appreciating music and has taught me one more method of creating music I had previously ignored!
Thank you Ben Folds:
Here are the before and after versions (shortly):