Various Artists - Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella! (2009)

Soot and Stars

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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 :tup:)! 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! :tup:

Thank you Ben Folds:

ben-folds1.jpg


Here are the before and after versions (shortly):
 

Soot and Stars

I AM SOOT!
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Re: And Now For Something Completely Different!:Ben Folds Presents:University A Cappe

benfoldsacapella.jpg

NOT THE SAME (original again)

Ben Folds – Not the Same – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

NOT THE SAME (The Spartones from Greensboro, NC.)



JESUSLAND (original)

Ben Folds – Jesusland – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

JESUSLAND (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Loreleis)



BRICK (original again)

Ben Folds Five – Brick – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

BRICK (The Ohio University Leading Tones)



YOU DON'T KNOW ME (original)

Ben Folds – You Don't Know Me (featuring Regina Spektor) – Free listening at Last.fm

YOU DON'T KNOW ME (The University of Georgia's With Someone Else's Money)



STILL FIGHTING IT (original)

Ben Folds – Still Fighting It – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

STILL FIGHTING IT
(Washington University in St. Louis's Mosaic Whispers)



BOXING (original)

Ben Folds Five – Boxing – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

BOXING (Ben Folds) [couldn't find A Capella version but replaced it with orchestra version]



SELFLESS, COLD, AND COMPOSED (original)

Ben Folds Five – Selfless, Cold and Composed – Free listening & lyrics at Last.fm

SELFLESS, COLD, AND COMPOSED (The Sacramento State Jazz Singers)



MAGIC (original)

Ben Folds Five – Magic – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

MAGIC (The University of Chicago's Voices In Your Head)



LANDED (original)

Ben Folds – Landed – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

LANDED (The University of Colorado Buffoons)



TIME (original)

Ben Folds – Time – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

TIME (The Princeton Nassoons)



EFFINGTON (original)

Ben Folds – Effington – Free listening & lyrics at Last.fm

EFFINGTON [couldn't find A Capella version but replaced it with cool studio version]



EVAPORATED (original)

Ben Folds Five – Evaporated – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

EVAPORATED (The Newtones from Newton, MA)



FRED JONES PART 2 (original)

Ben Folds – Fred Jones Part 2 – Free listening at Last.fm

FRED JONES PART 2 (The West Chester University of Pennsylvania Gracenotes)



ARMY (original again)

Ben Folds Five – Army – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

ARMY (The University of Rochester Midnight Ramblers)



FAIR (original)

Ben Folds Five – Fair – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

FAIR (University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire's Fifth Element)



THE LUCKIEST (original)

Ben Folds – The Luckiest – Video, free listening, & lyrics at Last.fm

THE LUCKIEST (The Washington University in St. Louis Amateurs)

 

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