I couldn't agree more with you saying that Suburbs is great, and that the EPs implied a great full-length follow-up, only to be let down by Silverman. Highlights of the EPs are "All You Can Eat", "Adelaide", and "Songs of Love" (a Divine Comedy cover). I also really like "Hiro's Song", which, strangely enough, only made it onto a Japanese single, if I'm not mistaken.
The thing is, though, that, as great as Suburbs and some of his solo stuff is, I feel like none of it comes close to being as musically interesting and as lyrically clever as the stuff he did with Ben Folds Five- especially when you listen to songs like, "Missing The War", "Selfless, Cold & Composed", or almost anything from Reinhold Messner. When I want to listen to Ben Folds, I tend to go straight for the BFF albums. Am I alone in this opinion?
"Landed" with strings is reminiscent of Elton- Madman Across the Water era. I like it more than the album version. Thanks for sharing it. His strings version of "Smoke" is worth giving a listen to as well.
Alice Childress
· 1 year ago
He dropped the ball in various ways: "Fair" and "Kate" from Forever & Ever album sounded like one to grow on, but seemed like the whimsy got knocked out of the act when "Brick" hit. "Bruised" by the Bens also ended up being more obscure than it should have been. And both Kweller and Lee had subsequent catchy AAA hits that weren't as good ... maybe Folds just showing his age?
Morten
· 1 year ago
Wow, that version of Landed is fantastic. Being a huge fan of both Ben and Elton, classical-tinged piano pop is right up my alley. I still loved "Songs For Silverman", so you won't hear me complain about that album
rwcass
· 1 year ago
I like "Silverman" too, but it took me two years. Like many other people here, I thought it was boring overall, although I liked about five of the songs. Then I started to like one or two more, and then I realized I was fine with not liking every song. "Silverman" does have a sameness that previous Folds albums don't have, except for "Reinhold Messner." "Silverman" is still better than "Reinhold," in my opinion.
I'm not bothered by "Captain Jack's" masturbation joke. But Folds's sense of humor seems to indicate that you could show him the funniest episode of something like "Mr. Show" and all he would remember were the fart jokes. He cut out the juvenile crap on "Silverman" but seemed to lose some of his joie de vivre in the process.
hagen
· 1 year ago
Another puzzler is the pretty danged good track Still (Reprise) from the Over the Hedge soundtrack, which sounded better than most anything on the Silverman album. Folds is pretty amazing, but when he falters, it is a real disappointment. One of the great things about Suburbs was the amount of fun he sounded like he was happening (which reflected the first two BFF discs), and his work on Shatner's Has Been sounds a lot more free and exuberant than Silverman, and more memorable, too. And while I'm kinda complaining, did anyone else feel bugged by the Silverman multiple release strategy? You had the Dual-Disc, and you had the Special Packaging with the DVD, and it seemed a lot of hullabaloo for a less-than-remarkable album. And I'm a fan of less-than-remarkable albums (it's what drew me to Jefito's blog in the first place), but this time it didn't work. It seems he had more fun with Darren and Robert, but maybe fatherhood did him in. Being content can really blow it for an artist, or so I've heard.
GrayFlannelSuit
· 1 year ago
I was just going to mention the Shatner album - that's by far the best thing Ben's been associated with musically since the Reinhold Messner album. I listen to that disc far more than any Folds solo.
And add me to the list of fans who enjoyed Rockin' the Suburbs and the EPs, only to be let down big time by Songs for Silverman. If you're going to try and ape the feel of early Elton, at least come up with some more memorable hooks.
hagen
· 1 year ago
I don't know that Folds is ever seriously trying to emulate Elton, but I do know that Folds is a serious mofo of a hook writer himself (more times than not), and he seems to have lost his way a bit with Silverman. That means the next album will be a classic, right? Whenever the next album is?
DavidMedsker
· 1 year ago
Wow. That's amazing, way better than the album version. A golden opportunity, missed.
That said, I'm not sure it would have been a hit. It SHOULD have been a hit, but nobody cares about vintage Elton John anymore. Tragic, but true.
EricGrubbs
· 1 year ago
Maybe Jeff should repost my Complete Idiot's Guide to Ben Folds Five/Ben Folds? Whatta y'all think?
jefito
· 1 year ago
An excellent idea!
hagen
· 1 year ago
Seconded!
Spence
· 1 year ago
The EPs were pretty hit and miss too though. Some terrible covers and average originals, but overall redeemed by stuff like Protected and Kalamazoo. I hope he stops pissing around with soundtrack stuff and gets back to making proper, solid records like Suburbs and the last BFF one.
Thierry
· 1 year ago
That song as a whole may have a whole lot of Madman-era Elton in it (or maybe some Turnstiles-era Billy Joel, and even a bit of Phish circa Billy Breathes), but what I heard first was the chord progression from James Taylor's "Fire and Rain". Not that I'm complaining - this version of "Landed" is great!
EricGrubbs
· 1 year ago
I might be in the minority here, but I think the strings take away the power in the bridge. I like them in the verses, though.
mrmilk
· 1 year ago
I love Songs For Silverman. As an owner of all the import singles etc, Songs For Silverman hit me hard. It's an older record...it reminds me of Sail Away by Randy Newman. Very pretty songs, dressed down. Not a bad track on it. The subtle nature really brings out the small variations. That said, he never made an album that subtle. Jesusland sounds like nothing else on the record, Prison food sounds like Pink Floyd, and Sentimental Guy & Gracie are two of the most touching things he's ever done.
Very interesting that he's still capable of a Hiro's Song or a There's Always Someone Cooler Than You, but Silverman, he leaves them off. No jokes. No tricks. Just a great songwriter album. It's his Crowded House album or something. I adore it and I'm going to listen to it now. I implore you to give it another try.
rwcass
· 1 year ago
Agreed. I mean, I don't love "Silverman" like you do, but I like where Folds is coming from. It's missing something, but it's a step in the right direction and a more successful attempt at a somber record than "Reinhold Messner" was.
Old_Davy
· 1 year ago
Thanks DwD. That is a great version of "Landed".
rwcass
· 1 year ago
It's not that dramatically different from the original, though, is it? On the other hand, the "ska remix" of BF5's "Kate," which is really the strings version of the song, is as good as the original version.
colin_all_the_shots
· 1 year ago
Sentimental guy is the only song on SFS, that is worthy of mentioning, to me anyway.
if everyone is a fan of Ben Folds i encourage you to check out www.mypsace.com/worldscollide people who have listened to BF5 have also bought this album.
All Comments
The thing is, though, that, as great as Suburbs and some of his solo stuff is, I feel like none of it comes close to being as musically interesting and as lyrically clever as the stuff he did with Ben Folds Five- especially when you listen to songs like, "Missing The War", "Selfless, Cold & Composed", or almost anything from Reinhold Messner. When I want to listen to Ben Folds, I tend to go straight for the BFF albums. Am I alone in this opinion?
"Landed" with strings is reminiscent of Elton- Madman Across the Water era. I like it more than the album version. Thanks for sharing it. His strings version of "Smoke" is worth giving a listen to as well.
I'm not bothered by "Captain Jack's" masturbation joke. But Folds's sense of humor seems to indicate that you could show him the funniest episode of something like "Mr. Show" and all he would remember were the fart jokes. He cut out the juvenile crap on "Silverman" but seemed to lose some of his joie de vivre in the process.
And add me to the list of fans who enjoyed Rockin' the Suburbs and the EPs, only to be let down big time by Songs for Silverman. If you're going to try and ape the feel of early Elton, at least come up with some more memorable hooks.
That said, I'm not sure it would have been a hit. It SHOULD have been a hit, but nobody cares about vintage Elton John anymore. Tragic, but true.
Very interesting that he's still capable of a Hiro's Song or a There's Always Someone Cooler Than You, but Silverman, he leaves them off. No jokes. No tricks. Just a great songwriter album. It's his Crowded House album or something. I adore it and I'm going to listen to it now. I implore you to give it another try.
if everyone is a fan of Ben Folds i encourage you to check out www.mypsace.com/worldscollide people who have listened to BF5 have also bought this album.
peace.