Ben Folds – yes, the guy from Ben Folds Five, who has been spewing his moody, melodic emotions since 1995 is out with a new album, Way to Normal.? “Brick,” from his 1997 album, Whatever and Ever Amen, got tons of radio play, converging his piano pop-groove with anger.????
It became his trademark and Folds’ dichotomous style holds true. His newest and seventh album is undeniably catchy.? One wouldn’t expect anything less from the former commercial jingle writer.?? ??
Folds is known for his cute lyricism, like in his classic slow-dance ballad, “The Luckiest,” but also for his controversial lyrics.?
The adultery-themed, polarizing tune, “Kylie from Connecticut” is like a flashback to “Brick,” which was written about Folds’ high school girlfriend’s abortion.? But it’s done smoothly with a hint of jazzy soul.? He’s a master at repackaging a tune to seem sweeter than its reality.?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
The psychedelically distorted sound of “Free Coffee” captures a listener’s curiosity.? The lyrics are silly, but Folds’ serious voice lends some entertainment. Plus, the song’s R&B tones adds an unexpected flavor.
?”Cologne” is like an interactive Sesame Street song, hence the lyrics, “5…4…3…2…1…I’m letting you go…I will let go, if you let go,” which are a direct contrast to the sophisticated symphony blaring in the background.? Listening to the song’s bridge makes you feel like you are strolling in a fantasy land amongst unicorns.? But remember: he’s talking about a break-up.? (Confusing, we know.)
“The Frown Song,” another tune à la Sesame Street, has plenty of da-da-da’s and do-be-do’s.? Plus, a cheesy organ and the line, “smile for us now” repeated over and over is enough to make one cringe.? The irony is deafening, as the song’s high-pitched squeals and special effects make it annoying to the ears.
Adding much-needed balance to the album, is the somber song “You Don’t Know Me,” with lyrics that are more honest.? Guest vocalist Regina Spektor adds soulfulness to the piece and the two blend seamlessly, contributing an artistic tone to the album.
Folds’ and his Chapel Hill-based band, drummer Sam Smith and bassist Jared Reynolds, leaked parodies of the new album’s songs on the Internet months ago. The trio got positive feedback on their MySpace page and blog from their cult-following even before the album dropped this week.
The album yielded praise particularly for the tongue-in-cheek, pop culture song, “Bitch Went Nuts.”? Naturally, the lyrics go: “The bitch went nuts.? She ‘Photoshopped’ my face…”? Funny.? Applause?? The Recording Industry Association of America probably isn’t clapping.
Folds’ signature piano-thumping fingers pound throughout the album. But there is a new addition to the album, it’s on the cover: a little black box in the bottom right corner with white block-letters warning “Parental Advisory: Explicit Content,” issued by the RIAA.
He has never been known for squeaky clean lyrics but Way to Normal is chock full of four-letter-words. Someone’s mother needs to stick a bar of soap in his mouth. At times the language was so bad even Folds’ happy ivory keys couldn’t mute the earsplitting, ugly words that are woven through the album’s lyrics.??????
