Ben Folds - Way to Normal
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.33 You Save: $13.65 (85%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.96 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Way to Normal
Free Music Review: Ben, please read this...
Hit: 4 Stars
I'm not sure when you are going to read this review, but I'm sure you will someday, bored on the road. I just have to thank you for having the courage to write and record Cologne, the most moving song you've ever written. The rest of the album I need not comment on because none of it really matters except for that song.
The week my fiance ended my engagment after being together for five and a half years I picked up your album while walking around in a state of complete devastation. I own everything you've ever put out, and when I put it on in my car, I wasn't quite sure what to make of the new stuff, until Cologne came on. I literally had to pull off the highway because I ended up balling my eyes out, caught up in the pain and emotion of that track, which was everything I was going through at that moment.
I had been a complete wreck for two weeks until I heard that song, realizing I had never had the courage to say "1". I kept listening over and over until I finally was able to let go to someone I believed I'd be with for all eternity, which is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. Without it, I'm not sure I would've been able to move on, and accept life's changes for what they are.
So, thank you for having the courage to write that song. I know what you went through wasn't easy. Even if I'm the only one who still legally purchases music, it was worth all the hundreds of thousands of dollars you spent on it, because it found it's way to someone in need.
Feel free to contact me anytime. I'd love to come to Nashville and record with you. You can always find me at evenelroy.com.
Again, excellent album, amazing song.
Your fellow black glasses wearing, piano-playing friend,
-Jeff Michaels
Free Music Review: Beat me up and send me home!
Hit: 4 Stars
I guess I'm kind of a schizophrenic Ben Folds fan. I love the upbeat piano parts and tongue-in-cheek humor off the Five's albums, but I also love the introspective lyrics and strong songwriting and maturity in his solo work.
Songs for Silverman had "Landed," probably Ben's greatest song melodically and lyrically. But the album was slow and dreary, as if Ben had aged 20 years after the release of Rockin' the Suburbs, which sounded as if the jazz element was removed from the Five's work. After Silverman, when I heard there would be another album, I was expecting another one like it.
I was wrong.
When I first heard "Hiroshima," I fell in love. I can tell how I'll feel about an album based on the opener. It was a strong opener, extremely reminiscent of the Five, humorous and catchy. "Dr. Yang" reminded me of classic Ben, but it ran lyrically skimpy, but then again I'm a sucker for songs in D Major. In fact the first three tracks sounded like the original trio could have recorded them, including "The Frown Song," which had the Five sound, but it did not have much likeability as a song.
"You Don't Know Me" was among the three wonderful experimentations on the album, alongside "Cologne" and "Free Coffee." This song is melodically upbeat and fun, but lyrically haunting, and worth the praise it's getting. Besides, Regina Spektor has a nice voice and she sounds great with Ben.
My favorite songs off the album are "Hiroshima," "You Don't Know Me," "Cologne" and "Bitch Went Nuts." The ones I could pass on are "The Frown Song," "Errant Dog" and "Effington."
Free Music Review: Give it a chance
Hit: 4 Stars
Having been a fan of Ben (with or without the Five) since 1998, at first I was taken aback by this album. It seemed a little too quirky and like he was trying to develop a new sound a little too much. It reminded me of the end of Ben Folds Five when I was just saddened by the Reinhold Messner album, (YES, I know some people consider that to be their best album...)But then I listened to it again. And again. And again. It grew on me like mold. The lyrics are catchy. The bass is a lot like Robert Sledge's if you think about it on the Whatever and Ever Amen album on tracks like "Dr. Yang." "Effington" has great three-part harmony, just like in "the good old days" of the band. "Kylie From Connecticut" is reminicent of "Smoke" or "Boxing" and has great string lines attached to it.If you listen to it once and then immediately throw it away, you have no idea what you're missing. Is it the best thing Ben has ever written, maybe not, but who knows? Don't be narrow minded and give the album a chance. You'll always have "Army" and "Philosophy" to fall back on at a concert, even if you hate "You Don't Know Me" on this album.Free Music Review: True to form
Hit: 4 Stars
Ben Folds' latest LP, "Way to Normal" is a diverse and well-crafted collection of typical Folds-penned songs: power-pop piano rockers with sarcasm dripping rom the lyrics interspersed with quirky character sketches and heartwrenching ballads. A bit more uptempo and catchier than "Songs for Silverman", in my opinion, approaching the heights of his first solo record "Rockin' the Suburbs". The record kicks off with a bang, as "hiroshima - b-b-b-benny hit his head" storms through chords and with a clapping, singalong live audience, it's a feel-good song about a very bad night on stage. Track 2, "Dr. Yang" is powered by a buzyy bass solo. "You Don't Know Me" is an effectively poignant duet with Regina Spektor. The big misstep is the track "errant Dog", which suffers from a very silly subject matter(Folds shoudld just stick to singing about people!). After that, the latter tracks are very high energy, except the final track "Kylie from Connecticut", which sort of brings a mood of melancholy at the end of the record... This is perhaps Folds' intent, but i'd swap "Kylie" with "Effington", which is all bombast and captures the theme of trying o get back to a state of Normality.Free Music Review: Remarkably Personal & Challenging for Long-Time Fans, But One of Ben's Best
Hit: 4 Stars
In all honesty, I found myself listening to this album once, not really liking it and not giving it even one repeat listen. However, several months later, I was reading about Ben's break-up with his wife of ten years. I went back for another listen of "Way To Normal," and everything fell into place. This is Ben's "nasty break-up" record. The entire album is coming from the point of someone hurt by someone they love, someone betrayed by friends, and now lashing out at them. If you look for typical Ben jokes, nods, and winks in this record you're going to be disappointed. However, think of this entire album from his point of view and I'm sure you'll enjoy it much more. There are songs that are remarkably beautiful regardless of the context. "Kylie from Connecticut" is worth the price of admission alone. For those long-time Ben fans that were initially disappointed with this release, I beg you, revisit it. It's one of his most personal, and one of his best.