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[Macam]

Just wanted to throw a head's up that he'll be performing on Letterman tomorrow night (June 23rd). No idea what he'll be performing, but I suspect it'll probably be Jesusland or Landed off the new album. If there's any one thing Letterman's good at, it's getting good musical acts on occasion.

I think there was a thread a little ways back about the new album, but just to throw my two cents on it real quick, I have to say while I was initially disappointed a bit by it, it's grown on me substantially since. If the guy would even set foot anywhere near Texas, I might be able to see him perform live for once.

For the record, if anyone can manage to record the performance, I'd be more than happy to put my balls on your neck.

 

[Meier]

Agent Dormer is a huge fan -- I used to be a big fan of the "Five" years ago but I havent listened to his solo stuff much for some reason. oasis were supposed to play tomorrow but they cancelled.. hence Ben Folds getting a chance to play. Lucky him.. stupid oasis.

 

[Macam]

Well, no disrespect to your Oasis, but thank god. Ever since BFF broke up (in 2000 no less, the same year Smashing Pumpkins and *I believe* Rage Against The Machine broke up...great year THAT was), Ben Folds has been forgotten more or less. It's a shame too, because he has a real knack for hammering out honest, melodic tracks with almost no effort. BFF's last album, The Autobiography of Reinhold Messner, was exceptional to boot.

Coincidentally enough, Darren Jessee, BFF's drummer, put together his own band, Hotel Lights which put out one of the best debut albums I've ever heard. You can listen to it on that link.

 

[etiolate]

Yessssssssss

I'll try to check him out. I hardly watch TV these days though.

I love his last solo album.

 

[suaveric]

I'm a fan, I'll be seeing him in concert in August! I don't really think he's been forgotten since BFF broke up. I think that he's had as many "hits" on the radio solo as he did with the band.

 

[Guzim]

How is Songs for Silverman?

 

[way more]

Damn right, we need more piano in rock.

 

[Red Blaster]

Fucking love him. Though, I loved him more when he was with Sledge and Jessee. His solo stuff, I believe, isn't up to snuff of his works with the rest of the band. I'd say he's arguably one of the best pianists in modern day music.

 

[Macam]

How is Songs for Silverman?

It's good. It doesn't have the production value of Rockin' The Suburbs, but that seems intentional on his part, as I believe he made mention on the DVD of the SE of Silverman that he wanted a more organic feel. It does take some adjusting, at least it did to me. Some of them, like Landed and Give Judy My Notice (which was redone for the album), have that instantaneous Ben Folds' single quality to them, while the rest took a few spins to sink in and grasp. After that though, it was golden for me. It's definitely a more laid back album, and it's very close to a live album in some aspects. He released another EP a few weeks back from a live recording at Tower Records in NYC, and it was an album quality performance, and virtually indistinguishable, though the songs were extended live. Songs for Goldfish, the special edition (SE) of the album, has an extra disc of live performances, but unfortunately, the sound quality is really lacking on it.

His solo stuff on the whole is just different from the BFF material. That just happens when bands split, and it's essential anyway, unless they just want to be ignored as doing more of the same. There was a definitely a dynamic I miss from BFF though, and I think Darren Jessee's song writing contributions may have had a hand in that. And again, I highly, highly encourage any BFF fans to check out Hotel Lights, which is Darren's band. I can't praise it enough.

 

[Space Age Playboy]

The producer with computers didn't fix all his shitty tracks. Just Brick.

 

[blahness]

thanks for the heads up my wife loves him. I enjoy his music and know most of the songs and i have even seen him twice... that man rocks the piano!

 

[sprsk]

it took me alot of listens to really like rockin the suburbs.

i havent gotten a hold of silverman yet but the previous ep's were slightly meh to me.

 

[Macam]

I really liked the EPs actually -- I thought they were exceptional, particularly The Bens.

 

[Agent Dormer]

Woo, a Ben Folds topic. Fucking sweet. As Meier stated, huge fan of BF. He has been doing the late night circle for a while. He was on Conan, Carson, Leno, and now got to Letterman. Pretty sure he'll do landed. Also, it was announced he'll be doing some dates with Weezer. Man, that'd be a great combo! Ben Folds and Weezer at the same show. Missing it makes me

 

[Litigation Manuel]

Saw him in concert not too long ago. He put on a great concert, it was in a college gymnasium and he began reading all the football pennants, going through all the years they won, then he started naming off every year they didn't win and going "Wha happened!?". Very entertaining.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

Reinhold was awesome. I haven't heard anything from him since, but I'm not really making a point of not listening to him. Just haven't gotten around to it.

 

[Zeo]

Ben Folds is terrific, but I liked Rockin' the Suburbs a bit more than his newer album. The bonus CD is great though, with the live version of Suburbs.

 

[Agent Dormer]

Ben Folds is terrific, but I liked Rockin' the Suburbs a bit more than his newer album. The bonus CD is great though, with the live version of Suburbs.

"I'm rocking the suburbs, just like Henry Rollins did. I'm rocking the suburbs, except that he was sho nuff talented." :lol Yeah, Songs for Goldfish rocks.