Ben Folds is a musician built for the live setting, despite his unorthodox choice of instrument: piano.
Regardless of the quality of his albums (which have always been good) or the piano’s traditional classical use, Folds has always been a musician who excels in the live setting, elevating the already-superb tracks laid down in studio to a higher level.
It’s nice to see how Way to Normal, his third solo album, seems to follow this pattern for Folds. The album feels like a blueprint for what he intends to do with the tracks once he’s able to transport them to the live setting. While it’s next to impossible to duplicate the energy and feeling of a live show in the studio, Folds does his best job to replicate the experience.
“Dr. Yang” has a bouncy, aggressive rhythm, which is driven by a heavy drumbeat and Folds slamming the keys, but the song transitions into more intricate ivory work as the track progresses. Though the track is a scant 2 minutes and 30 seconds, its length helps keep the tempo high.
It’s easy to picture Folds playing the song in front of a rabid audience – bopping in his two-point boxer’s stance as he slams his hands on the piano and races to match his vocals to the breakneck tempo. “Dr. Yang” should be a crowd-pleaser, bringing people to their feet and keeping them there.
A major part of Folds’ charm has always been his ability to take himself lightly, especially on songs with an autobiographical tilt. He’s been poking fun at himself for a long time, with Ben Folds Five songs such as “Army” and “Best Imitation of Myself” showcasing his ability for lighthearted jabs.
He continues this tradition with “Hiroshima (B B B Benny Hit His Head),” a song about how he walked straight off the end of the stage at a show in Japan, incurring a concussion in the aftermath. It describes what happened in a straightforward manner, “I waved down low to the crowd/ As I busted ass on the front of the stage.”
The song doesn’t only highlight the ordeal in a silly way, but also employs live ambiance to add another dimension to the track. Furthering the album’s stance as better heard live, a pre-recorded crowd chimes in on the “Oh-Oh” portion of the chorus – making it an instant addition to the live show.
Folds loosens things up in other ways on Way to Normal, not only by highlighting embarrassing episodes in his life, but also with off-the-wall looks at life and relationships.
“Bitch Went Nuts” has a spoken word intro detailing how men and women look at relationships differently. It says while women can offer up many different reasons for a relationship ending, men always say, simply, “The bitch went nuts.” The song’s off-beat lyrics are endlessly catchy, and the accompanying beat is sure to get toes tapping.
It’s not all fun and games for Folds, however. For those in search of the next “Brick” (a fan favorite from Ben Folds Five’s Whatever and Ever Amen), in terms of tone and mood, the best fit is probably the melancholy “Cologne.”
The percussion is muted, allowing the song to focus almost exclusively on Folds’ vocal and soft piano work as he laments the loss of a woman. It’s a little scattered lyrically, jumping from the lonely walk back to his hotel room after the woman has left on a train to the story of the scorned astronaut who drove cross -country in diapers in a revenge attempt.
Still, even with this odd choice, it’s an emotional song, conjuring up the feelings of a bad breakup in anyone who has shared that experience. It’s not the emotional wallop of a song like “Brick,” but it will suffice.
Way to Normal hits a lot more than it misses. Folds manages to lay down lots of punchy, upbeat tracks, sure to please fans both on the album and in concert. It’s not a knockout, but it’s definitely a win by decision.
Tripp.Laino@yahoo.com
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
