Ben Folds : Way to Normal

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/benfoldswaytonormal.jpg" alt=" " />Ben Folds stays charming on his latest solo record, <i>Way to Normal</i>. ...
7.9 Epic
2008 

Ben Folds stays charming on his latest solo record, Way to Normal. The North Carolina singer/songwriter has been a fixture on the bigger end of the alt-pop circles for over a decade now, first with Ben Folds Five in the nineties, and then with his solo work in this millennium.  Alternating between anthemistic piano-led up-tempo pop/rock and downbeat, orchestral piano-sad elegies, he’s managed to keep his youthful emotion through three marriages and twins.  Fresh into marriage number three, Folds perhaps weighs more towards the shinier side of his sound on Way to Normal, but keeps the ways that he’s found so winning.

Folds starts out his Way with the stadium-friendly “Hiroshima (B B B Benny Hit His Head)”, which includes live fan cheering in the background.  The fun anthem is naturally enjoyable, if it a bit simple, something that’s been a mainstay from Folds, especially his solo work, and is no different on Normal.  “Dr. Yang” is a can’t-help-but-be-fun toe-tapper, while “The Frown Song” brings a swingin’ cheer – and a slightly strange tech background.  This hook-y Way most clearly hits its stride with single “You Don’t Know Me”, featuring alt-siren Regina Spektor.  The catchy little ditty & rhythm is a relatively kid-friendly, but good that way.

After sub-minute piano intro “Before Cologne”, Folds unearths the ‘sad Ben’ on “Cologne”.  The strings-laden orchestral number is moving, but not at the level of Folds classics like Five’s breakthrough “Brick”.  Stronger is finisher “Kylie from Connecticut”, which sees a stripped-down Folds bare his soul.

But Way is a record dominated by upbeat tracks like “Don’t Know”, such as the excellent “Bitch Went Nuts”, whose up-tempo fun makes it something of an enthusiastic sequel to fan-fave (and more downbeat) “Bitch Ain’t Shit”, from Folds’ last release, 2007’s EP compilation supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP.  Even when Folds plays it more straight-faced, such as on the staccato twinkle-tech “Free Coffee” before “Bitch”, or the straight-up rock/pop/grand piano “Brainwashed” after “Bitch”, there’s still a wry smile.  “Coffee” provides a nice change on the record, while “Brainwashed” is in a style that Folds does far better than one would think he could.  Only the penultimate “Effington” really mixes the twin sides of Folds, sad + pop-grand, on piano – and does it very well.

Ben Folds hasn’t changed himself up hugely in his solo career, and might never quite match the sheer up-swing/down-swing greatness of his Ben Folds Five days.  But he’s produced solid, enjoyable record after solid, enjoyable record, all the while maintaining his popularity and feeling.  And on Way to Normal, he sticks to it.

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