CD Reviews

Ben Folds | Way To Normal

Epic (2008)

By ZETH LUNDY | September 23, 2008

1.5 Stars

When Ben Folds’s music was concerned with the aimlessness of a post-adolescent funk (think of the three records released by his Chapel Hill–based trio, Ben Folds Five, which yielded bouncy pop confections about growing up a bullying victim, wallowing in apathy, and joining the Army), it was clever, funny, and endearing. His recent string of solo albums has been burdened with an increasingly “mature” autobiography, and to these ears, his take on adulthood simply isn’t as interesting. His latest has his trademark mallet-fingered piano bangin’ and fuzz bass, but the songs — tales of bitter, bickering grown-ups and injury-sustaining rock stars — are loud tantrums of little consequence. And Way to Normal tries way too hard to be funny, whether it’s the Elton John joke (“Hiroshima (B-B-B-Benny Hit His Head)”), the wounded-male-ego misfire (“Bitch Went Nuts”), or the self-censored cuss song (“Effington”). Even Folds’s knack for a well-placed f-bomb has devolved into a lazy device masquerading as irreverence. His attitude may remain young at heart, but his irony’s over the hill.

Related: Putting the pop into the Pops, On the racks: May 16, 2006, Gag reflex, More

Topics: CD Reviews , Elton John, Ben Folds, Ben Folds, More

| More

ARTICLES BY ZETH LUNDY

SUN KIL MOON | AMONG THE LEAVES | May 22, 2012
The first thing you'll notice about Mark Kozelek's fifth LP as Sun Kil Moon are song titles that would give Morrissey a boner.

THE FIGGS | THE DAY GRAVITY STOPPED | May 15, 2012
These days Mike Gent, Pete Donnelly, and Pete Hayes are involved in enough extracurricular activities (Graham Parker, NRBQ, countless side/session-men gigs) that you could hardly blame them if they closed their two decades-plus Figgs chapter.

BILLY BRAGG + WILCO | MERMAID AVENUE: THE COMPLETE SESSIONS | May 01, 2012
In 1998, and again in 2000, English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg teamed up with Wilco— not yet on their post-Americana trip — to put unreleased Woody Guthrie lyrics to music.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT | OUT OF THE GAME | April 24, 2012
Out of the Game is being billed as the most "pop" album of Rufus Wainwright's career, which is to say that it dismisses many of his trademark classical and/or stagey affinities.

THE DANDY WARHOLS | THIS MACHINE | April 17, 2012
The title of the Dandy Warhols' eighth record may be a Woody Guthrie allusion, but don't fret — the closest the Portland, Oregon, band get to politics here is a cover of Merle Travis's "16 Tons."