Ben Folds Rockin' The Suburbs
Album Review Featuring Not The Same and The Ascent Of Stan
Apr 28, 2009
Rockin' The Suburbs seemingly follows the same sounds that characterised Ben Folds Five, albeit minus the fuzzy bass which featured prominently on their records.
'Annie Waits' adds some automated handclaps, but the track is dominated by the familiar and striding sound of Folds' piano playing. Some synthesizer work adds extra depth to the track, which musically sounds triumphant. In contrast, the lyrics are far more melancholic, a woman making her last stand, giving up on a relationship, only to do the same all over again.
Still Fighting It
'Zak And Sara' demonstrates the quality of Folds as a pianist, his flurrying keys hurtling through the fractured mind of 'Sara with no "h"'. As with 'Annie Waits' there is a restrained use of synthesizer, Folds slowly and carefully expanding the musical palette of his sound.
Folds turns his attentions to his new family on 'Still Fighting It', a track dedicated to his son. A mature reflection on growing up, the track reflects both Folds' fears of growing himself, and the worries of his son growing up with any of his own bad points. Once again, some strings are added into the mix, although they are secondary to the drums.
The Ascent of Stan
'Gone' meshes both slightly ironic pop song and cynical lyrics on romance, a move Folds has repeated on later releases such as Songs For Silverman and Way To Normal. The use of Beach Boys-like backing vocals create a glossier, cheerier feel than the song's story, about a man struggling to cope with his ex-girlfriend starting a new relationship.
The melancholy continues with 'Fred Jones Part 2', a character who first appeared in the track 'Cigarette' from the Ben Folds Five album Whatever And Ever Amen. An emotive tale of retirement, the song is built upon the spared down sound of piano and Larry Corbett on cello, Folds' falsetto bringing an appropriate sense of resignation.
'The Ascent Of Stan', the tale of a 'textbook hippy man' who is now a respectable and successful businessman, features Folds' multi-layered voice, and a banjo. The lyrics capture both the humour and cynicism which characterises Folds' writing, and has become a live favourite.
Not The Same
Folds allows himself some thumping piano work on 'Losing Lisa' and 'Fired', with some more subdued but no less impressive display of range on 'Carrying Cathy'. Both songs feature memorable and singable choruses, yet it is still Folds and his piano playing which stand out.
As with most of the ideas for Folds' tracks, 'Not The Same' comes from a real-life incident, in which someone took a lot of drugs at a party, climbed a tree, and when he came down had converted to Christianity. The song features impressive use of multi-tracking, Folds' voice being layered atop itself to create a booming vocal accompaniment to the accessible guitar and piano-led music.
Rockin' The Suburbs
Folds gained some exposure for the Weird Al Yankovic-directed video for the track 'Rockin' The Suburbs', the biggest change in sound from Ben Folds Five. Built on guitar, synthesizers, and a stinging attack on over-produced pop acts, the song winningly mocks the lack of real musical talent needed to make a hit record. The emphasis on guitar on the track is a notable musical difference to his previous band work.
Rockin' The Suburbs closes with 'The Luckiest', a quirky love song in which Folds tries to declare his feelings through a variety of less-than-traditional metaphors and anecdotes. After recounting a tale of an old couple who died within days of each other, he admits that it is a 'strange way' of expressing himself, but the sincerity in his voice makes the notion sweet.
Rockin' The Suburbs peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Top 200, and many of its songs continue to be highlights of his live shows.
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