Ben Folds - Way to Normal

The way back to normal, oh those normal days where I would write regularly and people were interested in music. Well, I am going to start a mission to return back to normal. I am going to provide a review each day of the music I have been listening to that has been released over the last few weeks, months, etc. This week we start with Ben Folds - Way to Normal. The reason I am starting with this album to review has nothing to do with any great interest in the album or because it is the latest release I have been listening to. No, no it has to do with my disagreement of Pitchfork's review of this album. I understand that as a music critic they have a right to not like the music they listen to as we all do music critic or not. 

Ben Folds has been around a little while, he writes very much the same music as he did in the mid-90's. He writes funny little songs about break ups and insane women who he has dated. Way to Normal isn't any different, really it's the same as a lot of his music. But, what is nice about Ben Folds is that his music is charming and he infectious lyrics and harmonies make his music very easy to listen to. This latest album is not his best work and will not make any one's 'best of list' this year. But he writes about relationships gone wrong and getting free coffee which everyone can relate to. Sure it isn't original, but sometimes a little bit of constant is a good thing.  

Way to Normal offers up plenty of nice, quaint diddy's such as "You Don't Know Me" with Regina Spektor, which is a great blend of Ben's and Regina's vocals on a 'stuck in your head' kinda song. "Free Coffee" and "Bitch Went Nuts" are those kind of songs that you'll start humming out of no where, like "Peaches" by the Presidents of the United States of America. The rest of the tracks are not as catchy, but they don't assault the ears and the entire album can be listened to on a sunny day while walking down the street. 

Sometimes, it isn't easy to let you know whether or not you should get the albums I review. I picked it up, because I hadn't heard Ben Folds in a while and wanted to reconnect with a band I enjoyed in the 90's. But, I also listened to this album for free before I picked it up, so that would be my suggestion if you are at all intrigued. Listen to it for FREE first! In this current economic crisis where we are all pinching our pennies the smart musicians are going to give people the chance to listen to the album first before they make the decisions to spend their money on the albums. 

Tomorrow's album is a very solid album from a band touring with the Dandy Warhols. 

Cheers,

Dave