I've been on a massive Ben Folds (and his Five) trip recently, reminding myself why they (and he) are so absolutely fantastic and one of my favourite ever artists.
My colleague Quinty however, made the shocking admission the other day that she didn't like them. When discussing further it turns out she was getting them confused with someone else and she didn't know them at all. So I swore I would educate her. What follows is an attempt at a twelve-track best of that reflects the Five and Ben Folds' solo stuff.
I did just want to give the whole of "Whatever and Ever Amen" over, as it's one of my favourite albums of all time, but decided instead to go for a representative spread. The original rule was a maximum of 12 tracks, and was going to be no more than two tracks from each album, but I've broken that for WEAE because it's so very, very good. However, I've tried to be as varied as possible. Thoughts welcome please, particularly from those Folds connoisseurs out there...
1. One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces (from "Whatever and Ever Amen", Ben Folds Five)
2. Zak and Sara (from "Rockin' the Suburbs", Ben Folds)
3. Don't Change Your Plans (from "The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner", Ben Folds Five)
4. Hiro's Song (from the Japanese edition of "Rockin' the Suburbs", Ben Folds. NOTE: the version on Spotify is the demo from the recent Ben Folds Retrospective. I can't track down the studio version anywhere)
5. Where's Summer B (from "Ben Folds Five", Ben Folds Five)
6. Kate (from "Whatever and Ever Amen", Ben Folds Five)
7. Your Dogs (from "Lonely Avenue", Ben Folds & Nick Hornby)
8. Effington (from "Way to Normal", Ben Folds)
9. Selfless, Cold & Composed (from "Whatever and Ever Amen", Ben Folds Five)
10. Time (from "Songs for Silverman", Ben Folds)
11. The Last Polka (from "Ben Folds Five", Ben Folds Five)
12. Lullabye (from "The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner", Ben Folds Five)
Click here for the Spotify link
That is all.
I started listening late last night, using Spotify on my iPod, with headphones. Initially I was outraged at you apparent song ordering, with One Angry Dwarf going into Lullabye.... then I realised Spotify was playing silly buggers as it was set to 'shuffle'.
ReplyDeleteInteresting as it serves to highlight the importance that ordering can have.
That resolved, I very much enjoyed listening to this playlist although I believe I fell happily asleep during 'Selfless Cold and Composed'.
Were I to criticise the song choices I would only ask you to justify the choice of Hiro's song, because for me it seems weak compared to almost everything on Rockin' the Suburbs. But perhaps that is only due to my not being so familiar with it.
Overall, thank you Dave and good to see you have been enjoying this BF/BFF trip.
Thank you for your comments old chap. Not surprised you were outraged at putting Lullabye second. That would be ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. Hiro's Song is interesting - I've been particularly enjoying it recently but as you say, in context it doesn't hold up. So what should be the alternative - in considering one of Still Fighting It, Rocking the Suburbs, You to Thank, Mess or All You Can Eat. Any of those better or do you have an alternative suggestion?
Liking the inclusion form left field of Your Dogs. Awesome track.
ReplyDeleteFor me, you're a bit out with Songs for Silverman though. Bastard, You to thank and Jesusland are all sweet, sweet BF music. Oh and I almost forgot Late. I think I'd have dropped Time (on the basis that I can't even remember it, but it's just about to come up, so I'm about to be reminded) and put on Late and Bastard.
Ok, Time has just started and I recognise it now. On the subject of track-ordering, I think Time maybe suffers from this on the album as it sounds better in your line-up. On the album I'm always a bit 'Meh' when Time comes on. Still no way I'd put Time ahead of Late, Bastard, You to Thank or Jesusland.
ReplyDeleteShit. Gracie's on Songs for Silverman as well! How the hell did Time get on your list! I'm off to listen to Songs of Silverman. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYour choice from Songs for Silverman aside I'm very much enjoying Ben Folds Twelve by the way. On the last track now and feeling well Foldsed.
ReplyDeleteAlthough can't help feeling I'd have liked to have heard Jackson Cannery or Philosphy rather than Where's Summer B from Ben Folds Five.
But it's been good. Well done.
A great choice of songs, but I personally would have made room for "Army" somewhere.What to get rid of, however, would be a very tricky decision indeed.
ReplyDelete