Ben Folds
Way To Normal
BY Nick Flanagan
October 01, 2008 21:10
The third solo album from the 42-year-old four-time groom contains much of what has sustained his career: crafting piano-driven songs that can easily bring to mind the pop sensibilities of Elton John and Billy Joel, with detours into potty-mouthed storytelling (see “Bitch Went Nuts”) and melodies that could be straight out of Monty Python’s Spamalot (witness the “if there’s a God he’s laughing at us and our football team” choral intro of “Effington”). Even though there’s humour and silliness present on the album, the emotion present in his voice throughout the record is undeniable, and makes for an easy listen. Sometimes it’s too easy a listen, as the production can be a bit slick and the musical territory rarely veers from a pretty bounce, but Way To Normal is a well-arranged display of Folds’ considerable abilities.
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