Thursday, July 5, 2012

Music I love: Ben Folds!

When I was in high school I was into music.  I put a lot of the other things I loved on hold and thought that music was the one true direction.  I played music, went to concerts, spent all the money I could come by on more music.  That was an important part of my life.

Most of the things I listened to then are all part of the nostalgic pie that has made up that part of my life.  I still really like to listen to the music of that time of life, but it is little more than sound fodder to make me think back to those long forgotten days of jumping railroad tracks and buying food with the change people dropped in my backseat!  Most of it, at least.

There was one band/musician that I feel I have never lost touch with over these years and that is Ben folds (and the Ben Folds Five.)  I'll be cliche, his music was honest.  Sometimes it was zany and he told stories that were meaningful in some way.  He is a philosopher and an excellent musician and lyricist.  Every album he has put out over the last 20 years has had meaningful songs on it.

I talk about the man, but the band (the Ben folds Five) is also important.  They have not put an album out in 12 years but the albums they have put out are amazing.  The Harmonies and instrumentation is the perfect mesh that you don't hear that often.  Each part makes a whole.

Many of the songs from these albums make up the soundtrack to my formative years.  Even the B Sides.  Lots of them can take me to a certain point in my life that was very impotant, weather that is driving down the road of just listening in my room.  Very important!  

this is kind of old news now but the Ben Folds Five are putting a new album together and I am certain it will be fantastic.  They are allowing the album to be funded online.  I recommend checking out what they are putting together HERE.  In the mean time check out some of Ben Folds and the Ben Folds Five stuff  from the past!











4 comments:

  1. Ben Folds(Five) was and still is an absolute go-to group to put me in a good mood. Rekindles memories of driving back from painting classes my Junior Year in high school on a cd-walkman adapter in my tape deck. Sports and Wine, Video, Angry Dwarf, Philosophy...all such great tracks! Saw them at the U of Scranton while most of my friends were like Ben Who? My wife and I danced to The Luckiest at our wedding...I remember going Ocean City, MD for her b-day and senior week was happening that same time...this meathead group of kids pull up next to us on ocean drive blasting some angry bullshit and I yelled, "Excuse me! Trying to listen to some Ben Folds over here!" (I got my wife Songs for Silverman and Soviet Kische by Regina Spector for her that year - weird that they teamed up later)

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    1. I think that is why ben folds is so special. So many people I know who listen to him have great memories of a time when they were listening to him. Mainly because they listened so much, there were so many opportunities to have great experiences. I have seen him a few times. I have not seen the 5 though so I hope to catch them on the upcoming tour!

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  2. Absolutely adore Ben Folds - thanks for bringing him to light. I think I'll have to go through all my CDs this week. :)

    I always felt his genius, and how it's contagious can be felt through this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSecr22waoE

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    1. I really love what Ben folds does! His music rekindles so many old memories for people!

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