1

News / Re: Chances for any new music? And which direction?

« on: November 08, 2021, 01:24:00 AM »

If you're not a member of Ben's Patreon you wouldn't know, but he has been recording a new record during quarantine.

That's been a year now  Any news on that?

2

News / Re: Chances for any new music? And which direction?

« on: July 12, 2020, 11:57:38 PM »

When has he mentioned not liking TSOTLOTM?

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/rpyq8k/rank-your-records-ben-folds

Ben was asked to rank his records for VICE in 2015. TSOTLOTM was his least favourite BFF album, saying it was not "a record of the time somehow."

In a way I doubt any kind of rock album would be "a record of the time" for Ben in 2020 or the next years. That's what I'm afraid of - that Ben "is done" with that.

3

News / Chances for any new music? And which direction?

« on: June 18, 2020, 07:20:22 AM »

Is it just me, or is Ben actually having a hard time writing new songs?

"So there" is almost 5 years old. As a fan of Ben Folds Five from the beginning I found the album quite mediocre. The songs "So There" and "Long Way To Go" are based on very old ideas. Composing the piano concert seems to me almost like an escape from writing another rock album. I loved "The Sound of the Life..." but Ben has said on different occasions that he doesn't like it much. I have more and more the impression that Ben is not very interested in writing single songs or playing with a band anymore. That would be such a pity because he is an outstanding songwriter.

I understand that he has to develop as a musician. But does he himself know in which direction he wants to develop? Do we get more classical music? Will there be any album at all? I get a bit frustrated. Did he mention anything about new material in his "Sat Apartment Request"?

4

Album Board / Re: TSOTLOTM Reviews

« on: November 26, 2012, 10:17:31 AM »

Anyway, I LOVE the artwork of this album.

FACT Magazine listed The 50 Worst Record Sleeves of 2012
#7 - BEN FOLDS FIVE "THE SOUND OF THE LIFE OF THE MIND"(IMA VEE PEE)
http://www.factmag.com/2012/11/22/the-50-worst-record-sleeves-of-2012/7/

"50 unforgivable crimes against cover art from the year gone by." 

Mmmmm... sad, but I have to agree. I love the album, but the cover is terrible.

5

Album Board / Re: The Sound of the Life of the Mind - What do you think?

« on: October 03, 2012, 05:41:44 AM »

Playing drums is on a par with being an athlete - you don't play, you lose the skills. I think it stands to reason that he doesn't play like he did in the old days. How could he possibly? In the old days, he had been playing drums non stop for years and years. He simply ain't gonna get them chops back just like that.

I play Drums myself and I don't have the impression Darren lost his skills. Of course he plays different than 10 years ago - like Ben does - but the "edge" of the beats is still there. For me the "missing edge" is a matter of studio-production. For example the sound of the snare in some songs like "Erase Me" or "Draw a Crowd" sound kind of soft and nearly artificial. But that has to do with the choice of the instrument, choice of the microfones and the mixing-process. It's a decision of production if you want a clean "studio sound" or a dirty "live sound". The very first Album was absolutely "live"-sounding, the latest (like most of Ben's sole stuff) is more studio.

6

Album Board / Re: TSOTLOTM Reviews

« on: September 20, 2012, 02:17:18 AM »

Pitchfork really, really didn't like it, although to be fair it appears that the reviewer is not a fan of BFF full stop.

You understate... Seems the reviewer hates almost everything BFF or Ben ever recorded. Why do they let him write the review for pitchfork?

(...) "Brick" and "Song for the Dumped" always wore their self-absorption and misogyny on the sleeves of their ironic t-shirts, and shit like "Dick Holster" and "For Those of Y'all Who Wear Fannypacks" was self-evidently bad, cornball stunts by a guy who worked hard to project "sense of humor." In retrospect, the worst are his glib scene dissections like "Underground" and "Battle of Who Could Care Less" (...)

What is that?! Are there no "neutral" reviewers on pitchfork wo could take care of a new BFF-album? This guy sounds as if it was clear he would pull the new album to pieces before he heard a single note of it.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17058-the-sound-of-the-life-of-the-mind/

 

7

Album Board / TSOTLOTM Additional Tracks/B-Sides

« on: September 18, 2012, 02:50:26 AM »

I found a tracklist of the Japanese bonus-version of TSOTLOTM. The bonus tracks are "Tell me what I did", "Stumblin' home winter blues" and a version of "Thank you for breaking my heart" by Ben Folds without the Five - maybe a demo version?

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SICP-3654

Wonder if the guys recorded more than 10 Tracks during the album sessions. When Ben says they had rough ideas for about 2 more Albums (*), I thought there would be at least 1-2 more actual songs recorded to be released as bonus tracks. Does anyone know anything?

(*) http://thesynthesizersympathizer.blogspot.de/2012/05/ben-folds-audio-interview-new-ben-folds.html

8

Album Board / Re: The Sound of the Life of the Mind - What do you think?

« on: September 17, 2012, 02:49:05 AM »

Here's my review of the album: http://wp.me/p1YhYp-bN

Thanks! Nice review!

It's interesting you write about On Being Frank that "it sounds like it could (should?) be a song from a musical, which is very un-Ben Folds Five".

I always thought some BFF-songs or at least parts of them have a musical feel: The beginning of "Underground", "Stevens Last Night In Town", "Narcolepsy" and recently "Erase Me". Think it's not so "un-Ben Folds Five".

9

Album Board / Re: The Sound of the Life of the Mind - What do you think?

« on: September 16, 2012, 04:15:25 AM »

For me the Album splits in two parts: Think the uptempo-songs are more or less all perfect BFF-indie-pop songs. Have the feeling "Michael Praytor", "Draw a Crowd" and "The Sound..." will become personal BFF-favorites for me.

On the other hand there are the midtempo/ballads. Don't get me wrong - I used to love the mellow stuff of Ben and BFF. But compared with the ballads on WAEA (Brick, Smoke, Missing the war (!), Evaporated)... mmm... you know? Maybe the problem are the chorus parts: I like the verses of "Sky High" and "Hold That Thought" very much but when it comes to the chorus it's just disappointing. I miss the big chorus melodies. In the new midtempo/ballad stuff there is just no climax.


Wow, my first post here though I'm a huge fan since WAEA-times