Keep dreaming, Dartmouth students.
Many of you want him to come to campus, but after the release of his third solo-album, "Way to Normal"(2008), Ben Folds will be tougher to nab than ever.
Ben Folds's web site touts "Way to Normal" as an "exuberant, raucous and sometimes profane mix of sure-fire crowd-pleasers, cheerful snark-fests, and thoughtful, moving ballads." While the album does not live up to the glamorous hype. "Way to Normal" will become a fan favorite, potentially enticing new listeners as well.
"Way to Normal" is, in a word, catchy -- which is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, if there were not something to be said for catchiness, how could I explain the 89 times I have played Rihanna's "Disturbia" since I got it less than a month ago?
The problem is that Ben Folds relies heavily on thinly veiled gimmicks to give "Way to Normal" its bounce.
Folds reveals his barely concealed pandering from the start. The album opens with "Hiroshima (B B B Benny Hit His Head)." The opening track is quite good musically, employing strings effectively over a pulsing piano beat. The song recounts when Folds fell off a stage in Japan.
Still, the brazen allusion to the Elton John song "Benny and the Jets" leaves a bad aftertaste, due to the snarky, hubristic and only mildly clever pop reference. While many similarities between Folds and John exist -- both have made their living from piano rock -- it seems premature for Folds to compare himself with such a legend.
Still, there's no denying "Way to Normal" appeals to pop sensibilities. Many songs co-opt tired pop techniques. This is noticeable when Folds tastefully combines electric-synth loops with the more subtle drum-kit sound of the beats on "The Frown Song," linking the track to the sort of heavily electronic pop music that is standard today.
What works fairly well on "The Frown Song," however, is a cacophonous disaster on "Free Coffee" -- a track so digitalized it sounds like the bastard child of house music and distorted vocals.
At times, though, the pandering tactics employed by "Normal" manage to work wonderfully. This is the case on "You Don't Know Me," a track featuring Regina Spektor. The aim is obvious: to harness Spektor's ascendant popularity. It works, though, as her collaboration with Folds sounds upbeat and energetic yet reined-in, not giving way to excess. Folds is clearly in control of the track. Specktor is uncharacteristically mellow, which allows Folds to be the star and lends the track a harmonious depth.
Other highlights of "Normal" include "Cologne" and "Kylie From Connecticut," both ballads in the vein of older songs like "Late" (2005) and "The Luckiest" (2001).
"Cologne" builds slowly, beginning with softly twinkling piano. Eventually, the track evolves into a string orchestra-enhanced song, driven by a strong yet laid-back beat. It's an ambitious track, but the heavy production makes it powerful rather than plastic.
"Kylie From Connecticut" is perhaps the most emotionally charged song on the album. Folds's passionately sung vocals, particularly on the chorus, intensify the song. An instrumental break near the middle helps create a tense ambience, a creative touch that sets the stage for the song's sweeping climax.
One of the catchiest "Normal" tracks is "The Bitch Went Nuts," which despite its irreverent lyrics is a danceable tune that evokes the piano rock of Jerry Lee Lewis.
"The bitch went nuts, she stabbed my basketball and the speakers to my stereo," Folds croons innocently. The track seems so peppy that a listener might expect to hear a chorus singing "Sha-la-la" in the background.
However, darker undertones underlie the track -- "Why do they all go?" asks Folds of plaintively failed relationships and their frequently violent terminations. This is one of Folds' strengths; in the disconnect between the superficial appearance and content of many of his songs, he underscores the fundamental disconnect between individuals, putting a cheery mask on disappointing situations.
Another highlight, the brisk "Effington," opens with vocal harmonies that immediately command attention. The satirical lyrics evidence Folds's kooky song-writing style, playing on the title: "They're f-ing in the yards, f-ing in their cars, f-ing in the trailers."
The track sounds like it could be a number from a musical set in America's heartland, only one where the residents are chronically promiscuous and the protagonist is a banal middle-aged white male.
Ultimately, "Return to Normal" is not a bad album. There are many strong tracks, and the album as a whole is eminently listenable -- accessible, entertaining and pleasant.
Its irritating affect -- cheaply imitating or quoting current musical trends -- is certainly a defect. As one continues to listen, however, these abrasive qualities lose their rough edge, and what's left is an all-around strong effort.
While "Return to Normal" may not stand up to Folds's classic albums, it is worth a listen.
