Flame Away

Nov 26th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Terp02

So as you may have seen on Facebook whilst this bastion of discussion was in a coma, I started a music blog, which I update every Friday. I just put up two new posts, both about Mr. Folds. The first is basically a recollection of how his music has been intertwined in my life, and the second is a look at the retrospective.

Read if you'd like, and all feedback would be appreciated.

The first entry can be found here: http://wp.me/p1YhYp-x
The second entry can be found here: http://wp.me/p1YhYp-J

-Josh

http://allnewcheapmusic.wordpress.com
http://www.myspace.com/cheapmoves
http://www.zanzibarscuf.com

Nov 26th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: m_v

Its good but there should be a review about the uncle steves

your moms go to collage

Nov 26th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: dustybooks

I like the non-Ben Folds stuff on your blog more, I guess because I don't in the end feel Ben Folds is as deserving of so much devotion and analysis as we once thought. BUT I'm just being an asshole over here. This is the first time I've really read anything about the retrospective and I have to agree it's weird that "Army" isn't there.

I do not like this movie because it talked about a man is crazy and his family is a part of incest family. The gray and colors film that bothered my eyes.

Nov 26th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: gooseman

I made a conscious decision to actively stop listening to Ben Folds

ilat.

also iawdbp.

iwiethiaa

THIS IS A HOMEBOY

Nov 26th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Terp02

m_v - Get me the music, unless it's in the dorgbox. I'll take a listen.

dusty - Thanks, and totally understandable. Hope you continue to follow.

goosey - zuh? (the last one only)

-Josh

http://allnewcheapmusic.wordpress.com
http://www.myspace.com/cheapmoves
http://www.zanzibarscuf.com

Nov 26th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: m_v

i was just kidding buddy, but it is in dorgbox if you wanted to :)

its just me, except for a violin and guitar track a friend did.

on a serious note i liked your time line of events, i can't remember half of the shows or what year anything happened, but i remember crying when ben folds five broke up. i didn't go to school that day.

your moms go to collage

Nov 26th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: +DrewMG

i've said it before, and here i go again - i don't think there is that big of a difference between ben folds five and ben folds. i think that ben was writing better songs in the 1990s than he was in the decade that followed, and that to me is really the only difference. none of the stuff by ben folds five on that retrospective is any different from things that he's been doing in the past few years. in fact, nothing ben has done solo sounds like a drastic departure from ben folds five in any way except strength of vocals and composition.

the only thing that ben folds five provided, as far as i'm concerned, was a filter for ben's songwriting to go through before a song was considered finished, and now he's lost that. no reunion show or 2-3 tracks on a retrospective is going to change that.

even the supposed album coming down the road from ben folds five is just going to be a ben folds record. maybe it'll be pretty good, but the chances of it being drastically different from way to normal or songs for silverman is pretty low.

first time long time

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: dustybooks

that's how i feel about old weezer and new weezer, and also the original star wars movies and the star wars revival movies. fans complain but it's all the same! nahmean?

I do not like this movie because it talked about a man is crazy and his family is a part of incest family. The gray and colors film that bothered my eyes.

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: +88 Kickin Keys

My opinion has slowly shifted that way too Drew, which has been a bad thing for Ben Folds Five.

it's not about what's better or worse it's about what i like more.

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: vosnos

i think that ben was writing better songs in the 1990s than he was in the decade that followed, and that to me is really the only difference.

that's a pretty big difference...i get that you're saying stylistically, they're similar but the disparity in quality shouldn't be ignored when comparing the two. and i don't think ben folds five would ever record something that sounded like way to normal

Circumstances have changed, Jerry

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Willie

I agree with Vosnos. Your opinion has been heavily influenced by what Ben and his music have become. BF5 was and is substantially better than his solo career, including RTS.

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: vosnos

hey willie

Circumstances have changed, Jerry

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Willie

hey vic

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: +DrewMG

I agree with Vosnos. Your opinion has been heavily influenced by what Ben and his music have become. BF5 was and is substantially better than his solo career, including RTS.

maybe your opinion has been heavily influenced by oversaturation to his music.

first time long time

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Willie

what? just saying that BF5, WAEA, and TUBORM are a lot better quality all around than anything Ben did solo, and unlike you I think it is a big difference, especially after RTS. I disagree with you. What do you mean by oversaturation?

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: +DrewMG

just saying when you listen to something a lot for a very long time, you tend to lose the ability to look at it objectively. it's not outrageous to suggest that some of us don't ben's solo stuff anymore because we're just burned out on the guy.

first time long time

Nov 29th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Willie

ok drew just to be sure i'm picking up... i was disagreeing with this:

i don't think there is that big of a difference between ben folds five and ben folds.

i think there is a huge difference. i'm being totally objective. i think he has too much pubic hair. fuck herman cain. secerets out

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Webb

i agree with you guys.

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Tuberculosis

You can also apply drew's defense to just about any two bands that are close in genre. Like if I played the Strokes and then Maroon Five and old folks couldn't tell the difference

X:If you could be a superhero, which one would you be?
TB: Jesus...
X: Jesus wasn't a superhero.
TB: He wasn't?
X: No.
TB: Ok then....uh....Teen Wolf
X: nevermind

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: +88 Kickin Keys

old folks

*I

it's not about what's better or worse it's about what i like more.

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Terp02

I think the fact that a lot of the earlier Ben Folds Five material had years of maturation before they were released. Also, I really do think that there is a huge difference between being a part of a band and having a backing band. Totally different working environment.

-Josh

http://allnewcheapmusic.wordpress.com
http://www.myspace.com/cheapmoves
http://www.zanzibarscuf.com

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Pointer

I credit Weezer going downhill due to Matt Sharp leaving the band.

Talking about Iraq**... my failsafe method to win any argument on the dorg*.
-I know what this war is about... I'm in Iraq**
-I disagree with McCain... and I'm in Iraq**
-I'm not a pervert... I'm in Iraq**

*I also give all of you permission to use me as a "friend in Iraq*" to win arguments outside of the dorg
**Afghanistan

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: m_v

old folks

*I

ilat

your moms go to collage

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Tuberculosis

Like I didn't set that up intentionally...cmon now.

X:If you could be a superhero, which one would you be?
TB: Jesus...
X: Jesus wasn't a superhero.
TB: He wasn't?
X: No.
TB: Ok then....uh....Teen Wolf
X: nevermind

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: tbonejc1

just saying when you listen to something a lot for a very long time, you tend to lose the ability to look at it objectively. it's not outrageous to suggest that some of us don't ben's solo stuff anymore because we're just burned out on the guy.

If his stuff was consistently good I don't think that would apply as much.

I can name many groups/artists who have not burned me out yet because they keep putting out great music. More importantly, they are GROWING and changing as artists, which I think is
Ben's bigger problem. I think he's stale and getting lazy about it, and the songwriting suffers.

President of the u of s a

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: emanstevenson

iawtbone

Eric: "What is this called?" (points to butt)
Korean Student in the back of class: "Nature Hole!"

Nov 30th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: ass

I think part of the shift/decline that hasn't been mentioned yet is he went from working within the BF5 confines of piano/bass/drums to having carte blanche instrumentation. Before, if something wasn't working, I imagine it would be pretty obvious and he'd have to rework it. Now he can 'fix' some of the songwriting shortcomings by covering them up with synths or whatever. Not saying this is the main reason, just one aspect that I haven't seen mentioned here.

I'm all for adding depth but only if it actually deepens what's already there. If he played something like 'Free Coffee' or 'The Frown Song' in a solo set next to stuff like 'Mess' or even 'You To Thank,' you'd really be able to tell the difference in quality.

I'm not suggesting he stick exclusively with piano/bass/drums, because that would be boring for both him and us. But don't start throwing a bunch of shit on top of shit. Make sure it's not shit to begin with.

LOL + c-a-r = D.O.A.

Dec 12th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: +DrewMG

I think he's stale and getting lazy about it, and the songwriting suffers.

pretty much what i said! i said that pretty much! flame away!!!

first time long time

Dec 12th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: dustybooks

with very very few exceptions ("fair" and "jane" being a couple), the only thing i get out of ben folds five songs now is a rush of nostalgia. i wouldn't mind if that changed but i doubt it will.

I do not like this movie because it talked about a man is crazy and his family is a part of incest family. The gray and colors film that bothered my eyes.

Dec 12th 2011 (2 years ago)

Posted by: Bill Murray

those are the two big ones for me as well, nathan. i still really adore bff though, even if i find myself skipping some of their stuff now. and i still think rockin' the suburbs (the album) is great.

mamma-mia!