Ben Folds - 'Songs For Silverman' (Epic Records) Released 25/04/05

It’s been quite a while since ‘Rocking The Suburbs’ invaded the UK charts. Since it’s release Ben Folds has put out a live CD/DVD, produced an album for Star Trek’s William Shatner, released several 'internet only' EPs, re-released Ben Folds Five’s seminal ‘Whatever And Ever Amen’ album and therefore added more fuel to the Ben Folds Five reunion fire.

Ben Folds Five combined the mad-capped humour of The Monkees (with the subtle knowingness of their ‘Head’ period) with the infectious bar room confessional Piano of Billy Joel, the alternative/artful credibility of The Flaming Lips and the everyman-quality of Elton John. After their 3rd (official) album ‘The Unauthorised Biography Of Reinhold Messner’ they had decided to call it a day. The album wasn’t necessarily a disappointment, but it’s more sombre and epic sound did show a new found maturity in the band and something perhaps the trio didn’t feel completely confident with; Ben Folds has carried this style change through his solo releases whereas the other guys have seemingly vanished off of the face of the planet. Although the solo career hasn’t climbed the same dizzying heights of His Ben Folds Five material it has still held it’s own…until now.

While songs like ‘Jesusland’ sound like a Pete Townsend demo from the ‘Who’s Next’ sessions, with the rolling piano and driving drums giving it a sparse and chilling quality no matter how warm and loving the Beach Boys/Neil Young harmonies are, and opener ‘Bastard’ with it’s gorgeous hybrid of Grand Drive melancholy and Goldrush’s waywardness, the rest of the songs veer to close to the middle of the road, and although there is a slightly ironic quality to it, the songs aren’t really strong enough to keep the album from turning incredibly dull in places.

In truth, the edge has gone, the humour seems to have all but gone, and what made him so special now seems to be replaced with some sort of musical midlife crisis… Just because your body grows older, it doesn’t mean you have to too!