Track Listing

1. Anne Waits
2. Zak & Sara
3. Still Fighting It
4. Gone
5. Fred Jones Part 2
6. The Ascent Of Stan
7. Losing Lisa
8. Caring Cathy
9. Not The Same
10. Rockin' The Suburbs
11. Fired
12. The Luckiest

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12018 in Music
• Released on: 2001-09-24
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
On the evidence of Rockin' The Suburbs, Ben Folds' decision to jettison the two-piece Five that had backed him on four largely excellent albums has not, thankfully, resulted in any significant shift in trajectory. Ben Folds Five were only getting better as they went along, gradually discovering the confidence not to hide their musical uniqueness--there have been too few grand piano-led power trios--and lyrical intelligence behind Barenaked Ladies-style undergraduate gags. Songs such as "Mess" and "Brick" were harbingers of an extraordinary new songwriting talent, worthy of comparison to Folds' obvious idols Elvis Costello and Paul Simon . Only the title track harks back to Folds' fondness for comedy, and it is by far the weakest track here. The rest is mournful, reflective and, at best, quite magnificent: Folds' hymns to his family, "Still Fighting It" and "The Luckiest", are shot through with an honesty all the more courageous for its rarity in the alternative rock sector, and his character sketches ("Carrying Cathy", "Losing Lisa", "Zak & Sara") leaven their acerbic essence with a generous compassion. Folds' second solo effort is his best album yet, and the remainder of his career must be anticipated with equal parts expectation and impatience. --Andrew Mueller

CD Description
'Rockin' The Suburbs' is the debut solo record from Ben Folds. Smart melodic piano led songs which sound much the same as his oddball power trio Ben folds Five. Seventies stlye AMradio pop.

Customer Reviews

More majestic song-writing and pyrotechnic piano playing!
A terrific album! It's as if there never was a Five, or Three or Two for that matter. It's clear that it's really only been Ben Folds One.

This is emminently listenable and driven by the strength of Folds piano playing - in one breath delicate, moving and soaring, in the next aggressively punctuating his sardonic and humourous lyrics. The lyrics are honest and human. Folds speaks to us like only a handful of extraordinarily gifted song-writers: Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge of XTC, the guy from the Eels, Lloyd Cole and, I'm ashamed to admit it, but early Billy Joel from the 70s.

Gotta agree with Amazon reviewer; there's not enough good pop/rock out there that's got the piano as its centrepiece.

Personal faves amongst these tracks is Annie Waits, Still Fighting It, The Ascent Of Stan and Losing Lisa. But really there's not a bad song here.

This is a ultimately a personal and triumphant record that deserves to be added to your collection.

It would be great to hear this on radio. Radio 2 or even Xfm, are you listening?

Great songs, great playing, great album
BFF had a (deservedly) loyal fanbase, so I guess many of them would disagree with me, but in my opinion this is a better than any of those released by the 5. A mark of genius in songwriting is to make the complicated sound simple. Ben Folds does this time and time again on Rocking the Suburbs, as almost every track features some of or all of: weird chord progressions, modulation, huge wall-of-sound harmonies, intricate rhythms and awesome musicianship. The fact that it all fits together so seamlessly, that it sounds so organic and un-contrived indicates that this is a masterpiece.
The range of songs is fantastic. Many sound similar to his songs whilst with the band, such as Gone and The Ascent of Stan. However, it is on the barer, more stripped down songs where this album really comes into it's own. Still Fighting It, Fred Jones Part II and The Luckiest are three of the most gorgeous, heartrending songs you will ever hear. In particular, The Luckiest is love captured in musical form, and you would have to be dead inside not to empathise with the ache in his voice as Folds imagines never meeting his true love.
Any song I haven't mentioned is still an absolute gem, there is simply no filler on the album. The title track is often slated, given it is not typical Ben Folds fodder, but it is very tongue in cheeky and hugely catchy, and difficult not to like. The first two songs sound lighter, and have a distinctly pop edge to them, but again have hooks to spare, and taken in conjunction with track 3 provide one of the best openings to a record I've ever heard.
His next solo effort is imminent, so fingers crossed for more of the same.

Another excellent album from Ben Fold-Pianist extraordinare!
This is by far the best record I have heard this year. Although I have always liked the "5", I found this album ensured that I became a real fan. Every song on this record is nothing short of fantastic, from the superb "Annie waits" to the beautiful, sad "Luckiest". Every track on this album has its own story, and each is excellent in its own right. Particular stand out tracks include the first track "Annie Waits", "Zak and Sara", and "Fred Jones II", the sequel to "Cigarette" on "Whatever and ever Amen" (an excellent Ben Folds 5 album). The title track "Rockin' the suburbs" is far from weak, and is an excellent break from the (beautiful) melancholy that consists most of the rest of the album. On first listen it comes across as an technically superb album, with some excellent hum along tunes. After a few listens, however, you begin to pick up the lyrics and see where its real genius lies. I would recommened this Cd to anyone, from existing ben folds fans to people who've never heard anything by him before but want something a bit different- and will surely become fans after listening to this record. I cannot recommened this album enough!