Product 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.

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: #17001 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

Customer Reviews

The best of Ben
In my opinion Ben Folds has never made a bad record but having said that this is easily his best - infact it's probably one of the best all-round albums I own. It's hard to name stand out tracks because they're all so strong, but Annie Waits, Zak and Sara, Still Fighting It and the tongue-in-cheek title track are total belters. Can't recommend it enough!!

Absolutely ASTOUNDING!
I only bought this album on the recommendation of someone on the Net and was really unsure as to whether it would be worth my £10. But I was not disappointed at all. For an impulse buy, it was one of my best and probably my favourite album now.

The very first time I listened to it I simply fell in love with Mr Folds and could not stop an inane grin from appearing. I'm still grinning right now as I'm listening to it again! I always find it really rare to like something from the word go, it usually takes a few listens before I like it, but not this. Straight off adoration and loveliness!

Seriously, buy this CD, it'll brighten up your whole year!

Ben Folds - Rockin' The Suburbs
Probably one of Ben Folds best albums, still contains the dramatic piano solos but very good. It is better than some of his experimental early albums, so I would definitely buy this album with little hesitation. EXCELLENT!