Review by MusicBox
3½ stars out of 4
Ben Folds Five have released four albums since 1995, but it's hard to find
a fan who won't admit the best by far is their debut, self-titled album.
This fabulously written and orchestrated record takes the piano driven
pop of frontman Ben Folds and the harmonies of Robert Sledge and Darren
Jessee and blend them into a musical melee that couldn't be more pleasing
to the ears if it tried.
The music world has never seen an act like this. Folds writes lyrics that
are universal. He puts to music what everyone only wishes they could
express. The classic piano creates a romantic backdrop while the beat
of Jessee's drums and the hum of Sledge's bass take an almost orchestrated
piece and mold it into pure pop pleasure. From the upbeat Philosophy in
which Folds declares "go ahead and laugh all you want, cause I got my
philosophy," to the self-assuring ballad Alice Childress that draws from
Folds' discomfort with the world, it's hard to come upon a move diversely
nique album. Folds, Jessee, and Sledge are just three musicians, but
when they come together, their music will send chills up your spine.
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