Ben Folds (commercial site | fan site) of former Ben Folds Five fame (and currently of his own solo fame) is a frickin' genius. I've always liked the Ben Folds Five songs, especially Magic, Mess, Army, and Brick. The famous ones. Magic and Mess especially because they're both depressing as hell. After going solo, I'm terrifically glad he keeps the same sort of depressive subject for his songs on his Rockin' the Suburbs album.

I've just been listening to the album and been amazed at how many of the songs on it I like. I think I might buy the album ;) I've also always liked the harmonic vocabulary of Ben Folds. He's a nut on the piano and he actually uses interesting chords that are just freaking wonderful in their simplicity. I'm also just a big fan of Ben Folds's voice. So all things considered, I guess I'm a Ben Folds (Five) fan. Very few bands I actually like as a whole...of the random ones I've liked in the not-too-distant past: Offspring for various albums, Fuel, Guster, and Ben Folds Five. Not exactly a common thread through all those bands.

And that duet on the third verse of Gone is just effective...as effective as the creepy third verse of Carrying Cathy. Go take a listen. Simply great stuff.

And, to add to all of it, Rockin' the Suburbs (one of the funnier tracks on the album) was directed by Weird Al. Interesting.

I still want my computer! not coming until Thursday though...