Ben Folds is a silly guy.
Since July 2003 Folds has put out three EPs with his musician friend. His fourth, The Bens, will hit online stores next week.
Some would say putting out four EPs only months apart with a handful of songs on each is a strange marketing plan, but Folds, in his normal quirky fashion, thinks otherwise.
"Quietly releasing my music as EPs allows me to get it out there as I finish it with a minimum of hype," Folds says on his Web site. "It's for people who buy my music anyway. It won't be sold in the big-ass chains, because that puts the price up and starts the big-ass machinery - press, radio etc. Then I have to pose naked at the piano, and really, I'm not a piece of meat, you know." Any true Folds fan can appreciate that, but the EP is another story.
If Whatever and Ever Amen never existed The Bens EP might have more room to shine. But because we have all spent the last six years crying, laughing, getting intoxicated to and healing our wounds with lines like "give me my money back you bitch - and don't forget to give me back my black T-shirt," The Bens merely lurks in Whatever's shadows.
Sure, The Bens has its moments of silliness, and Ben Lee, one of the three multi-instrumental, multi-talented Bens, said the recording sessions were the most fun he has had, but unfortunately, the fun is not reflected.
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Whatever and Ever Amen factors aside, Folds, Lee and Ben Kweller have indeed produced a fine EP. It's not one of those can't-get-it-out-of-your-head kind of records, but the writing isn't crap and obviously neither are the musicians.
Maybe these guys just grew up, and the rest of us just stayed in college, and perhaps calling yourself "One Angry Dwarf" may be sophomoric, but that kind of writing will be missed. And maybe Lee and Kweller just couldn't get with Fold's comedy, or maybe Folds just isn't comical anymore. No one may ever know.
Those who aren't die-hard Folds, Lee or Kweller fans ought to start their collection with some older stuff. This might be the ugly child who only the mother can love.
