by Abel Horwitz
Daily Lobo
Ben Folds is not a rock star.
He doesn't write songs about life on the road, drug addictions or random groupie sex.
He's more concerned with writing about his wife, his children and growing up - all things he finds interesting and all things his fans have come to expect from him.
On his latest album, Songs For Silverman, Folds presents a consistently serious side of his songwriting. Gone are the white boy power ballads of the last album, Rockin' the Suburbs, or the hilarious covers of The Darkness he finds himself doing on his five-song LPs.
This progression to a more serious Folds shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has followed his career. While Folds can be funny - just look to his live album for proof - he leans more toward the serious side with each studio album he puts out.
Silverman is an almost diary-like glimpse into this man's life. In "Trusted," he sings about a fight he's had with his wife. "It's funny I know/I'm disappointed in you/I thought you could read my mind."
On "Gracie" he sings about his daughter falling asleep in his arms, and on "Time," if you listen close, you can hear backing vocals of his friend Weird Al Yankovic.
Folds successfully blends his skilled piano work and emotional vocals to create an album of beauty.
But this album has a strictly for-the-fans feel to it. With the lack of pop songs or catchy tunes, Folds is speaking a bit too personally for those unfamiliar with his work.
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This isn't a bad thing, but it isn't the album to buy if you're curious about his music. Pick up the excellent Whatever and Ever Amen by Ben Folds Five for a great introduction to his musical talent.
It's not just the songs that are personal. In the album's booklet are a dozen black-and-white photographs taken by Folds - further proof that even though downloading music is great, it loses the presentation.
While one photograph is a simple shot of a cat - assumingly his. Folds also has pictures of his children, his wife and one fascinating shot of a man awaiting an airplane in a terminal.
Another good reason to purchase the disk is the addition of the double-sided half-CD, half-DVD hybrid. The DVD includes a strings version of the album's first single, "Landed," and a documentary about the album.
Though not the most accessible album, it provides fans a glimpse into his world - a world in which Folds has grown into a mature and surprisingly normal person.
