Ben Folds is still rocking the suburbs.
Folds, who has been working solo since Ben Folds Five's split in 2000, is releasing a series of three EPs over the course of the remainder of the year. Each EP contains five songs including covers, collaborative efforts and new solos.
The first of the trilogy, "Speed Graphic," is now available exclusively online and at small independent record stores.
Folds' first solo album, "Rocking the Suburbs," proved that Ben Folds without the Five is no disappointment. The man on his piano (or guitar, as has been the case before) is effective with or without a backup band. On "Speed Graphic," however, Folds decides to employ John Painter on bass with Jim Bogios and Lindsay Jamieson on the drums.
A tendency persists for some artists to decline in their musicianship once they have garnered a certain level of success, watering down their style as to appeal to the masses. This is not the case with Folds. The quirky piano prodigy with a boyish voice and receding hairline still puts his whole heart into his music, covering a broad range of styles and genres.
The EP opens with a cover of The Cure's "In Between Days." The lyrics and melody stay the same, but Folds steers the song in a completely different direction. Fans of The Cure might not approve, but Folds' rendition is no insult to their work.
Folds' covers always are enjoyable, ranging from Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" to The Beatles' "Golden Slumbers" on the "I Am Sam" soundtrack, and here he prolongs his ability to shed a different light on other's work.
"Give Judy My Notice" is a newly-written piece that resembles the chord progression of the elegant but humorous "One Down" on Folds' live album. Unlike "One Down," "Give Judy My Notice" is a somber song about leaving a relationship.
Next comes "Protection," written with Anna Goodman. The style is reminiscent of Ben Folds Five's album, "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" and snippets sound like they could come from "Jackson Cannery," the first track on the band's first self-titled release.
"Dog," an upbeat tune about a man, his dog and his fears, was written with Evan Olsen a while back and never recorded. The song resembles Folds' signature combination of a light tempo (dog-walking music, if you will) mixed with heavier lyrics. A phone conversation with a woman is randomly placed in between verses, but Ben still makes it work. He deserves five barks for this highlight of the EP.
"Wandering" has some of the most intricate piano work on the release. The song is slow and mellow, if not a bit depressing. It was written in collaboration with Darren Jessee, former member of Ben Folds Five. This song also touches on the low points of love -- a topic that is actually rather uncharacteristic of Folds, as his lyrics are usually witty and sarcastic.
Regardless of what Folds usually brings to the table, there is no denying that "Speed Graphic" foreshadows great new things on the part of the piano master.
The next EP, "Sunny 16," is due later in September; the final release is expected in November. Following the EPs will come a full-length album in early 2004.
So hold on, Folds fans -- "Speed Graphic" is a little something to satiate your piano rock appetite until then.
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