No. 32- Rockin' The Suburbs

Album: Rockin' The Suburbs

Artist: Ben Folds


Year Released: 2001









I really got into this album...
Summer 2007


Favorite songs include...
“Not The Same” 
“The Luckiest” 
“Annie Waits”

Why it’s so good... 
I liked Ben Folds Five. Didn't know much of them while they were together, but I liked what I had heard. And throughout high school several of my friends would occasionally introduce me to a Ben Folds song off Rockin The Suburbs, and I enjoyed each one but never thought much more of it.

Then I spent one summer with a particular small group of friends. And one night we decided to all drive out the Carefree, AZ to see the world's largest sundial together. I have a lot of great memories from that night but one of the things that has always stuck out is the music we listened to in the car. That is when I discovered what great music Ben Folds had done on his own.

Ben Folds is a pretty exceptional songwriter when you listen close. He has this ability of taking a format that has been done already- and quite well by a man named Billy- and completely recreating it on this album. 
I mean, I don't play the piano really but to me each song shows the use of the piano in an interesting an unique way. Ranging from the rock piano ("Zak & Sara" , "Gone") to ballad ("Still Fighting It", "The Luckiest") and the classic Ben Folds Five sound ("Fired", "The Ascent Of Stan").

It s just rare to find such a great group of well-written songs with such a solid range and variety.