Songs for Silverman [DUAL DISC] [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

Ben Folds

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 26, 2005)
• Original Release Date: April 26, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Dual Disc, Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0007WF1XC
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (115 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,022 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
What's great for Ben Folds fans —true fans, not the kind who signed on after hearing 1997's un-Ben-like radio hit "Brick" —is that Songs for Silverman picks up right where the excellent Ben-comes-into-his-own Rockin' the Suburbs left off in 2001. These are heartfelt songs: sometimes cheeky and occasionally heartbreaking. "Gracie," written in a hopeful key for Folds' young daughter, unravels to playful but brilliant piano plinks; "Late," for the departed singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, sidesteps straight-on sadness to convey a sense of lost camaraderie; and the clear-eyed "Landed," delivered in Folds' unadorned, tree-trunk sturdy voice, will inspire untold revelations for those stuck in stalled relationships. The music, meantime, maintains its sharp edge: "You to Thank" juts out with the help of a two new players in a celebratory jazz direction, while "Give Judy My Notice" dabbles in country and a chorus swells for "Jesusland." Throughout, Folds' piano work remains a pop-music goodie bag that defies duplication. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description
The DVD side of the DualDisc features: *Entire album in 5.1 Surround Sound * Making of the album documentary including home movies, studio footage, live performances, interviews and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A pretty cool new CD from Ben F., April 26, 2005

By	William Merrill "eclecticist" (San Antonio, TX United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Songs For Silverman starts off with a twist - the punchy, busy (...) a sign that we're in for an interesting ride. The music that follows is vintage Ben Folds - epic piano playing, passionate vocals, dramatic melodies, etc. The lyrics do seem untypically restrained on occasion, as on the gentle and lovely "Gracie," but I'm thinking most BF fans will eat this CD up. Ben has been very prolific in the past year or so, with 3 solo EPs, plus the "Bens" EP, PLUS this new album. I'm grateful that the Silverman CD has minimal overlap with the EPs. When you add it all up, the five discs of tunes amount to a mighty fine collection of songs. Ben's melodies and piano lines are more rich than ever, deep into Elton John "Tiny Dancer" territory. (Folds has never shied away from the EJ comparison, and has covered "Tiny Dancer" often in concert.) He and his two primary bandmates, Jared Reynolds and Lindsay Jamieson, have made things sound even better with some Beach Boy style harmonies, and strings come in on a few songs to add poignancy. Mr. Folds' albums are the kind that I enjoy more and more with repeated listens, and I can tell this new one will be the same way.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Ben Folds, May 3, 2005

By	Sam Paech "kazenzakis" (Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

All of Ben Folds' releases are intimate portals to his private life. While I loved Ben's previous solo release (Rockin' the Suburbs), I felt it was more an impersonal, engineered-for-radio release. Which is most probably why it had such acceptance in the mainstream market.

Ben's new album, Songs for Silverman, takes a different turn. The lyrics are much warmer and more genuine, and on the whole more mature (immature, irreverent humour was somewhat of a trademark of Ben's until recently). I have to say that while I enjoyed the old style Ben, I am thoroughly digging this new mellower, heartfelt style. There's significantly less rocking out than Rockin' the Suburbs, but old fans will appreciate his distinct style of ballad, resurrected from the days before Ben's solo career. The album is also pretty consistent in its tone in that respect, unlike previous ones.

To summarise, if you are a recent fan of Ben's and only like his music for the rockin' energy of the last album, you may be disappointed with this release. Everyone else though, you're in for some sweet lovin' from the Ben.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ben Folds album that we all knew he could make, April 26, 2005

By	Matthew Buck (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews

What a fantastic album. Similar in scope to Ben Folds Five's "The Diary of Reinhold Messner" this album varies in tone while maintaining a similar vibe. Rocking the Suburbs was a great pop album, but lacked any cuts which sweep your emotions off their feet like Ben's tribute to Elliott Smith "Late" or his anti-ode to the suburbs "Jesusland". Backed up by some very talented musicians, the album is filled with guitars and drums and sounds much less like a "punk rock for sissies" piano-pop album than any of his other albums. Compared to the singles he was releasing prior to the release of Songs for Silverman, the album feels much more completed. The biggest dissapointment on the album is "Give Judy my notice" which feels countrified with the addition what sounds like a slide guitar, it's really disappointing as "Give Judy my notice" was one of the best songs released prior to this album. Fans of Ben Folds and Ben Folds Five will be at home listening to this album the entire way through, it's consistently excellent, Ben's voice sounds amazing particularly when joined in harmony on Jesusland and even on Give Judy. The biggest drawback is that the album is so short, clocking in near 45 minutes long.

Long time fans of Ben Folds will already pick up this album, people directed here because they are fans of other music would be best served picking up this album immediately and immerseing themselves in the fantastic feeling that is being a Ben Folds fan.