Customer Reviews

Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

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2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This is easily the finest album that Ben Folds Five ever made. Like many records considered "a Classic," there are few songs that stand alone as being extremely powerful, though as a whole it is a masterpiece. Not that this trio has ever been known for making happy music, but this record is downright somber at times. The tracks are interlaced with one another, with single phrases of one song, being the main subject of the next. Going from track to track there is a coherence seldom found in popular music.

While an amazing range of emotions are expressed throughout the album, regret is a central theme. Regretting choices that were made and regretting the choices that passed him by, the character that Ben creates is amazingly introspective. There is little of the sometimes childish finger-pointing that went on over the previous works of Ben Folds Five.

The second track, "Don't Change Your Plans," is an amazing self contradiction in that the song's main character is in love with a woman whom he credits with saving him, but he is unwilling to "move to L.A." to be with her. He says he must be "why my heart says I outta be, it often makes no sense in fact, I never understand these things I feel. . . I love you, goodbye."

"Mess" is probably the best song on the record. He goes over all the things that he did to ruin a past relationship and commits himself to do things differently in his new relationship. This is probably one of the most lyrically strong songs on the record. "There are rooms in this house, that I don't open any more . . . dusty books and pictures on the floor. . ."

"Magic" is striking in its arrangement that smacks slightly of Simon and Garfunkel. "Army" is funny, not in a laughter sense, but in a facetious way. "Your Redneck Past" is born straight from a phrase in "Army" about his "redneck past nipping at [his] heels." "Your Most Valuable Possession" is a spoken word song that is recorded as if were on his answering machine. It is absolutely wonderful, and the music behind the words is rather cool.

The last three songs pull the album to a close that gives the album a very complete feel. "Regrets" culminates a life that was full of missed opportunity as laziness. So many things left undone. "Jane" is a good song that talks to a girl who is in a position to make better choices than had been discussed over the rest of the album. "Lullaby" is a great end to the record. It is a bit campy, and not wonderful, but it makes for a great closing.

Reinhold Messner is peppered with rather impressive orchestral accompaniment that is not pretentious or over produced like much of today's pop music. This album stands as the best effort in the Ben Folds catalog and stands firm as a record that could be placed along side of records like Pink Floyds "Dark Side of the Moon" and "the Wall" as albums best listened to as a whole.

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This, musically and lyrically, is one of the best albums I have had the pleasure of listening to. This is the album that got me hooked on Ben Folds Five.

I think that after the success of "Whatever And Ever, Amen" and with all it's energy, the group decided that it was time to do what they've always wanted to do: create a lush, full, and orchestral album that would make it's listeners feel the raw power and emotion that is Ben Folds Five.

Unlike their last album, which was full of anger, bitterness, and sadness (and much more energy), the boys went a bit more underground and mellow. Despite all of that, they didn't lose their sense of humo(u)r (i.e. "Redneck Past," "Army').

Other gems on the album include Darren Jesse's masterpiece "Magic" and the meloncholy "Don't Change Your Plans."

I loved this album after the first listen and I continue to adore it. Unfortunately, the album hasn't been embraced very well by either the public or hardcore Ben Folds Five fans. It's unfortunate because this isn't just mindless rock. It's real music. These guys have brought back the art of storytelling in music and I hope that they continue to create music worth listening to.

This is the last work of Ben Folds Five before they broke up, and in my opinion their most mature and cohesive album. The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner is loosely a concept album, and is one of those discs that you may not like upon the first listen, but that will slowly grow on you until you love it, not because of increasing familiarity, but instead because of the increasing depth that is found from repeated listening.

And upon this first listen, one of your first complaints may be that this doesn't sound like Ben Folds Five. That is true. Where are the tight drum beats and distorted bass? I agree it's unfortunate that the other band members aren't "used" to the extent they were in earlier albums. This album really doesn't sound like older BFF stuff except for "Army," but that doesn't mean it's worse. Ben has expanded the sound by foregoing the usual piano timbre on several songs and instead using a Rhodes piano or a special tack-hammer piano which gives the notes a muffled, percussive sound. This works to awesome effect on "Hospital Song," which was originally several minutes longer and was cut down for some untold reason (I still long for the full version to this day!).

The band has fused even more eclectic styles together and made their music the most progressive it's ever been. The incredible outro of "Regrets," for example, can only have been inspired by the slow groove of Pink Floyd. I also enjoy the jazzy bits in this song and "Your Most Valuable Possession (which is also my least favorite track, though).

I really like the feeling of melancholy that pervades the album. Also of note is that bassist Darren Jessee wrote "Magic," a great song about the death of a loved one. Up until then Ben wrote practically everything. In the end, all these songs have surprising depth, and the listening experience is a satisfying one. If you want to be introduced to Ben Folds Five, I suggest you first try their superb "Whatever and Ever Amen," one of the best albums of the nineties.

..not an ideal place to start for people who are unfamiliar with their music. Start with either the self titled album, or "Whatever and Ever Amen" - both are equally as accessible.

On "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner", Ben Folds Five shows a vast amount of maturation, both musically (bringing in a multitude of different instruments, and more complex arrangements) and lyrically (the topic of death comes up quite a bit). There are a couple of tracks on here that have that classic, lighthearted BFF feel, but most of it covers new ground. It's kind of a shame that the band split after this (although Ben Folds' solo album, "Rockin the Suburbs", is just as good if not better than this, so it's okay). It is a concept album of sorts, but not nearly as conceptual as something like "The Wall" or "The Final Cut", both by Pink Floyd.

1. Narcolepsy

A BFF classic, right off the bat. It's 5+ minutes, and features a number of different tempo changes. The intro is a long, breathtaking wall of sweeping strings, heavy percussion, and [obviously] piano. The bridge slowly builds up, featuring incredible vocals from Ben..it seems like a perfect ending - but it's not. Another slow building verse in which Ben repeatedly sings "I'm not tired", until the music stops, and a blast of heavily amplified bass hits you like a train for the outro. The soft/loud dynamics are unpredictable, but perfectly timed, and give the song an epic, almost progressive-rock feel.

2. Don't Change Your Plans

And another 5+ minute classic. This one is an absolutely beautiful piece of Burt Bacharach-esque chamber pop, right down to the fluegelhorn laced bridge. The majestic music overshadows the lyrics - the song is essentially a suicide note (it fits in the whole Reinhold Messner concept though..it's not Ben Folds speaking for himself, so don't worry).

3. Mess

A definite "Pet Sounds" influenced song - the harpsichord, the unusual percussion effects in the background, the strings. Like another reviewer said, it has a Western/Classical feel. One of BFF's most mature compositions.

4. Magic

A hauntingly beautiful ballad, composed by bassist Darren Jesse (but still sung by Ben). The verses and pre-chorus are all piano, building up to a timpani crash for the chorus. The instrumental bridge has a nice string section, keeping in the tradition of the previous three songs.

5. Hospital Song

A very short (2 minutes), almost segue-piece. There's not really a chorus - it's pretty much one [not very] long verse. It has a jazz/lounge music feel to it, with a laid back 6/8 rhythm. Works perfectly to give the album a different feel from other BFF albums (as if it already wasn't different enough!).

6. Army

This is vintage BFF: it's catchy, upbeat, and full of odd & amusing lyrics. They do cover some new ground by using a brass section (trumpets) throughout. It's pretty funny that they took the only radio friendly song on the album, and blatantly laced it with an F-bomb right at the beginning (although I think they released a radio edit that seamlessly replaced "F'n high" with "must be high"). But anyway, great song.

7. Your Redneck Past

Another lighthearted song with playful, amusing lyrics ("Desole, je suis Americain..please cook my steak again"). The instrumentation is unusual, too. It's based around a somewhat jerky, stacatto rhythm. Overall, it seems a little out of place, but it's still good.

8. Your Most Valuable Possession

Like "Hospital Song", another 2 minute segue piece. But this doesn't even have singing - it's an answering machine message (from Ben's father) set to a jazzy/loungey piano backdrop. Even though it's not really a song, it gives the album a cool feel.

9. Regrets

Another one of my favorites from the album; I'm surprised at the amount of people who have referred to it as "dull". The main melody is comprised of lots of rich major ninth chords, giving it a laid back, very jazzy feel, despite it's hypnotic, somewhat fast paced tempo (think "Steppin' Out" by Joe Jackson, but not as upbeat). About 3 minutes in, the song switches into an orchestrated outro in 6/4 time, with some thick bass, and nice vocal harmonies. I also must note that I love how the opening three words ("I thought about") exactly mimic the end of "Army" ("I thought about..the army") - right down to the piano chord (E flat minor 9, IIRC) that backs them. It may be totally coincidentally, but it's cool nonetheless, especially when the songs are played back-to-back.

10. Jane

A ballad that keeps in with the jazzy/lounge feel that devoloped over the second half of the album. It's somewhat brief (about 2:30), but it's effective, and one of the best songs on the album.

11. Lullabye

A wonderful song to close the album, with an old timey feel. It has some great lyrics, along with some bizarre lyrics (James Earl Jones is name dropped at one point).

Clocking in at just over 40 minutes, "..Messner" is a rather short album, but it still has an epic feel to it. It's very dense, lush, and layered, with lots of orchestration, as I mentioned. And with the exception of a couple songs, the material is much more downbeat and introspective than what is typically expected for BFF. In other words, if you're expecting an albums worth of "Song for the Dumped", "Underground", or "Kate", you may be a tad bit disappointed. On the other hand, if you're looking for an artistic maturation in BFF's music, you'll love this album.

On a sidenote, I need to start reviewing some albums that aren't favorites of mine, or people are gonna think I throw out 5 Star Ratings to everything. ;-)

Best Songs: Narcolepsy, Don't Change Your Plans, Mess, Jane, Regrets.

Because their 1997 smash Whatever & Ever Amen was so well taken, this CD sometimes falls under the category of `bad follow-ups' to reviewers. But despite those inane allegations, I think it is safe to say The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner is Ben Folds Five's best album ever. It's favorably intelligent, it's comical, and musically it's one of the most astonishing feats in alternative piano-based music. So in turn, it's very hard to find a low point on the CD; since all the songs are impressive, memorable tunes that will easily suit your musical fancy. If you liked their legendary "Brick" and/or Whatever & Ever Amen, then this release will be just as (if not more) enjoyable for you. And for those of you who wonder what the title represents, BBF inserts an "about the title" section into the CD's booklet; where they indicate their (genuinely spot on) intentions with its outwardly strange name. Anyway, here is a short summary of each of the 11 songs.

The CD starts with a delightful "Narcolepsy", which is a 5-minute look into the mind of a narcoleptic man. The song's lyrics are limited (mostly) to the consequences of the sleeping disorder. Yet that's not what makes the song so good. The music is what does that; you really have to hear it to believe it. As far as "Don't Change Your Plans", it might be slightly overrated. Although it is still very good--and was a single--there are other songs on the album that definitely outdo it. Still, it is a step up lyrically from track one. On "Mess", singer Ben Folds takes the blame for the mess he'd made. He cites `and I don't believe in god / so I can't be saved'. Funny, but clever at the same time. "Magic" is a slow song that features some of the best use of the piano on the CD. The lyrics are fabulous, and the `sha-la-la-la-la-la-la' chants are something we don't often see from Ben Folds Five. "Hospital Song" is good, but a little short; as it fails to grow into a real song. I'm not sure if it was intended to be that way, but even so it has some good `pessimistic-of-doctors' lyric. My favorite song on the album is "Army"; which is a first-hand tale of Ben and his thoughts of entering the armed forces. Its start kind of says it all: `well I thought about the army / dad said: son you're fxcking high'. It may be shallow to say this track is the best; since it has more of the fast-piano sound BBF fans are used to. But either way it is an excellent song with some captivating and fun lyrics.

The infamous "Army" leads us into "Your Redneck Past". This song has some of the most outlandish words that range from asking if we'd rather be Billy Idol or Kool Moe Dee to the French saying of `I am American / please cook my steak again'. It almost makes Jeff Foxworthy seem dense or even ill-advised (though not really). "Your Most Valuable Possession" and "Regrets" are probably the two low points of the CD. "Y.M.V.P." is of spoken word, but does manage to parade the fact that our most valuable possession is our mind. You might like "Regrets"; it's lyrics are good, but they just don't flow well with its melody. I cannot say it's a bad song, however I can't say it's a favorite either. Next, I think there's a lot of Ben Folds Five fans who'd say "Jane" is one of the band's hidden gems. And I can't disagree with that. It's an intriguing poem-like ballad that has optimistic principles and hints of true love. I like it, but there's a chance you might miss the point. Besides "Army", my favorite song on the CD is "Lullabye"; as Ben Folds illustrates perfection with a piano. Its validity or relativity to us may be misplaced, but it is a brilliant song. It's (on the surface) about an overnight flight from nowhere to nowhere smaller. I think some of the words are mind-blowing, as Ben Folds Five digs deep for some imagery we don't normally see from them. I particularly love the sanguine line `let the moonlight take the lid off your dreams'. In the end, it's an epic closer that could easily become your favorite song of the album.

As a final point, The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner is probably Ben Folds Five's best release; which I'd hinted to before. They use the always-loveable piano; as well as instruments such as the cello, violin, flugelhorn, and the saxophone (primarily on "Army") to make some of the best music of the late 90's. I don't think there is any question if you like Ben Folds Five that you'll like this CD. Again, many people may see this CD as a step down from Whatever & Ever Amen, but in time I think that myth will be put to rest. Every song on the album is good (if not excellent), and even the low points aren't really low points. You must have this disc if you are a fan of Ben Folds Five or of good music. It may not go down as, but certainly is, an amazing achievement in modern music history. The music is awesome; Ben Folds' lyrics are sparkling visions that will flow with ease through your mind and from beginning to end in your CD player.

With each album, the band moved in a different direction musically: in my opinion, it started rocky, poppy, care-free happy, fast-paced with the debut album, and steadily progressed to ben's newest album "Songs For Silverman" which is more sincere, slower, thought provoking, and piano centered.

So where does Reinhold Messner fall? Well, right in the center. If I had to describe this album in one word, I'd call it "Cinematic". The band managed to take their trio dynamic and molded it into something that is very expressive, very visual, and more lasting. Many songs sound as though a scene is being painted, and the coloring of the instruments and melodies seems more of the emphasis than just the goofy lyrics and rock-out solo work. In my opinion it's also much more layered (both instrumentally and vocally) than ALL of the ben folds/five albums. It's one of those albums you can listen to over and over, and still notice something new on it. Many of the songs change mood (and I mean, mood, NOT just volume) more dramatically, as opposed to all of their prior work, and the music takes you for a trip whether or not you're ready for it.

The melodies are still as memorable as all ben folds compositions, and there are still the lighter moments to the album like in "Army" and "Your Redneck Past". I would say "Narcolepsy" is one of the finest songs the band has ever written, and "Lullabye" is so relaxing and feel good, that I often pop it in the cd player after a long day at work for its soothing purposes (I have friends who used to listen to the song on repeat before going to sleep at night). Ben's jazzy solo work on the song is incredible too - it gets me tapping my feet everytime I hear it.

I think the album gets mixed reviews because of the cinematic quality of it. Its mood does shift around, and it doesn't make for the best cd to listen to in the car with friends who aren't acquainted to the music. But if you have an open mind, you'll soon realize how amazing the album really is. I believe it's a true representation of what the band was capable of at their peak.

I own and enjoy all of the Ben Folds/Five albums, and Reinhold Messner is a CLASSIC and my favorite of them all.

I'm so tired of hearing about people saying "This is BFF's last CD...blah blah blah...you could tell they were about to break up by listening to it...blah blah blah....they made a lousy last CD....blah blah blah" Well get over it. It rocks. It rocked when it came out - Still rocks today. Will rock when you have grandchildren. Will still rock when you are long gone. To the naysayers, I say nay.

It is hard to write this review, for words cannot do this album justice --- you simply have to hear it for yourself. The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner is Ben Folds Five's masterpiece, and a work of art that only a handful of albums can even compare to. The previous albums were outstanding, but this is deeper and takes their music to a whole new level. It is not the most radio-friendly CD in the world --- no mindless catchy pop tunes here --- but for those who truly enjoy good music, it is a must have. The opener, Narcolepsy, blew me away. It is a powerful synthesis of rock and classical music, the likes of which I have never seen before. Don't Change Your Plans is rather low-key by comparison, but is a beautiful song. Mess can be a bit depressing at times, but is still quite good, and Magic is one of the most sadly beautiful pieces of music that I have ever had the pleasure of listening too. Hospital Song, a melancholy number, is short but sweet. And then, out of nowhere --- BAM!!!! We get Army. I love this song. Here, the old sound of Ben Folds Five meets their new sound on this album. It is really fun to listen to, and I still walk around singing it in my head a lot to this day. Your Redneck Past is a goofy but thoroughly enjoyable song about a person who is ashamed of their roots. Your Most Valuable Possessive is actually a message left on Ben's answering machine by his dad while the poor guy was still half asleep, with some background music providing by the band. It's not much of a song; it's just really funny to listen to. Regrets picks up where Army left off, but with a different sound, and a fantastic ending. Jane is a softly-done song about being true to yourself which, while more than a little corny, is instantly likeable. Finally, we have Lullaby, the fitting finale the brings what Narcolepsy began to close, ending the album on an optimistic note. (This song is a personal favorite) As always, Ben Folds piano playing is first-rate, and Darren Jesse and Robert Sledge once again prove that they are more than just his backing band, but excellent musicians in their own right. This album would not have been possible without them (Magic was first recorded as a Darren Jesse solo song, in fact). The only problem I have with the Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner is that it was too short and left me wanting more. Though it will most likely never get anywhere near the recognition it deserves, I firmly believe that it is one of the best recordings of this or any era.

I think the main word that can assist people who have bought or are considering buying Reinhold Messner is patience. Like many great albums of all time, this album requires multiple listens to fully understand it. I defy anyone who tells me they loved Dark Side of the Moon, arguably the best album of the 20th century, on their first listen. This album is one of those gems which has just enough punch on its first spin to bring you back, and then the domino effect has begun. That said, I DO NOT recommend this album for first time Ben Folds Five buyers. Buy their albums in the order they were released, which remarkably, lead into one another while being completely different.

The first thing you'll notice, if you're a Ben Folds Five fan, when you listen to this CD is how incredibly different it is to pretty much anything BF5 have previously done. It rejects the immature, college style rock that was most of their second album (Whatever And Ever Amen) and replaces it with some of the most brilliant and amazing emotional piano rock you'll ever have the pleasure of listening to.

The only songs that can really be linked back to the earlier BF5 work are Army and Your Redneck Past. Army was the lead single off the album, and it's the most transitionary song. But even though it's the closest to the stuff off earlier BF5 records, it's still close enough to the rest of this album that it doesn't detract, or interrupt the flow. The fast bits are delightfully poppy, the bridge fun, whilst the slower section provide compliment and contrast. It's a very well written song. Your Redneck Past, less so, though the immature quirkiness will probably endear the song to the fans who liked Song for the Dumped.

From there, BF5 go on an exploratory journey through emotion, regret, hope and depression. Where you come out is really up to you - if, like me, you let it wash over you and really sink in, you just might love it. Don't Change Your Plans is, in my opinion, the best song on the CD. It's a classic piece of piano rock, chock full of emotion but with a beautiful hook. A brilliant song, and it's one of my all time favourites. Mess is a great follow up, and it's close as the best of the CD. Magic flows nicely, though it's a little less well written compared to the first. Still, these three tracks, running 2-4, are an absolutely amazing trio and pretty much worth it on their own. Narcolepsy has its moments, though it seems a strange opener. Regrets has a nice jazzy type beat to it, with a funky bass line that wanders all over the place as the lyrics roll. Jane is a little weak, a bit slow even for this album and it seems somewhat pointless. Lullabye is a beautiful song, with a gentle feel and some sweet, drowsy lyrics. Well crafted.

I have to mention two of the more unusual songs - first Hospital Song, which really does feel entirely out of place. If I'm going to skip a song on here, it's usually this. Simply because it's just a verse and some meandering music. Nothing special. The other one is Your Most Valuable Possession, which is a recording Ben Folds' Dad made on his answering machine, played back to some music. It's a much better track, with the voice over being somewhat interesting and thoughtprovoking and the music enjoyable.

The final track is an instrumental, and it's an interesting if somewhat deflating end to the CD. Perhaps the worst part about it is the knowledge that, when you hear it, it's the last track on the album...

Reinhold might not have the mass appeal of earlier Ben Folds Five releases, and it certainly doesn't have the songs that will rock the frat parties as WAEA did. It does have some of the most wonderful, beautifully written songs you'll ever here. Give it a go - it's not Ben Folds Five as you knew it, but it's better all the same.