Whatever and Ever Amen

Ben Folds Five | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 18, 1997)
• Original Release Date: March 18, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002BOJ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (258 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,971 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces

2. Fair

3. Brick

4. Song for the Dumped

5. Selfless, Cold and Composed

6. Kate

7. Smoke

8. Cigarette

9. Steven's Last Night in Town

10. Battle of Who Could Care Less

11. Missing the War

12. Evaporated

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ben Folds is the Billy Joel of our generation, September 1, 2004

By 

Alan Pounds "Minnesota Hip-Hop Fiend" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whatever and Ever Amen (Audio CD)

Whatever and Ever Amen proves that the spectacular pop song craft of 1995's self titled "Ben Folds Five" album was no fluke. The songs on here can become very addictive. He pulls off these infectious tunes just as well as Elton John, Billy Joel or Joe Jackson; he is definitely a gifted piano man.

I did not discover this album when I was in high school like a lot of people I knew, but it takes me back there every time I listen to it. It is a great record, symbolizing the time when it came out in 1997. Ben Folds has opened me up to the world of piano music. He is the reason I love Elton John and Billy Joel so much today.

This album is just filled with stand-out tracks. I'm sure everyone has heard the very memorable song "Brick", about the struggles with abortion. "One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces" kicks off the CD nicely with it's fast paced rhythm. The second track "Fair" is my personal favorite. "Song For The Dumped" is a song that everyone can relate to. "Smoke" is also one of my favorites; I'm not sure what the instrument he is playing is called, but it's chillingly sweet. Then you have "Steven's Last Night In Town", and fantastic swing number brightened up with some horns. They mix it up so much, and still keep the guitars out of the picture.

This album is very diverse and has plenty of material to be loved by all. I would recommend it to anybody who likes any kind of music; is that vague enough?

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great album with filler tacked on., April 24, 2005

By 

Brian E. Kidd "geekzapoppin" (Southgate, KY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whatever and Ever Amen (Audio CD)

This album is considered by a lot of folks to be Ben Folds Five's best album. It certainly was their most commercially successful. Any way you slice it, it's purty darned good. This reissue sounds marginally better than the original release, but the selling point is ostensibly the seven extra tracks that have been included. Well, I'm here to tell you folks that they're not all gold. All of the tracks have been available officially and unofficially for some time and if you're a BFF fan, then most likely you already have them. "Video Killed the Radio Star", "She Don't Use Jelly", and "Air" are decent tracks but the others are strictly for completists only. If you don't already own the album, then by all means pick it up; the original is killer and worth the price alone. If you already have a copy of the original release, then the slight increase in sonic quality and the extra tracks aren't really worth shelling out another $15 to line the pockets of the record company. Go to Ben Folds' website and buy his recent EPs instead. He gets a much bigger cut of the money that way. ;)

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated Album of the Decade, October 10, 2001

By 

Michael Brendan Dougherty (Brewster, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whatever and Ever Amen (Audio CD)

The second release from the now defucnt Ben Folds Five is one of the best Rock albums not on your shelf. I bought this album along with three others one fateful night. I gave it one listen and paid more attention that night to the musical (if you can call it that) stylings of Semisonic. A few weeks later I popped this misnamed trio back into my CD player and fell in love. The opening track "One Angry Dwarf and Two Hundred Solemn Faces" was shocking to listen to because I had only known their one radio hit- the soft-core introspective "Brick"
The CD is great. So many reviewers note that there is a song for every emotional pitch. This is true- the tracks oscilate between frenetic energy (One Angry Dwarf, Fair) to melancholic solace seeking (Missing the War, Evaporated). Ben Folds Five is hard to characterize as a group because of their range and development as a group between their promising self-titled debut "Ben Folds Five" to their critically acclaimed "Rheinhold Messner."
This CD takes a few listens to understand- as it did with me. But this album alone coerced me to attend the best concert of my life- Ben Folds Five on Summer Stage at Central Park- accompanied by strings and horns- I managed to sneak my friends and myself back-stage to meet the band- way cool.
With the release of Ben Folds first Solo Effort since the breakup of this band we can see what Robert Sledge and Darren Jesse contributed to the group. Ben Folds Five was more comic and energetic- especially on stage- whereas Ben Folds himself (the creative force behind the band) continues in the direction the band moved in their last effort, Messner.
Having bought this album when I was 16 and now being on the cusp of 20 I must say that it changed my life forever. The infectious tunes are still popular at parties and I find myself returning to this album often to find solace. The songs express silly rage, regretful introspection,joyful adoration, and confusion. Ben Folds' lyrical genius is in his ability to tell short poingant stories- a lost art in modern rock.
Needless to say, this band -a one hit wonder by most people's standards- has far outlasted my naive interest in the pathetic but momentarily popular Semisonic. This LP should interest all struggling piano students, open-minded punk-rockers, nerd-rockers (Weezer fans) and pop fans who enjoy great songwriting. Get ready to jump up and down in raucus excited smiles and to perhaps shed a tear (if you are a wimp like me) with this incredible and powerful mix of an album.