Category: Music

In late 2003 through early 2004 Ben Folds churned out three EPs under the radar. Speed Graphic, Sunny 16 and Super D each contain five songs, mainly originals with a few covers mixed in.

ben here. i just finished an EP. it’s called “speed graphic”. it has 5 songs on it. it is available now and i’m currently working on finishing another EP called “sunny 16”, to be released in september. a third EP will be recorded (no name yet) for release in november. a trilogy of EP’s. a full length cd will come out at the beginning of the year, for those who don’t like EP’s. i have 24 hour access to a studio now, so i’m using it.

quietly releasing my music as EP’s allow me to get it out there as i finish it. with a minimum of hype. it’s for people who buy my music anyway. it won’t be sold in the big ass chains, because that puts the price up and starts the big ass machinery – press, radio etc. then i have to pose naked at the piano, and really, i’m not a piece of meat, you know. the music will be available at gigs, and online, and on vinyl in some smaller stores.

The only song off of these EPs to make it to his next album, Songs For Silverman, was “Give Judy My Notice” off of Speed Graphic. So most of these songs you can’t get anywhere else.

I’m a pretty big Ben Folds fan but I missed these. I heard “Rent A Cop” off of Super D through Pandora and thought it must have been a b-side. Nope, entirely separate EP, which also contains a cover of The Darkness’s “Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman” and Ray Charles’s “Them That Got”. “Rent A Cop” is a great little diddy about a mall security guard and funny as hell.

All three of these give a good musical transition from his first solo effort in Rockin’ The Suburbs to his latest album Songs for Silverman. And if you’re not a Ben Folds fan, well, please, try and listen to something other than “Brick”. 90% of folks I talk to that don’t like Ben Folds specifically name that song as why and, well, I can’t blame them. Overkill at its finest.

Another Ben Folds find I’ve made as of late comes off of the Rockin’ The Suburbs EP. About six years back I caught Ben Folds Five live at an Earth Day festival down here in Richmond. Guster played as well as did a very crappy band that took up what I guess was the second stage and played really horrible songs. Pre-Irish-rip-off Carbon Leaf. Ugh.

Anyway, during their set, BFF played a song about a gentleman who wanted cream of wheat and then went on this late night urban adventure. Great song. But I had no idea what the name was and went years without finding the tune.

About a year ago I was poking around the web for music and such and came across a site of rare Ben Folds songs. They’d offer a few at a time, sweet stuff. One was a song called “The Secret Life of Morgan Davis”. Jackpot.

So I give to you “Rent A Cop” and “The Secret Life Of Morgan Davis”. These are hardly representative of the full joy that is Ben Folds but it’s a start.

Quick note, I’m not that good at writing reviews and summaries. If I dig a cd and want other people to listen to it, I usually just lend it to them, let the music speak for itself. But since that’s not technically legal here on the World Wide Web, I’ve gotta try and hype this stuff. So just trust me when I say it’s good and worth an investment. If you buy it and hate it, let me know why cause you’re crazy.

Honorable Mentions:
Beck – “Guero”
22-20’s – “22-20’s”
Oasis – “Don’t Believe The Truth”
Franz Ferdinand – “You Could Have It So Much Better”
Ben Folds – “Songs For Silverman”

5. Tim Williams – Tales of Digression
The more I listen to this the more I dig it. The strong emotion Williams puts into each song shows. It’s light, a lot of acoustic guitar, and good background/chillin’ music. If you’re in a good mood it might be a bit of a downer, if you’re just neutral or down and out, it doesn’t feed but it certainly reflects.
Tracks of choice – Heartstrings, Not A Sound, Not That Hard

4. Giant Drag – Hearts And Unicorns
I’ve got a thing for girl singers of rock. Well, I’ve got a thing for girls in general, but girls that rock, that’s just a thing I can’t explain. Giant Drag’s first mainstream effort’s pretty solid, the guitar work’s nice and straight forward as Annie Hardy (mmmm…) has a grasp on what she does well and she does it. Just a rockin’ album with a cute front.
Tracks of choice – Cordial Invitation, Blunt Picket Fence, Everything’s Worse

3. Spoon – Gimmie Fiction
Why this band is not better known is beyond me. “Gimmie Fiction” just blows me away. These guys have a strong grasp on how to rock out while keeping it mellow enough as to fit any mood.
Tracks of choice – I Turn My Camera On, The Delicate Place, They Never Got You

2. Death Cab For Cutie – Plans
My first taste of DCFC proper coming right on the heels of my purchase of Postal Service’s “Give Up”. Top to bottom, a great album that mixies amazingly visual lyrics with lowkey music. Quite frankly, DCFC was my musical discovery of the year. I’ve grabbed some of their older albums and have yet to be disappointed.
Tracks of choice – I Will Follow You Into The Dark, Crooked Teeth, What Sarah Said

1. Ryan Adams and The Cardinals – Jacksonville City Nights
Out of the trilogy Ryan Adams churned out this year, JCN stands out as the best of the bunch. A nice, mellow album that has some great roots country and a couple almost jazzy numbers that just create a solid album.
Tracks of choice – Dear John (Nora Jones duet), Games, PA

I am spending WAY too much money on music this Summer…

Limbeck – “Hi, Everything’s Great”
Great alt-country group I just had recomended to me today by a clerk at Plan 9. Guy was dead on about how good these guys were. And not only are they live at the Nanci Raygun Tuesday night, but if you get this at Plan 9 in Richmond it come with “Hi, Everything’s Good”, a live acoustic version of the whole album.

Giant Drag – Hearts and Unicorns
due out 9/13 – yea pre-release! Jericho first pointed me towards this group and all I have to say is, man, do I love cute rocker chicks.

Death Cab For Cutie – Plans
I recently discovered Death Cab by way of The Postal Service (same front man). Great low key album that’s solid start to finish. Can’t get it out of my head. Good stuff.

Iron and Wine/Calexico – “In The Reigns”
Out September 13th, GREAT album, nice and mellow

Money was burning a hole in my pocket so I hit the music store. Today’s purchases were directly infleunced by the likes of Jer and a new friend. Well, two of them were.

Interpol – “Turn On The Bright Lights”

The Postal Service – “Give Up”

Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies – “Have A Ball”

Bloc Party – “Silent Alarm”

All of these are EXCELLENT albums. I’m set for a while now, I hope. This is expensive…

Jason Kenney: Without Sidewalks

I wonder if I’m any good?

7/21 12:48pm UPDATE: Actually, he’s not half bad. Just depends on if you like the style. Something about his vocals is a little off, but he’s a kid so give him time, could be damn good in a couple years. Guy can play the guitar, though. You too can listen here.

Tonight at 8pm EST you can catch the newest Under The Covers. Got stuff lined up from Tori Amos, Reel Big Fish, Duran Duran and maybe a little Jackie Chan.

On a side note, I heard a kick ass cover of Britney Spears’s “Hit Me Baby One More Time” at a restaurant but no one working there had any idea who the artist was (and no one looked, either). So, does anyone out there know of a guy doing a live acoustic version of this where the crowd sings along at the high pitched parts? If you can find it, I’ll give you a cookie. And a shout out on the air. Maybe more, depends on how generous I’m feeling. FOUND IT! Thanks to Jason Tippitt for pointing me to Travis for doing the cover. Expect to hear this one next week.

Catch you all later tonight.

Let’s take a look at Rolling Stone’s 50 Coolest and 50 Uncoolest in comparrison to my music collection:

Coolest:

The Rolling Stones’ Aftermath

Uncoolest:

Weezer’s Weezer

Barenaked Ladies’ Gordon

Man, I suck.

That had to be one of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen. The visuals were amazing and, as usual, Tool rocked! The seats were pretty good, club level to the band’s left and we could see everything. While it would have been nice to be down in the crowd jumping around and getting my ass kicked, it ruled just sitting up there and watching the band and the wave of people. Awesome show. More later, I’m in a hurry.

Hope everyone’s having a good weekend.