Michael Abernethy - The Homegrown Snob

From one N.C. music hero and on to another…

There was a time not too long ago when I would have hailed Ben Folds as the voice of our generation. Songs like “Brick” and “Army” and “One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces” and “The Battle of Who Could Care Less” were slacker anthems aimed at Generation X-ers but spoke as much to us younguns coming up behind. Everyone loved “Brick” – a song about a surreptitious holiday abortion and its nasty effects on young love. Piled in my jeep junior year, we all sang along, failing to hit the high note in the chorus  and laughing hysterically.

A few years later, sans the Five he made his name with, Folds released Rockin’ the Suburbs, an end-to-end terrific album of songs that are funny (the title track) and sad (”Still Fighting It”) and often both at the same time (”Annie Waits”). In my opinion, it’s the best album Folds has ever made.

But since then — and this kills me to say — Folds has drifted into self-parody and lazy schtick and esoteric story-songs.

A recent live performance aired on Ovation was meant to build the hype for his new album, Way to Normal, which came out Tuesday. Instead, all it did was reveal how weak his songwriting has become and how impossible he is to relate to. Take “Hiroshima,” where he rambles on for two-and-a-half minutes about how much it sucked to fall off a stage in Japan and cut his head open but still go on playing live. See for yourself:

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Folds is an artist I once felt a deep connection to but who now I just don’t care that much about.

Part of me suspects it’s because I’m all grown up now. Other parts suspect he really has lost the thread (he’s set for life and has a family) and that he’s just coasting on his name. Only he can answer to those last suspicions.

But here’s what I know for certain:

1. Stack “One Angry Dwarf” up against his new single, “You Don’t Know Me.” There’s really no comparison. I mean, I could take it or leave it. 2. You could even pit “Jesusland,” the best song from his last album, Songs for Silverman, against “Rockin’ the Suburbs” - a paper-thin song that’s not held up that well.

I just want him to shake off whatever block he’s in, realize that cursing doesn’t always equal clever and ironic doesn’t always equal cool. The man’s the king of irony and wit and sarcasm. It’s just misplaced these days.

But before I’m too hard on Ben, whose best stuff I will always love, I’m gonna at least give a couple reminders as to why (and if his crappy old label Sony/BMG didn’t prevent me from embedding his videos, I’d give you a whole lot more).

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–Don’t Change Your Plans

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– Zak and Sara

Phew. All better.

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