Ben Folds Five

queer

Talented to be sure, but a little popy and slow for me

Ben Folds Five was one of the best trio performances of the past decade. Ben's powerful piano combined with Darren and Robert's songwriting contributions made for some of the most energetic and unique music of the 90's.

Ben Folds Five was amazing, and Ben Folds solo is no exception. Rockin' the Suburbs is my favorite CD, although the Ben Folds Live CD is a close second. Ben Folds is great in concert too, no one can say he isn't fantasic on the piano, and he's funny as hell. While BFF was best know for Brick I would highly recommend listening to some of their other stuff too, even if you didn't like Brick becuase most of it's different. I like the fact that Ben Folds/BFF has a variety of songs ranging from very emoitional (Fred Jones pt2, Brick, Still Fighting It, etc.) to more light-hearted songs (Rockin' the Suburbs, One Down, etc.) Personally I don't care what the hell he sings, it's almost always worth listening too.

The guy has no standards for what's worth writing a song about. He sang a song about how he had three more songs to present to the record company called 2.6 songs down, one more to go, or songs like rocking the suburbs or I want my money back. He really takes away from the aura of writing a song as some emotion or idea special enough to make a song about, don't you think? Anyway, I've seen him in concert and his piano playing is exceptional, but on his record, he often has really simple riffs and I wish he would blow away a little more, it would add a lot to the songs.

I hated that song about taking his girlfriend to the abortion clinic--and I support abortion.

When I hear this crap it makes me picure some 40 year old guy who still lives with his parents.

Yes, they broke up. Yes, Ben is still putting out GREAT music himself. Buy Rockin The Suburbs, then buy the next one, should be finished soon. This guy is hugely talented. At his show last year in Nashville there were lots of teens, college kids, all the way up to middle-agers touting him as the new piano man. I don't know if he'd enjoy the comparisons to Elton John and Billy Joel, but who knows? Maybe he's the updated, hipper version. Whatever he is, I'm buying. Incredibly melodic, hooky, thoughful stuff. Love it.

They were good but kind of had that college student know it all thing going on.

Are they still together???

Well, I don't know if I really think they're "great", but I can't imagine my age group giving them only one star! They're creative and have a different sound. My generation needs a swift kick in the butt to show them that music shouldn't come from a mold!

BFF does a great job of mixing rock guitar, drums, and piano. Folds' piano playing is the highlight of these guys (even better live - he plays two pianos at one time!). Darren Jesse's "Magic" is the top song of their last album, "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner". Now we can only look forward to solo releases. Sad.

I want to meet whoever taught that man how to play piano and kiss their feet!!!! What TALENT! I am SO SO SOOOOO disappointed to hear that they split. I need MORE!!!!!! More music from this band!

A musical lobotomy, if ya like 'em, go ahead... but man, when I hear 'em I feel like being spoonfed Gerber!

I never would have guessed that I would be a fan of a band whose main instrument is a piano, but Ben Folds Five is able to combine clever lyrics with catchy riffs to make some pretty unique music. His albums tend to combine some pretty funny songs like "I met this girl she looked like Axl Rose, got drunk and took her home and she slept in my clothes" with some heavier tunes like "The Last Polka - If he really loved me she says, I wouldn't have to be so mean".

Oh, I love Ben Folds Five. They deserve more than a 3 rating. ben's a talented musician (and a heck of a piano player), and they're pretty damn funny to boot.

I really like the sappy song about him taking his girlfriend to the abortion clinic - then I do not like anyuthing else.