Seldom does a live-music experience begin with a feeling of stodginess in the concert-goer. Brushing past little black-backpack-wearing, social studies-taking fans, I found myself remarking on the good ol' days of '96, when they got big but not big, and were on Caroline records, and look at his new following--I'm sure they don't appreciate the music and lyrics as much as I do, the seasoned fan. However, upon hearing Ben Folds' clever and heartfelt lyrics and energetic and skilled piano licks, I realized that there were more than just inklings of Ben Folds' previous Five in his new solo effort and album Rockin' the Suburbs, and maybe these fresh-faced fans were wise beyond their years and actually liked legitimately good music at such a tender age.
Joined by three fellow Chapel Hillers on bass, guitar and drums, and featuring Folds switching among the ivories, guitar and a red plastic keyboard that dangled from his neck (while on the album he basically plays all instruments himself), the outfit masterfully conveyed the range of tempos and moods that Folds was ace at accomplishing even in his guitar-less Five days. But this time around, the introduction of the new slick guitar allows for songs to operate on more levels, while trademark romantic ballads remain pure and piano-aided, simple and beautiful. Additionally, Folds introduces growing up and aging motifs into his repertoire, from the bluntly honest "Still Fighting It" to the gentle and depressing "Fred Jones Part Two" ("Fred sits alone at his desk in the dark/ There's an awkward young shadow, waits in the hall/ Cleared all his things and he's put them in boxes/ Things that remind him that life has been good").
Though his lyrics are smart and the music often catchy, Folds' music is not gimmicky (with the exception of the hit title track "Rockin' the Suburbs," which begins, "Let me tell y'all what its like being male, middle class and white," and continues, "I'm rockin' the suburbs, just like Quiet Riot did," the lyrics a bit anachronistic to be sung by the rap-metal generation crowd). And with 35-year-old Folds' old school Vans, a thrift store ringer T that reads "Virginia is for Lovers" and his occasional sporting of dark-framed glasses, Folds has the potential to become a geek chic icon for the new MTV generation--but he's just so much cooler than that.
So maybe said hit song just screams for immature fans who probably don't know his other songs or remember his past efforts--maybe he just wrote "Rockin' the Suburbs" because it's fun and catchy and had no intention of "selling-out," or maybe Ben Folds Five fans and Ben Folds fans have clashing ideals... or maybe I'm just lame for even trying to figure this out. Folds' style shouldn't be analyzed; he is who he is, shares what he thinks about, tells stories, and is an extremely talented musician. He simply makes the music he wants to make, and it's brilliant.
