Fired

Ben Folds is possibly my favorite artist of all time; therefore, he occupies the space of Music Recommendation Post #1. Fired comes off of one of his first solo albums, Rockin' the Suburbs, and is one of my personal favorites. This song best combines Folds' underlying jazz/ragtime themes into an quick-paced, upbeat song that goes beautifully with some of the most witty lyrics describing the clinically insane Lucretia. One common thread among a lot of Ben Folds songs--and trust me, there will be more--is an interlude he usually takes to display considerable keyboard skills about halfway through the piece. For this piece, it goes from about 2:05 to 2:26 and is sheer syncopated goodness.




If you feel so inclined to download Fired, be warned that it is basically the Macaroni-n'-Cheese of the music world, and primarily a feel good piece, but the fact that Ben Folds almost as an underlying current of sadness in all of his pieces makes it relatable at pretty much anytime. In case you become addicted to Ben Folds songs and start looking out for some more of his music, you should know that they're pretty much all good.

Even though I will be referencing more of his songs continually, here are some basic guidelines. Start out with a little Ben Folds Five, Ben Fold's original group and try out Whatever and Ever Amen, one of their most popular albums. Rockin' the Suburbs, Supersunnyspeedygraphic and  Songs for Silverman are also fantastic. Ben Folds is now in his late forties, doesn't tour much anymore, except for some Ben Folds Five reunion gigs and he is a judge on the a-cappella show The Sing Off. His latest work is in Lonely Avenue but please don't start with that album. He co-wrote it with Nick Hornby and while the music is still fantastic, Hornby's lyrics don't even start to compare with the cynical melancholy of Folds' earlier works. OK enough. There will be more. Enjoy Fired.