BEN FOLDS (ABO #342)

BEN FOLDS
A FRIENDY FACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Often compared to Billy Joel, Joe Jackson or even Elton John, Ben Folds is a beast of its own kind. Sure, his efficient pop songwriting can make some people dismiss him as a major artist but didn't Burt Bacharach, Cole Porter or Lennon & McCartney got praises exactly because they were able to make songs with melodies simple enough that you can sing them in your bathtub?
It seems to me that, nowadays, that pseudo-complexity and weirdness are too often regarded as qualities while, and people who've ever tried to write songs know what I'm talking about, writing pop songs is not as easy as it seems and, adding it a grain of salt as Ben does, deserves more praise than most weirdo-artists do.
So, on "a friendly face in the neighborhood", Baistophe's compilation covering Folds' whole career, you should not expect anything but top notch songwriting and arrangements and great singalongs. I dare you not to smile a dozen times listening to this double set, I dare you!

My BEN FOLDS (FIVE) Top Three
1 - The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999)
2 - Rockin' the Suburbs (2001)
3 - Whatever and Ever Amen (1997)

RIYL:
Joe Jackson, The Beatles, Billy Joel and good pop music in general.