I am currently in awe of this song that’s on the recently released album titled – Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella!. The song “Magic” is five minutes of pure musical bliss. I’ve had it on repeat in my car for the last week. It’s a rare and special moment when a great song is paired with an absolutely jaw-dropping vocal performance. The University of Chicago’s Voices in Your Head is the acappella group that performs the song. I can tell that the vocal tracks were pitch corrected and enhanced via ProTools but I’ll forgive them this one time b/c the resulting song is absolutely glorious. The tight harmonic clusters at certain points and the neat little walking bass counterpoint toward the end is just spine-tingling. LOVE IT. The album is worth buying just for THIS SONG.
The rest of Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella! is pretty hit or miss. “You Don’t Know Me”, “Still Fighting It”, “Effington” and “The Luckiest” are all well done but “Magic” is the obvious stand out.
From the back of your big brown eyes
I knew you’d be gone as soon as you could and I hoped you would
We could see that you weren’t yourself
and the lines on your face did tell, it’s just as well
you’d never be yourself again
Saw you last night dance by the light of the moon
Stars in your eyes, free from the life that you knew
You’re the magic that holds the sky up from the ground
You’re the breath that blows these cool winds ’round
Trading places with an angel now
Saw you last night dance by the light of the moon
Stars in your eyes free from the life that you knew
Saw you last night
Stars in the sky smiled in my room …
-“Magic” written by Darren Jessee
Listen to “Magic” via youtube - performed by The University of Chicago’s Voices In Your Head
Arranged by Chris Rishel
As a fan of Ben Folds, I’ve become accustomed to “cherry-picking” songs off of his albums. With a multifaceted singer/songwriter like Folds, you pretty much have to. I personally prefer the sad, introspective side of Folds over the snarky, juvenile side. and unfortunately for those like me, we don’t get much introspection on Folds’ new album Way to Normal. What we DO get is a whole lot of sarcasm and cynicism in songs like “Dr. Yang”, “The Frown Song” and “Bitch Went Nuts”. And I’m all FOR variety in songwriting but the majority of these songs simply fall flat and just don’t measure up to his past achievements. Even the epic centerpiece of the album, “Before Cologne/Cologne” feels half-done and doesn’t resonant as strongly as it should. For me, things don’t click until the last three songs on the album – “Brainwascht”, “Effington” and “Kylie from Connecticut”. “Brainwascht”, a bitter yet humorous response to a once trusted friend, has a fantastic hook that just won’t quit. “Effington” features a nice balance of Folds’ humor and “grass is greener” longing. The album closes with “Kylie” a beautiful ballad with cinematic flare. The instrumental middle section of the song is very well done and successfully conveys the internal struggle of the lead character. But those three songs can’t save the album as a whole. Plus the modern mix/loud mastering doesn’t help matters much either.
retroGrade : C
Way to Normal Artist: Ben Folds
Label: Epic/Sony
released: September 30, 2008
Produced by: Dennis Herring
TrackList: 1 Hiroshima (B B B Benny Hit His Head) 3:37
2 Dr. Yang 2:30
3 The Frown Song 3:37
4 You Don’t Know Me 3:11
5 Before Cologne 0:53
6 Cologne 5:02
7 Errant Dog 2:24
8 Free Coffee 4:01
9 Bitch Went Nuts 3:06
10 Brainwascht 3:48
11 Effington 3:32
12 Kylie from Connecticut 4:43
All songs written by Ben Folds
To celebrate Mother’s Day, I thought I’d share some mom-related favorites of mine in this edition of the retroblog mix tape. I hope you all have a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend!
that’s all right mama (elvis cover) by Paul McCartney Well mama she done told me, papa done told me too
son that gal you foolin’ with she ain’t no good for you
but that’s all right, that’s all right
that’s all right now mama, anyway you do..
look mama (megamamamix) by Howard Jones Don’t try to stick your rules on me
I wasn’t born as a carbon copy, I came out of you
But don’t think that you own me
I have my respect for you
mother, father by Journey She sits alone, an empty stare
A mother’s face she wears
Where did she go wrong,
the fight is gone, Lord help this broken home
holy mother by Eric Clapton Oh I need your help this time
Get me through this lonely night
Tell me please which way to turn to find myself again
mama (live) by Genesis Now I can’t keep you mama
But I know you’re always there
You listen, you teach me mama and I know inside you care
make me mommy by Ben Folds You go to your room!
You make me Mommy!
You go to your room!
You make me Mommy!
You go to your room!
You make me Mommy!
You go to your room!
You make me Mommy!
and as always, the files are hosted on mediafire.
please feel free to leave me some feedback.
. What we DO get is a whole lot of sarcasm and cynicism in songs like “Dr. Yang”, “The Frown Song” and “Bitch Went Nuts”. And I’m all FOR variety in songwriting but the majority of these songs simply fall flat and just don’t measure up to his past achievements. Even the epic centerpiece of the album, “Before Cologne/Cologne” feels half-done and doesn’t resonant as strongly as it should. For me, things don’t click until the last three songs on the album – “Brainwascht”, “Effington” and “Kylie from Connecticut”. “Brainwascht”, a bitter yet humorous response to a once trusted friend, has a fantastic hook that just won’t quit. “Effington” features a nice balance of Folds’ humor and “grass is greener” longing. The album closes with “Kylie” a beautiful ballad with cinematic flare. The instrumental middle section of the song is very well done and successfully conveys the internal struggle of the lead character. But those three songs can’t save the album as a whole. Plus the modern mix/loud mastering doesn’t help matters much either.
