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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Bastard | |||
| 2. You To Thank | |||
| 3. Jesusland | |||
| 4. Landed | |||
| 5. Gracie | |||
| 6. Trusted | |||
| 7. Give Judy My Notice | |||
| 8. Late | |||
| 9. Sentimental Guy | |||
| 10. Time | |||
See all 11 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. DVD: 45 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage from the recording studio, live performances and interviews with Ben Folds | |||
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Songs for Silverman--recorded expeditiously over a six week stint in Nashville with the emphasis solidly on capturing the veracity of the performance--is only the second solo album from waggish power-pop pianist Ben Folds since the disbandment of his famed former "nerd rock" trio Ben Folds Five. This time it's serious. Although prior comparisons to such a luminary as Randy Newman can never be considered disparaging, Folds' penchant for hanging out with wacky musical pals (William Shatner, Weird Al Yankovic) and for generally sounding rather facetious has seen him tarred with the same smarty-pants brush otherwise bandied around in the direction of pranksters like Barenaked Ladies. Finally, though, Fold's sounds less like a man who knows all the answers and more like someone who knows how to ask all the right questions. Displacement, estrangement, disorientation; Songs for Silverman picks up on the loneliness and brevity of life (one song mourns the loss of his friend, the late Elliott Smith) and lightens the burden with the kind of very fine pop music espoused by Squeeze and Fountains of Wayne. To wit, the superbly tragic-comic "You to Thank" casts Folds as the protagonist in a hopelessly premature teen marriage while "Bastard" castigates the willingness of youth to squander their blithe adolescence in the fast-track pursuit of adulthood. Even when Folds' fondly addresses his baby daughter on the Joe Jackson-flavoured "Gracie" ("Life flies by in seconds, you're not a baby Gracie, you're my friend") it's with a sense that nothing any good lasts long enough. Unlike this record, of course, which is to be savoured more with every play. --Kevin Maidment
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Songs for Silverman, Folds' second albumn away from the Five is a move on from Rockin' The Suburbs. This albumn is more considered and more mature. Folds has took a step away from the irreverant wit I love, but he has moved on to songs that are just as pleasing to the ear. Songs like Landed and You To Thank, show although Folds has moved more towards an adult- contemporary style, he can still knock out a great tune. Personally my favourite song on the albumn is Gracie, a touching, sweet song, about his baby daughter. it always leaves a big smile on my face and lines like "you got your mommas taste but you got my mouth" and endlessly quotable. This is a complete albumn and one that will please old and new Folds fans alike. There isn't one bad song on the albumn, but the first 7 tracks are all uniformly exceptional. Buy it, so I can live happily knowing Folds is being recognised as the major talent he is, still escapes me how he isn't huge!!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Songs for Silverman is a great album. FULL STOP. His best yet? I'm not sure - I'll have to see whether I return to it in ten years time. From the first track this album delivers some of Ben Fold's most complex and stirring melodies of his career. Everyone keeps saying its more "grown-up", which to me sounds like damning with faint praise; one of the things I have loved most about his previous albums is his supreme musical capability, mixed with an infantile sense of mischief. It doesn't have those lyrically subversive songs such as One Angry Dwarf, or Rockin' the Suburbs, but instead Fold's playfulness is channelled into the spontaneous weaving of melody, harmony and rhythm which makes each song totally distinctive. Like in The Ascent of Stan, ******* is a letter to growing old and those who value maturity above living in the moment. As with so many of Ben Fold's songs, surface vitriol covers a pre-eminent wiseness, and ******* addresses all those who grow old too fast and embrace empty nostalgia all too readily. Whilst not my favourite song on the album (and there are many to choose from - Jesusland coming out on top), I think it embodies the tension of Fold's developing style, and his resolution to remain free spirited. Trusted is a far more measured reaction to an event where he may previously have shouted "*****" and asked for his T-shirt back, but hey, if he stayed the same, we wouldn't have so many diverse albums to enjoy over again. Tune after tune, this album cries out to be turned up loud, Landed is fantastic, and Late softens the sinews in a way that hasn't be equalled since Brick. His ability to tell stories and create characters is still inspiring, and his live performances are electric (see him wherever, whenever you can). Why he isn't more popular, I will never know, but as long as there are a few people appreciating his brilliance, Ben Folds will continue to make music with which you can grown old, and remain forever young. Buy it!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Every time I get a new Ben Folds album, I wonder if it can possibly be as good as the ones preceding it. Yet, he managed it with every Ben Folds Five album, and has with every solo album since. Songs for Silverman is instantly loveable with excellent tracks throughout. I'm reluctant to select single tracks for praise, as this would be a disservice to tracks not mentioned. Although if I may, 'Gracie' written about Folds' five year old daughter is beautiful. Any Ben Folds fan will love this album, but I also feel people who perhaps haven't enjoyed his earlier records will too. Songs for Silverman sees Folds in a more harmonious mood, seemingly very content with life. This fresh outlook produces a brilliant album, both musically and lyrically. The bonus DVD contains some interesting interviews and behind the scenes footage, it's definitely worth the extra money.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Sadly Disappointed
Let me qualify this review -I am a huge Ben Folds fan but this one just didnt do it for me. I heard the single "Landed" and rushed out for the album...... Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2009 by Panda
at his peak
in my book the best singer songwriter piano man currently recording on the planet.a lofty claim but hey thats my opinion. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2009 by S. fraser
Genius
It's easy to see with these reviews the ones that are written by fans - glowing 5 star reviews that, once the hype of the album has died down, and the songs aren't any longer fresh... Read more
Published on 18 May 2007 by Sw Hogben
Best Ben Folds album? Definitely my favorite
This second solo album sees Ben Folds moving on from the more edgy, rockier sound of the first two Ben Folds Five albums, to produce a more mature sounding album which is certainly... Read more
Published on 16 April 2007 by Mr. A. J. Gay
Bens Finest ...
A must hear for anyone who enjoy's the work of ben folds, or just popular music in general, this collection of songs is fantastic from the offset and grows with each listen. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2007 by John Youngs
Two years on...
Two years ago, I started dating this guy. I used to stay over sometimes during the week, and whenever I did, he'd always get up stupidly early while I tried to stay asleep in bed,... Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2007 by L. Williams
An album you'll keep on returning to
Songs for Silverman is a revelation. There simply isn't a bad song on the album, it doesn't outstay its welcome, and the music is first-class. Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2007 by Jl Adcock
a wonderful suprise
I was very sad to hear that Ben Folds Five had taken the decision to split, and later, very pleased to hear that Mr Folds had decided to take up on his own. Read more
Published on 12 Jun 2006 by Sarah B
Join Ben's Secret Society - you'll not regret it
Why some singer songwriters make it big whilst other remain cult artists is probably down to luck more than anything else. Read more
Published on 7 April 2006
Oh Ben...
What cna we say about Ben?
off the back of working with William Shatner on his latest album, Ben set about buying a studio and working on his new album 'songs for... Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2006 by Mr. D. S. Cooke
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