or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
29 used & new from £2.20
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Rockin' the Suburbs
 
See larger image and other views 
Share your own customer images

Rockin' the Suburbs

~ Ben Folds
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
Price: £4.98 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, November 10? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
18 new from £3.75 11 used from £2.20

Special Offers and Product Promotions

Frequently Bought Together

Rockin' the Suburbs + Ben Folds Five + Whatever and Ever Amen
Price For All Three: £24.15

Show availability and shipping details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Ben Folds Five

Ben Folds Five

~ Ben Folds Five
4.8 out of 5 stars (15)  £6.48
Songs for Silverman

Songs for Silverman

~ Ben Folds
4.8 out of 5 stars (19)  £10.88
Whatever and Ever Amen

Whatever and Ever Amen

~ Ben Folds Five
4.5 out of 5 stars (30)  £12.69
The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

~ Ben Folds Five
4.4 out of 5 stars (15)  £4.98
Way To Normal

Way To Normal

~ Ben Folds
3.9 out of 5 stars (15)  £10.98
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Audio CD (24 Sep 2001)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Epic
  • ASIN: B00005NLGL
  • Other Editions: MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 12,252 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
   Ben Folds Music opens new browser window
www.MUZU.TV/BenFolds  -  Free High Quality Music Videos To Watch Or Share From MUZU.TV. 
  
 

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

On the evidence of Rockin' The Suburbs, Ben Folds' decision to jettison the two-piece Five that had backed him on four largely excellent albums has not, thankfully, resulted in any significant shift in trajectory. Ben Folds Five were only getting better as they went along, gradually discovering the confidence not to hide their musical uniqueness--there have been too few grand piano-led power trios--and lyrical intelligence behind Barenaked Ladies-style undergraduate gags. Songs such as "Mess" and "Brick" were harbingers of an extraordinary new songwriting talent, worthy of comparison to Folds' obvious idols Elvis Costello and Paul Simon . Only the title track harks back to Folds' fondness for comedy, and it is by far the weakest track here. The rest is mournful, reflective and, at best, quite magnificent: Folds' hymns to his family, "Still Fighting It" and "The Luckiest", are shot through with an honesty all the more courageous for its rarity in the alternative rock sector, and his character sketches ("Carrying Cathy", "Losing Lisa", "Zak & Sara") leaven their acerbic essence with a generous compassion. Folds' second solo effort is his best album yet, and the remainder of his career must be anticipated with equal parts expectation and impatience. --Andrew Mueller


CD Description

'Rockin' The Suburbs' is the debut solo record from Ben Folds. Smart melodic piano led songs which sound much the same as his oddball power trio Ben folds Five. Seventies stlye AMradio pop.

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

39 Reviews
5 star:
 (28)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (39 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars More majestic song-writing and pyrotechnic piano playing!, 17 Aug 2001
By A Customer
A terrific album! It's as if there never was a Five, or Three or Two for that matter. It's clear that it's really only been Ben Folds One.

This is emminently listenable and driven by the strength of Folds piano playing - in one breath delicate, moving and soaring, in the next aggressively punctuating his sardonic and humourous lyrics. The lyrics are honest and human. Folds speaks to us like only a handful of extraordinarily gifted song-writers: Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge of XTC, the guy from the Eels, Lloyd Cole and, I'm ashamed to admit it, but early Billy Joel from the 70s.

Gotta agree with Amazon reviewer; there's not enough good pop/rock out there that's got the piano as its centrepiece.

Personal faves amongst these tracks is Annie Waits, Still Fighting It, The Ascent Of Stan and Losing Lisa. But really there's not a bad song here.

This is a ultimately a personal and triumphant record that deserves to be added to your collection.

It would be great to hear this on radio. Radio 2 or even Xfm, are you listening?

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great songs, great playing, great album, 4 April 2005
By James Packer "jamespacker" (Chester) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
BFF had a (deservedly) loyal fanbase, so I guess many of them would disagree with me, but in my opinion this is a better than any of those released by the 5. A mark of genius in songwriting is to make the complicated sound simple. Ben Folds does this time and time again on Rocking the Suburbs, as almost every track features some of or all of: weird chord progressions, modulation, huge wall-of-sound harmonies, intricate rhythms and awesome musicianship. The fact that it all fits together so seamlessly, that it sounds so organic and un-contrived indicates that this is a masterpiece.
The range of songs is fantastic. Many sound similar to his songs whilst with the band, such as Gone and The Ascent of Stan. However, it is on the barer, more stripped down songs where this album really comes into it's own. Still Fighting It, Fred Jones Part II and The Luckiest are three of the most gorgeous, heartrending songs you will ever hear. In particular, The Luckiest is love captured in musical form, and you would have to be dead inside not to empathise with the ache in his voice as Folds imagines never meeting his true love.
Any song I haven't mentioned is still an absolute gem, there is simply no filler on the album. The title track is often slated, given it is not typical Ben Folds fodder, but it is very tongue in cheeky and hugely catchy, and difficult not to like. The first two songs sound lighter, and have a distinctly pop edge to them, but again have hooks to spare, and taken in conjunction with track 3 provide one of the best openings to a record I've ever heard.
His next solo effort is imminent, so fingers crossed for more of the same.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent album from Ben Fold-Pianist extraordinare!, 6 May 2002
By A Customer
This is by far the best record I have heard this year. Although I have always liked the "5", I found this album ensured that I became a real fan. Every song on this record is nothing short of fantastic, from the superb "Annie waits" to the beautiful, sad "Luckiest". Every track on this album has its own story, and each is excellent in its own right. Particular stand out tracks include the first track "Annie Waits", "Zak and Sara", and "Fred Jones II", the sequel to "Cigarette" on "Whatever and ever Amen" (an excellent Ben Folds 5 album). The title track "Rockin' the suburbs" is far from weak, and is an excellent break from the (beautiful) melancholy that consists most of the rest of the album. On first listen it comes across as an technically superb album, with some excellent hum along tunes. After a few listens, however, you begin to pick up the lyrics and see where its real genius lies. I would recommened this Cd to anyone, from existing ben folds fans to people who've never heard anything by him before but want something a bit different- and will surely become fans after listening to this record. I cannot recommened this album enough!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars I heard this album and was "Not The Same" again...
OK, I'll put my cards on the table. For me, "Rockin' The Suburbs" is one of the greatest albums ever made. Read more
Published 6 months ago by A. Sweeney

5.0 out of 5 stars Even better than the Five
This is a superb album that massively surpasses all the Ben Folds Five back catalogue in my opinion. Read more
Published 16 months ago by J. A. Marczak

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of Ben
In my opinion Ben Folds has never made a bad record but having said that this is easily his best - infact it's probably one of the best all-round albums I own. Read more
Published on 28 May 2006 by Nicky P

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely ASTOUNDING!
I only bought this album on the recommendation of someone on the Net and was really unsure as to whether it would be worth my £10. But I was not disappointed at all. Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2006 by teuchy

5.0 out of 5 stars Ben Folds - Rockin' The Suburbs
Probably one of Ben Folds best albums, still contains the dramatic piano solos but very good. It is better than some of his experimental early albums, so I would definitely buy... Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2006 by rummage20

5.0 out of 5 stars Ben Folds - Genius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What more can I say? When I first heard this album I couldn't stop smiling....3 years later I'm still grinning!! His talent is even greater when hearing him live! Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2005 by layney123

5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant debut from top pop writer
Having established a reputation as a talented writer of pop songs with his former outfit Ben Folds Five, Folds' debut solo album may take some people by surprise with its tender... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2005 by B. Marwood

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolutely stonking CD!
Compared to the Ben Folds Five records this is very much a studio album. This isn't the sometimes raw sound of his old band, this is the sound of a brilliant musician buffing a... Read more
Published on 20 Feb 2005 by Scale Wheecher

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent Talent
I brought this album on the strength of the live album.

What can i say i was not dissapointed an absolutely brilliant classic pop album. Read more

Published on 18 Dec 2004 by jakesnake15

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic
This is an extremely good album from the fantastic musician Ben Folds. After breaking Ben Folds Five, this is his first solo album. Read more
Published on 12 Jan 2004 by Mitch

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Rockin' the Suburbs
81% buy the item featured on this page:
Rockin' the Suburbs 4.6 out of 5 stars (39)
£4.98
Whatever and Ever Amen
6% buy
Whatever and Ever Amen 4.5 out of 5 stars (30)
£12.69
Ben Folds Five
5% buy
Ben Folds Five 4.8 out of 5 stars (15)
£6.48
Songs For Silverman / Rockin' The Suburbs
4% buy
Songs For Silverman / Rockin' The Suburbs 5.0 out of 5 stars (1)
Explore similar items

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject







i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Ad

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.