Ben Folds Five
"Self-titled" CD (Caroline)
Well, there's actually only three folks working on this disc, but they're almost mighty enough to be five. Ben Folds is something of a songwriting wizard, delivering tunes that are quite honestly punkish, while remaining hugely accessible. Christ, my mom flipped for this disc! Maybe because Ben plays piano in a guitar-driven universe. Maybe because the songs sound very much like Sondheim show tunes, although Ben's voice sounds too much like Bruce Hornsby's. Maybe it's the great lyrics - "I'm crazy but I get the job done." Whatever the reason, there's something fairly magical at work here, which I can't quite put my digits on. That's what makes this such an excellent recording. (PHILIP)