Ben Folds Five / Sound Of The Life Of The Mind, The
Album: Sound Of The Life Of The Mind, The   Collection:General
Artist:Ben Folds Five   Added:Oct 2012
Label:Self-Release  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2012-11-25 Pull Date: 2013-01-27
Week Ending: Jan 27 Jan 20 Jan 6 Dec 30 Dec 23 Dec 16 Dec 9 Dec 2
Airplays: 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

Recent Airplay
1. Aug 16, 2023: That's not Bluegrass
Do It Anyway
4. Feb 02, 2013: Swedish Morning Radio
Michael Praytor, Five Years Later
2. Aug 10, 2023: down in the basement
On Being Frank
5. Feb 01, 2013: Time Traveler
Sky High
3. Oct 24, 2014: Time Traveler
Sky High
6. Jan 25, 2013: Time Traveler
The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind

Album Review
Be Sharp
Reviewed 2012-11-18
Ben Folds Five plays light, piano-based, alternative rock. Here’s their first new studio album in 13 years. (Their big radio hit “Brick” was 14 years ago!) Ironically the Five is a trio; all are fine musicians. Ben himself is on piano; bass & drums accompany. Ben’s singing is high & quite good.

FCC issues on tracks 1 and 6

1 FCC (“WTF”) Mid-tempo. Like a pop showtune. Queen-like lead & choral vocal. (5:16)
2 Mid-tempo. Beach Boys falsetto vocal. Wall-of-sound bass & drums. (4:33)
3 * Mid-slow. Lovely pop ballad. Good piano, nice lead & backing vocals. Dreamy. (4:43)
4 ** Fast. The mind of Sarah, a brainy teenage girl. Powerful playing. (4:13)
5 Mid-slow. Very pop. A guy is obsessed with Frank Sinatra. Sappy strings. (4:34)
6 FCC (“dicks”) Mid-fast. Silly glee-club sound. (4:15)
7 Very fast. Showy piano with retro honky-tonk sound. (4:23)
8 * Mid-fast. Good singing. Odd, intriguing story. Ben plays piano and organ. (4:15)
9 ** Mid-tempo. Sad, touching remembrance of his father. Very good singing. String section here (unlike in #5) is beautiful and adds perfectly to the song. (3:32)
10 Slow. Mopey, broken heart song. Maybe meant to be ironic; comes across dreary. (4:51)

Track Listing
1. Erase Me   6. Draw A Crowd
2. Michael Praytor, Five Years Later   7. Do It Anyway
3. Sky High   8. Hold That Thought
4. The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind   9. Away When You Were Here
5. On Being Frank   10. Thank You For Breaking My Heart