Year-in and year-out, Ben Folds continues to do what he does best . . . write catchy pop songs and record them live. Although last year’s Way To Normal fell extremely short of expectations, Folds’ stage presence and cult-like fan base make every show a spectacle to say the least. When the former-Ben Folds Five-frontman asks everyone to step up and form an a-capella horn section for Army or contribute lyrics to a breakdown in Philosophy is when he really shines.
On University A Capella Folds channels this effect . . . only with professionally trained, university choirs. After contracting several college choirs to make new arrangements of his most famous tracks – Jesusland, Brick, You Don’t Know Me, Landed and many others. Nick Hornby told Pajiba.com, “I’d be surprised if you found a better album [than University A Capella] in 2009”, a bold statement with the amount of great music already released.
Schools from around the nation were tapped to reinvent the tracks and, at times fall into a lull in which you don’t know if it’s Folds crooning or a studio-produced, vocal layering effect. The hypnotizing effect steals the spotlight from the band and puts the emphasis entirely on the arrangements themselves. The melodies sparkle and the infamous Ben Folds charm is a little brighter through the voices of the students. The University of Colorado’s Buffoons choir was brought into the studio for their rendition of Landed . . . and end up creating an atmosphere around the song that makes the lyrics that much more intense.
Verdict: This album is a definite for any Ben Folds fan or anyone who loves amazing vocal arrangements. It would be hard to find a more original idea than this album. Worth every atmospheric, epic moment. Buy it!
Stream University A Capella at iLike.com
Track List:
1. Not The Same
2. Jesusland
3. Brick
4. You Don’t Know Me
5. Still Fighting
6. Boxing
7. Selfless Cold & Composed
8. Magic
9. Landed
10. Time
11. Effington
12. Evaporated
13. Fred Jones Pt. 2
14. Army
15. Fair
16. Luckiest
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