Yes that’s right. Ben Folds, the musician, and Nick Hornby, the writer, have teamed up to write an album together. While the album is still untitled , we do have a few tracks for you to preview. Apparently they feel that the legend of Levi Johnston needn’t die, along with Palin’s political career. Head over to the Huffington Post to have a listen to the ridiculous, yet hilarious “Levi Johnston’s Blues.” (Warning: explicit)
This actually isn’t the first time that Folds and Hornby have written together. Back in 2004 the duo co-wrote the song “That’s Me Trying” for William Shatner’s album Has Been.
Epic Records just recently announced that Ben Folds will be releasing a new album at the end of the month. It will be called University A Cappella, and it will consist of a cappella groups from various colleges around the country singing Ben’s songs. With over 250 videos sent to him, Folds narrowed it down to 15 groups and then flew to where they were for a four hour recording session. But not to be outdone by these university students, Folds recorded a couple of his own instrument free versions of his own songs, “Effington” and “Boxing.” Although he says that he has “a greater appreciation now for the university groups.” Because it apparently took a lot longer than four hours for him to record his contribution to the album. Considering the greatest moment of the one Folds show I saw, was him conducting the audience in a cappella form to finish out “Not the Same,” I am pretty sure that this will be more than a novelty item, and will find its home on the shelf right next to the rest of our beloved Ben Folds albums.
Tracklisting:
1. Not the Same – The Spartones from Greensboro, NC
2. JESUSLAND – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Loreleis
3. BRICK -The Ohio University Leading Tones
4. YOU DON’T KNOW ME – The University of Georgia’s With Someone Else’s Money
5. STILL FIGHTING IT – Washington University in St. Louis’s Mosaic Whispers
6. BOXING – Ben Folds
7. SELFLESS, COLD, AND COMPOSED – The Sacramento State Jazz Singers
8. MAGIC – The University of Chicago’s Voices In Your Head
9. LANDED – The University of Colorado Buffoons
10. TIME – The Princeton Nassoons
11. EFFINGTON – Ben Folds
12. EVAPORATED – The Newtones from Newton, MA
13. FRED JONES PART 2 – The West Chester University of Pennsylvania Gracenotes
14. ARMY – The University of Rochester Midnight Ramblers
15. FAIR – University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire’s Fifth Element
16. THE LUCKIEST – The Washington University in St. Louis Amateurs
so last night i attended my first concert of 2008. and boy was it worth the wait. i went with my good buddy fitz to see ben folds in tulsa last night at the reynolds center. first of all if this is an experience that you have failed to make your own, you must make it a priority. he is absolutely phenomenal. that being said i was still pretty disappointed and frustrated at many parts of last night. i think the problem mainly stems from the fact that tu students were allowed free admission to the concert. i have never been to a concert where people talked so much during the main act. but of course leave to ben to redeem a terrible situation like such. instead of getting pissed and just telling everybody to shut up, before starting “fred jones, pt. 2″ he politely informed the crowd that if it wasn’t quiet enough that he would simply start the song over. which he did. about 8 times. because people are idiots and that’s how long it took them to realize that he was for real. which i didn’t really mind to much because it’s an incredible song. while doing this he mentioned that he once played the intro to “brick” for an entire hour. but like i said he is such an amazing musician. and his drummer and bassist are pretty incredible too. the three of them would sing in a three part harmony often throughout the show. he played a lot of new songs which are going to be on his new album that he’s releasing later this fall, including one he wrote about the time that he got excited at a show in japan and walked right off the end of the stage and got a concussion. despite all of the TU bastards (song reference), it was a pretty great night. he finished by leading the crowd in a three part harmony that goes along with my personal favorite of his, “not the same”. even though he played the one song i asked for i still don’t feel like i can cross ben off the list, so to speak. because i think that he is capable of so much more and that he just played to the crowd. i think i need to see him in a more intimate setting, or with a symphony orchestra. so if somehow you have never listened to ben folds before or the only song you know is brick then please download this song and then go out and buy several albums and go see him live cause i can now say from experience he is one of the greatest musical performers around. i hope your ears bleed (but not really)
