Ben Folds University A Cappella
The typical fare in this here Pick of the Week have been mostly independent, Canadian bands, with a few exceptions (Bowerbirds, The Antlers, Glasvegas); but mostly, as my buddy Kurtis would say, they have been bands from Woodstock, Ontario who need haircuts (note: I’m pretty sure I’ve never written about a band actually from Woodstock). Either way, it felt like it was time to mix things up a little bit with the PotW, and there is probably nothing further from what I usually write about than the barbershop a cappella’s of Ben Folds‘ quirky pop songs.
I used to be a Huge (hence the capitalization) Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five/The Bens fan; like, with a couple of friends I (someone else) drove 5-6-7 hours to see him in some college gymnasium in Oswego, NY, kind of liked him. Now, not so much. I mean, I still think Rockin’ the Suburbs, Ben Folds Live, Whatever and Ever Amen are terrific albums – especially BFL – but if this were another Ben Folds album I probably wouldn’t have even bothered to download it.
However (as the title of the album suggests) Ben Folds Presents University A Cappella is most certainly not a run of the mill Ben Folds album. It is (as the title of the album suggests) a collection of University A Cappella groups covering the work of BF. The songs are strategically selected from the entire BF catalogue, which unfortunately means that there are a smattering of songs from Songs for Silverman and (barf) Way to Normal. The vomit inducing songs from Way to Normal notwithstanding, the album is pretty serious amount of fun… if you’re a fan of Ben Folds, The Be Sharps, or Andy Bernard (who someone has created a myspace for, awesome) then you are going to want someone to beer you this disc.
[mp3] Ben Folds – You Don’t Know Me (ft. Regina Spektor)
See the University A Cappella Documentary (15 mins on Youtube) here.
Tags: album
I just like the video for this song. Tim & Eric rule!