Sunny 16 [EP] by Ben Folds

Pros: The wit and pop craftsmanship that we've come to expect from Folds
Cons: Most of the material sounds hastily thrown together.

There was a time when a collection of studio outtakes had a very specific role. Once an artist or group had released a few albums, typically it was time to take a break and regroup. To keep the fans happy and keep them from drifting fickly away to other ...

Pros: Several songs destined to be concert staples and one outstanding cut...
Cons: ...but radio often doesn't play those words so you may have to buy direct.

Ben Folds continues to gracefully age, retaining his biting wit, but relying less on story songs and writing more about life. Sunny 16 is the second of three EPs Folds plans to release in 2003, selling them exclusively online. The Ben Folds f ...

Pros: New Ben Folds is never a bad thing.
Cons: It feels like a set of (admittedly decent) album castoffs.

The Dangers of Oversaturation Impatient readers might want to skip down a few paragraphs, because I start on a rather long tangent here right off the bat. People who are confused and disturbed enough to read my reviews on a regular basis have ...

Pros: Quick, gleeful, sincere, and (obviously) devoid of filler.
Cons: Too short? But's an EP, so that's kind of unfair.

Sometimes, I wish more musicians utilized the art of the EP. It's kind of like the musical equivalent of a novella, really---longer and more in-depth than a short story, but without requiring the same dedication as a novel. I'm intrigued by the art of ...

Pros: Each song is well-crafted but not overproduced
Cons: Too short! And all of these songs may not make it onto the LP

I have liked Ben Folds (Five, to be fair) since 1998, when I was first introduced to the group when I arrived at college. I listened to their self-titled debut, Naked Baby Photos, and Whatever and Ever Amen incessantly, to the point where my roommates ...

Pros: A few good melodies, a few good hooks, and undoubtedly Ben
Cons: No stand outs

Ben Folds is one of my favorite artists. He has the amazing ability to create songs that are deadly serious, sarcastically playful, and highly imaginative. One thing Ben Folds is not is one-dimensional. His ability to convey multiple types of ...