Whatever and Ever

With it’s enchanting, heartbreaking piano-based pop charm, Ben Folds Five’s masterpiece, Whatever and Ever Amen, one of the signature albums in the rise of indie-spirited rock, has in recent years established a cult following. Almost a decade since its release and (strategically?) less than a month before Fold’s much anticipated second solo effort, Songs for Silverman, Epic Records remastered and reissued the album, complete with altered artwork, expansive liner notes and seven bonus tracks. Yes, seven. 

With “One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces,” “Song for the Dumped,” “Smoke,” “Battle of Who Could Care Less,” “Missing the War” and, of course, “Brick” all included, little needs to be said about the greatness of the core 12 tracks on the reissue. If Folds were to release a ‘best of’ at thispoint in his career, much of it could be found on this album (see the setlist to his 2003 live album for proo). The liner notes should prove exciting for hardcore fans, finding Folds, drummer Darren Jessee and bassist Robert Sledge all reminiscing on the brief flirtations with super-stardom that their hit single, “Brick,” allowed them. The remastered songs sound slightly cleaner, and luckily lose none of their charm. However, it is the seven bonus tracks included that should bring in the pre-Silverman bread for Epic.

Starting with their famed studio cover of The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” BFF sound right at home being goofy and heedless, turning the landmark song into a piano-pop opus. The Sledge penned “For All The Pretty People” is a scrappy instrumental number included for completists and fans of the theatrical, sounding almost exactly like many of the tracks included on Badly Drawn Boy’s score for the About a Boy film. The psychedelic “Mitchell Lane” will leave second-time buyers feeling confident in their budget-priced purchase as BFF sway through peddle affects and loose instrumentation, singing “it was just like Mitchell Lane, everything’s the same.”

“Theme From Dr. Pyser” should be familiar to concert-going fans as the upbeat instrumental number often used to get the crowd pumped towards the end of a long set; unfortunately, unless you are driving 140 miles an hour or on speed it does very little when heard through stereo speakers. Next, and also likely to be found on a future Folds’ greatest hits album is the fan favorite, “Air,” whose inclusion is likely the major selling point for fans who have yet to otherwise invest in the song. For those who already cracked the wallet for “Air” comes BFF’s lounge cover of the Flaming Lips’ early 90s hit “She Don’t Use Jelly.” Lastly is an alternate version of “Song for the Dumped,” which, aside from the swear words, is sung entirely in Japanese and includes all sorts of small surprises for the detail-oriented listener.

If for some reason you never got around to buying Whatever and Ever Amen, Epic Records and Ben Folds are providing a wonderful opportunity for you to get your sh** (that’s for you, Ben) together and finally take in one of modern rock’s very best albums.

Even if you only ever listen to “Brick,” (which would be a colossal shame), you’re guaranteed to never miss your 10 measly dollars. Uncertain hardcores, do the right thing.  10/10

Written by G. William Locke