Whatever and Ever Amen by Ben Folds (CD, Mar-1997, 550 Music)

Ben Folds Five for this album were THREE (well, it worked for the Thompson Twins, after all). This album was the upturn in Folds' career and established his as a solid storyteller as well as a swinging Eltonesque piano player without any funny suits. Okay, he seems to like big square glasses and loungewear and now he's a tad bald like Elton but he's still not on the same plane.

The title of the album comes from The Battle Of Who Could Care Less and features many varied and delicate tales of life meets the dump somewhere. there's One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn Faces (getting beaten up all the time), Steve's Last Night In Town (an angry breakup), Song For The Dumped (his breakup this time) and then there is the OPUS...Brick (finding out the girlfriend is dying and feeling even more separated than before).

Ben Folds is above all a JAZZ musician--the LANGUAGE strays a word or two every few songs. It isn't filthy but it isn't Christian Rock. Ben has been on Austin City Limits as well as several talk shows more than once and is an ARTIST, truly enjoyable and probably something to impress the ladies. The dude is muy sensitive.

Even if you never catch the meanings of the songs, you will find yourself listening over and over as it just make you relax and smile.

This was an album I had never owned before. I would recommend others based on his performances on TV. I highly enjoy Ben Folds.