#6 – Lonely Avenue – Ben Folds
Ben Folds’ collaboration with novelist Nick Hornby was my favorite album of 2010, and it hasn’t faded a bit in my estimation since.
I love the challenge Folds took on in morphing Hornby’s very literate lyrics into pop songs. As a follow-up to his disappointing solo album Way To Normal, this record was a refreshing return to form.
I’m fascinated by the collaborative songwriting process, particularly in a case like this where the work is so separate. Elton John and Bernie Taupin are of course the most famous example of the “two room” approach to songwriting.
One of the pleasure of Lonely Avenue is that you can hear Folds channeling Hornby, particularly when British phrases come from the mouth of a North Carolina boy. And I love the email exchange included in the CD’s liner notes that details the thought that went into the album’s stellar closing track, ‘Belinda.’
‘From Above’ was the album’s first (only?) single, and while it wasn’t a hit it did result in a rather cute video.
He was with Martha, she was with Tom
Neither of them really knew what was going on
Strange feeling of never
Heartbeats becoming synchronized
and staying that way forever
Most of the time it was just near misses
Air kisses, once at a bookstore, once at a party
She came in as he was leaving
And years ago at the movies, she sat behind him
A 6:30 showing of ‘While You Were Sleeping’
He never once looked around
[Chorus:]
It’s so easy from above
You can really see it all
People who belong together
Lost and sad and small
But there’s nothing to be done for them
It doesn’t work that way
Sure we all have soulmates but we walk past them every day, oh no
And it’s not like they were ever actually unhappy in the lives they lived
He married Martha, she married Tom
Just this vague notion that something was wrong
A naked absence, a phantom limb
An itch that could never be scratched
[Chorus]
Neither of them knew what was going on
A strange feeling of never
Heartbeats becoming synchronized
And staying that way forever
Who knows whether that’s how it should be
Maybe our ghosts live in that vacancy
Maybe that’s how books get written
Maybe that’s why songs get sung
Maybe we owe the unlucky ones
[Chorus]
Maybe that’s how books get written
Maybe that’s why songs get sung
Maybe we owe the unlucky ones [x2]
Meet Me In Montauk 
First, I’m nuts about those videos that illustrate complex concepts with simple line drawings. The first moments of this one seemed like one of those concept videos. Probably not done by the same people/group, but it reminded me of how much I love them. 🙂
Second, I, too, love this album – the concept, the partners, and the outcome. Each song is distinct, bold, unique – a very special album. Glad to see it warranted a spot on this list. Where would it end up in a list of Ben Folds’ best?
That depends on whether you include his band work as well as solo.
If we’re looking only at solo albums, I’d rank this one second to Songs For Silverman, followed by Rocking the Suburbs and Way to Normal.
I would put the first two Ben Folds Five albums above all of those (the debut in the top spot, Whatever and Ever Amen second) with Reinhold Messner below Rocking the Suburbs.
I probably need to listen to Songs for Silverman again straight through, as I have done more recently and repeatedly with Lonely Avenue, but this may be top ranked amongst Folds’ solo work. I wonder if you actually rank it slightly lower because it was a collaborative album as compared to Silverman?
For my money, Silverman has the most consistently great song lineup: Gracie, Jesusland, Landed, Give Judy My Notice, Late and Sentimental Guy just off the top of my head.
But yes, to your point, the collaborative nature of Lonely Avenue means it less of a Ben Folds album. You can tell he’s singing somebody else’s words. And lyrics are one of Folds’ many strong suits.