Continuing my countdown of the songs on Ben Folds’ new album, What Matters Most…

#4 – ‘Fragile’

Folds has been married five times (his current marriage, knock on wood, is the only one not to end in divorce) and his song catalog is well-stocked with evidence of his relationship difficulties.

He’s written a few straight-up love songs (‘The Luckiest‘ is probably my favorite) but he’s had more success writing about the tough times. And he’s never shy about digging into the uncomfortable dynamics that rarely make it into songs.

Such is the case with ‘Fragile,’ a sadly beautiful track about a woman who uses her sensitivity to her advantage. “Something so fragile about you,” Folds sings, “It’s how you get away with what you do.” He wraps up the chorus in biting fashion: “And I almost believe you.”

#3 – ‘Paddleboat Breakup’

Here’s another gorgeous anti-love song, this one demonstrating Folds’ knack for concise storytelling. In this track a couple finds themselves on a paddleboat, far from shore, when the man makes the ill-advised decision that it’s the right time to split up. The song builds slowly to a surprise twist in which the woman confesses she had “something big to say” and was waiting for the romantic lake setting to do it.

Is she pregnant? Planning to say “I love you” for the first time? That’s left to the imagination. But given her boyfriend’s feelings about their relationship, I can’t imagine things would have ended any better if she’d spoken up first.