What Matters Most (2023) was Ben Folds’ first studio album since 2015. And if you set aside collaborations with Nick Hornby, Ben Folds Five, and the yMusic Ensemble, it was his first solo album since 2008.
Given that long drought, it would be hard for a modest, 10-track collection to live up to the weight of expectations. But What Matters Most mostly pulls it off. It finds Folds in his sweet spot, spinning oddly resonant yarns against a backdrop of melancholy piano pop.
Here’s how I ranked the tracks after a few listens:
10. ‘But Wait, There’s More‘
9. ‘Exhausting Lover‘
8. ‘Moments‘
7. ‘Back to Anonymous‘
6. ‘What Matters Most‘
5. ‘Clouds With Ellipses‘
4. ‘Fragile‘
3. ‘Paddleboat Breakup‘
2. ‘Winslow Gardens‘
Meet Me In Montauk 