Album Review: Lonely Avenue by Ben Folds

Sometimes people have ideas that seem great in planning, but once you start to move forward you realize that it just isn't working.  I have an image in my head of Ben Folds sitting in his studio and thinking to himself what have I gotten myself into with this album.

The concept is this, Nick Hornby wrote the lyrics and Ben Folds wrote the music, arranged them, and performed them.  I'm not a huge Ben Folds fan, but he pulled his part off I think about as good as he could.  Nick Hornby on the other hand, well he put it best on the opening track when he penned, "Some guy on the net thinks I suck/ And he should know, he's got his own blog." 

I can't think of enough ways to say how bad I think this album is.  If you like Nick Hornby as a writer I would suggest you stay away.  If you like Ben Folds as a performer I would say stay away.  You grow to hate Hornby and you just feel sorry for Folds. 

Let me give an example of what I mean.  The last song on the album is one that is quite an interesting idea.  It's about a singer who is asked every night to perform his one hit song "Belinda."  Well the song is about his first wife who he left for a younger woman and every night he sings it and he pines for Belinda and reflects on what a poor choice he made.  The chorus to this song just kills the song for me.

Belinda I love you
I'm sorry that I left you
I met somebody younger on a plane

She had big breasts and a nice smile
No kids either
She gave me complementary champagne

I will never listen to this album again and would never play it for any reason.

Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 0 out of 5 stars for Don't Like.