Stems And Seeds (Advisory) [Explicit Lyrics]

I had to search a bit to find a store that carried this CD, but as a huge Folds fan, it was worth it. The first CD doesn't mean much to me---it has isolated tracks which allow you to remix the Way To Normal album on your PC. If that's something you are into, go for it. The second CD is worth the price of admission, without a doubt. It contains a remixed version of Way To Normal which brings out a lot of new things in the music--for my ears, the vocals sound a LOT better on this version, for one thing. Ben also re-sequenced the album, so that the songs are in an order that, to me, is much more pleasing. After this, you also get the famous "leaked" tracks that Ben put on the Internet---these are AWESOME, not only are they better than the actual album tracks, but I really feel that they capture some of the loose, off-the-cuff, fun feeling that the Ben Folds Five had. Maybe these "leaked" tracks which were done for the hell of it freed Ben up to just be creative and not overthink things too much. Regardless, the songs are just great and I'm very glad to have them on a CD. This CD is probably mainly for true believers who buy anything Ben releases (I'm one of them) but I gotta tell you, this was definitely worth finding.

My only issue with Way to Normal was the production value. Ben's label probably hated him for doing this, but he really delivered for his die-hard fans this time. You've got all the stems that you can play around with and mix just the way you like. also, the newly mixed versions of the songs are VASTLY better. ben's voice even sounds clearer. the set also includes the entire fake album, the japanese version of hirosima, and a rehersal session for "you dont know me" on conan. its a great set all together. make sure to pick it up.

As many reviewers and fans alike have noted, _Way to Normal_ blasted listeners with a monotonous stream of overproduced loudness. Without exception, the versions here are improvements. The previously leaked tracks are a bonus, too. While I'll never have enough Ben Folds, at the end of the day, the songs really just don't do it for me the way past Ben Folds and BFF albums have. As an evaluation of the songs, I'd give the album 2 or 3 stars, but this release earns 4 stars from me for its concept. The songs sound fresher and more dynamic here, some of the bonus songs are hilarious, and, while I haven't tried them, the idea behind the remixing disc sounds fun.

As something of an aside--while the sound vastly improves on the original release of _Way to Normal_ the song sequencing seems bizarre. Maybe I am conditioned to hearing the songs in their original order, but it's VERY jarring going from "Hiroshima" to "Kylie," for example. And "Brainwascht" is a great little pop tune, but it doesn't have lyrical or musical punch as a typical Ben Folds album closer and ends the album really oddly. "Cologne" or "Kylie" (as in the original) would have been far better choices.