Ben Folds - Stems and Seeds
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CD Details
Artist: Ben FoldsEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2009-02-10
Music Label: Sony
Soundtracks:
- Effington
- Frown Song
- Dr. Yang
- You Don't Know Me
- Free Coffee
- Cologne
- Bitch Went Nuts
- Hiroshima
- Kylie from Connecticut
- Errant Dog
- Brainwascht
- Cologne [Piano Orchestra Version]
- Bitch Went Nutz
- Way to Normal
- Free Coffee Town
- Lovesick Diagnostician
- Frowne Song (Feeble Anthem)
- You Don't Know Me [Conan O'Brien Rehearsal]
- Hiroshima [Japanese Version]
- Brainwashed
Music reviews of Stems and Seeds
Music Review: Some of these Stems and Seeds are better than the originals...
Rating: 5 Stars
First off, this new release by Folds is not technically a new one, so I just wanted to warn and advise buyers.
Disc 1 is the basic tracks of Way to Normal--although you have to have a Mac or special computer software to play around with them. I think Folds got really annoyed by the reviews of Way to Normal and just decided to let the public have open access to the bones (or stems) of the original album...probably just to shut them up.
Then on Disc 2 we have the original album remixed--showing better tone and not as "manipulated" or "doctored" as the original album (which a lot of people did not like).
After that we have nine extra unreleased tracks. These are where the worth of purchase is to be found.
"Cologne" has a new choir backing to it and works pretty well. It has also been squeezed together into one track, rather than be separated rather oddly like it was on the original album.
"Bitch Went Nutz" is an earlier and much better version of the original tune on the album. Here, Fold's narrative is _absolutely hilarious_ as he describes how his most recent relationship collapsed. He swears and he rants and is devastatingly sarcastic, all behind a really catchy jazz beat.
Next we have a completely unreleased track, titled after the actual original album, Way to Normal. I don't know why Folds didn't include this earlier because it is a memorable song with some really good lyrics on how much fear and dread can accompany the release of a new album--really, here, Folds attacks his critics again.
"Free Coffee Town" and "Love Sick Diagnostician" are two earlier versions of "Free Coffee" and "Dr. Yang" respectively. Because "Love Sick..." is more overtly personal again, and discusses how Folds may (ironically, intentionally?) want to kill himself after the collapse of his r'ship, it is probably stronger than the original track. "Free Coffeee Town" is pleasant, and of course doesn't have the "scratchy" effect the original had (also, the remix of this song has a more pleasant "scratchy" remix, so that you can hear the original instrument being played a little more clearly).
Next we have an early version of "Frown Song" that has a basic, thumping beat, and I would argue is more effective with new lyrics and overall arrangement. In fact, there's new lyrics all over the place with this unreleased tracks, and the overall air is much more personal and affecting. I find myself just starting at Disc 2, track 12, and going from there--it makes for quite a strong album! In fact, most of the tracks are better than the originals, so you end up feeling that perhaps Folds made the wrong choices on the cutting room floor and is showing you what the actual genesis for these pieces were.
Finishing off with a late night TV show rehearsal of his duo with Regina Spectre (including an off-the-cuff, roaring curse at the end), a Japanese version of Hiroshima and a stripped down, completely different "Brainwashed", this second disc is almost eight minutes of a fascinating deconstruction of a pretty good original album. You may not
play the original again!
Description of Stems and Seeds
2009 two disc set featuring alternate versions and sequencing of his studio album, Way to Normal. Disc One contains the master 'stems' from the sessions, which can be used to remix and re-master the songs - FOR EDITING AND COMPUTER USE ONLY - NOT FOR CD PLAYER! Disc Two contains the 'fake versions' of the songs that were leaked online before the album's release. Also includes a new version of 'Cologne', the Japanese version of 'Hiroshima' and a live performance of 'You Don't Know Me'. 'Lovesick Diagnostician' is a track from a series of live performances Folds recorded during his Fall 2008 tour.Alternative Rock CDs
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