Let me begin by stating for the record that I was never a big fan of Songs for Silverman.  I thought it lacked the punch that Rockin’ the Suburbs had, both in diversity and in intensity.  Basically, I felt it was too much sad bastard and not enough pissed off bastard.  So I don’t listen to it a lot.  But I did love the EPs and the live album.  Ben Folds is definitely one of my top five musicians out there.

That being said … Way to Normal kicks ass.  Kicks.  Ass.  It’s like Ben culled his classic energies from BFF’s first and second album, with the experimentation of the Fear of Pop stuff, along with his own maturity and musical impressiveness.  I haven’t listened to it enough to give you a track-by-track rundown, but a few points: Dr. Yang sounds like a BFF first album song.  Cologne sounds like if Reinhold Messner was bumped up about ten notches.  It’s beautiful.  Errant Dog is a BFF first album type song too.  The song with Regina Spektor is one of the most perfect pop songs I’ve heard in a while.

I got the Japanese import, so it’s got some bonus tracks, one of which being a “Piano Orchestra” version of Cologne, which may be better than the album version.  I also got “I Made It Up on Stage,” which is a six song bonus disc for the deluxe edition that showcases some brilliant songs Ben and his band made up on the spot, live on tour.  They’re great.

I think this album might be on my top ten list of the year.  I’ve never had a Ben Folds album on my top ten.  I’m excited.