Top 10 Albums of 2010 - #4 Lonely Avenue by Ben Folds & Nick Hornby

Ben Folds adds music and melody to Nick Hornby’s words in “Lonely Avenue” (as is written on the CD’s cover). Depending on how you count, this is Ben Fold’s seventh studio album. Things get confusing when you start distinguishing between band albums, solo albums, compilation albums, collaboration albums, etc. Although “Lonely Avenue” is a collaboration album in the truest sense, I consider it to be the seventh official installment in the Ben Folds repertoire (in order: Ben Folds Five, Whatever and Ever Amen, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, Rockin’ the Suburbs, Songs for Silverman, and Way to Normal). Of course, the diehard fan will also know there exists a plethora of EPs, collaborations (including two with William Shatner), second cuts and other miscellanies written by Ben. He is a musician who is not afraid to try things out, embraces experimentation and is inclined toward diversion. Perhaps this is why he teamed up with novelist and screenwriter Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About a Boy, Fever Pitch, An Education) to create “Lonely Avenue”. But what may have began as a diversion, something different, something new, turned into a remarkably fulfilling and mature album.

“Lonely Avenue” begins with “A Working Day” – musically, it may be the worst song on the album. You might even call it annoying. But inside of it there’s a message. Midway through the song, Ben sings, “Some guy on the net thinks I suck and he should know; He's got his own blog”. In other words, it’s easy to be a critic. To sit back at a computer and judge someone’s music*. It’s not easy to put your heart and soul on the line in song. *I might add, it’s not exactly easy to write thoughtful and interesting music reviews, but it certainly is easier than songwriting. Songwriting is toilsome.

After that, “Lonely Avenue” takes off with one sensational song after another. My favorite songs are “Picture Window” and “Password”. “Picture Window” is a beautiful, sad and cynical song about hope during difficult times. Though the lyrics are bitingly pessimistic, the melody is still somehow hopeful. “Password” is also a sad song (come to think of it, much of the album has tragic undertones; I guess it is called “Lonely Avenue” after all). “Password” is a point-of-view story about a crumbling relationship told through passwords that are sung letter by letter. It sounds strange, but is extremely effective and makes the song’s conclusion all the more heartbreaking. A lot of “Lonely Avenue” is about relationships and they do not all have happy endings. Yet still, the album is emotionally fulfilling. Dave Matthews was right when he sang, “Somebody’s broken heart becomes your favorite song”.