Ben Folds Five

Ben Folds Five's first album in over 13 years begins in explosive fashion with the fuzzy one-two punch of "Erase Me" and "Michael Praytor, Five Years Later." The former is a spiteful kiss-off (in the mould of "Song for the Dumped"), while the later is filled with bittersweet nostalgia, and both hold up well against any of the trio's classic material. Fans of the Five will be similarly delighted by "Draw a Crowd," which is by far the catchiest tune here, containing the laugh-out-loud chorus punch line, "If you're feeling small/And you can't draw a crowd, draw dicks on the wall." Not all of The Sound of the Life of the Mind is so successful, however, as drippy, string-laden numbers like "On Being Frank" and "Away When You Were Here" don't make much of an impression. Still, followers will find plenty to enjoy on this trip down memory lane.