Sunny 16 (Note from Ben)
BenFolds.com Mailing List
September 19, 2003

if i was starting over again and had to make a demo tape, i'd use this EP. it represents a big part of what i do very naturally. part of me thinks i'm an idiot for 'wasting' this recording on a limited release EP, but i'm really into this method of recording and releasing quickly and making it all about music, so here it is. at this moment as i'm typing away on my computer on a plane to chicago, i'm feeling like it's one of my best records. and i'm just warming up because i'm headed back into the studio to make another EP, 'super d', for release in november.

i'm playing piano, drums, synthesizer, and some bass on this one. john painter (of fleming and john) produced and took care of most of the bass, some background vocals and string arranging.

songs:
1. there's always someone cooler than you
2. you've got to learn to live with what you are
3. all you can eat - when it was an embryo of a song, i played it at a few gigs and called it 'they give no fuck'. the bulk of the song was written the day it was recorded and i realized it should be called 'all you can eat'. i've always said i'd write one love song and one political song. i think this is about as political as i care to be in my music.
4. rock star - i played the sketch of this at a few gigs and had the crowd sing the backups, so it might sound familiar to a few people. it's actually about a waiter but i wasn't able to make that clear in such a short song.
5. songs of love - written by neil hannon of divine comedy. he's one of my favorite songwriters, one of the best voices in pop music ever, and one of the finest human beings in the western world. other than that, he's pathetic. i could launch into an essay about divine comedy but i'll spare you. i hope i did this song some justice -i'm not sure if i'm worthy.

about the EP's and album coming up:
my plan at the moment is to take three songs from the EP's and put them on the full length. i may arrange and record them differently.. i'm not sure. the rest of the full length album to be released early next year, will be new.

see ya,
ben
_______________________________

you can pre-order 'sunny 16' starting this tuesday, september 23, at www.attackedbyplastic.com. cds will be available to ship september 30. a limited quantity will be signed by ben, so make sure to get yours tuesday morning!

check out 'sunny 16' art, read about ben playing the upcoming "honor the earth" benefit, get the latest tour dates and more at www.benfolds.com.

Distributed via the benfolds.com mailing list.
Copyright 2003, Sony Music Entertainment Inc.