Ben Folds, Way to Normal (Epic)
The premise is so alarmingly ludicrous, it barely seems believable. Although, to be fair, the "hoax album" accusation has been hurled at every Tool album since Undertow.
When a batch of foul-mouthed tracks leaked to the Internet in mid-July with the dispatcher claiming they were the genuine Way to Normal article, Folds fans freaked. The reaction was so strong, Folds eventually broke the truth: He and his band recorded fake versions of tracks from the new record.
This move begs the same question which haunted all of the speculations about the "secret" Tool albums: Why would any artist go to such great lengths to deceive their audience?
Way to Normal is Folds first true new album in three-plus years, but he's hardly been quiet, performing with the Boston Pops, cutting tracks for the Over the Hedge soundtrack, becoming the first person to broadcast a live show with MySpace, producing Dresden Doll Amanda Palmer's latest record and deepening his collaborative relationship with William Shatner.
The relationship with Shatner says so much about Folds: At heart, he's a prankster, the kind who would go into the studio and cut a fake version of his own record just to fake out his fans.
If I Were Really Rich ...
— Dave Matthews Band, Live Trax Vol. 13 (RCA/Bama Rags) | Show from June of this year at the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis captures one of the band's final performances with late saxophonist LeRoi Moore in addition to featuring guitar virtuoso Tim Reynolds for the entire set.
— Todd Rundgren, Arena (Hi Fi) | First new record in four years from long-time rocker.
— U2, Under a Blood Red Sky (Island) | Remastered, revisited and maybe even reupholstered, this CD/DVD reissue package finds the show at Colorado's famed, fog-filled Red Rocks Amphitheatre concert arriving on DVD for the first time, with its companion disc of live material from the War tour getting a facelift.
— Various Artists, Nightmare Revisited (Disney) | An impressive roster of artists, including Marilyn Manson, KoRn and Rodrigo y Gabriela, take a second look at the soundtrack to The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Also New This Week ...
— Amon Amarth, Twilight of the Thunder God [2CD] (Metal Blade)
— Tori Amos, Live at Montreux 1991-1992 (Eagle)
— Anberlin, New Surrender (Universal Republic)
— Bayside, Live at the Bayside Social Club (Victory)
Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts, Temporary People (Lonely Astronaut)
— Bayside, Shudder (Victory)
— Bleeding Through, Declaration (Roadrunner)
Frank Caliendo, All Over the Place (Warner/Reprise)
— Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bayou Country [Remaster] (Fantasy)
— Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cosmo's Factory [Remaster] (Fantasy)
— Creedence Clearwater Revival, Creedence Clearwater Revival [Remaster] (Fantasy)
— Creedence Clearwater Revival, Green River [Remaster] (Fantasy)
— Creedence Clearwater Revival, Pendulum [Remaster] (Fantasy)
— Creedence Clearwater Revival, Willy and the Poor Boys [Remaster] (Fantasy)
— Dem Franchize Boyz, Our World, Our Way (Koch)
— Ani DiFranco, Red Letter Year (Righteous Babe)
— Dion, Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock (Saguaro Road)
— Dream Theater, Chaos in Motion: 2007-2008 [3CD/2DVD] (Roadrunner)
— Linda Eder, The Other Side of Me (Verve)
— Enigma, Seven Lives Many Faces (EMI)
— Melissa Etheridge, A New Thought for Christmas (Island)
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Jingle All the Way (Rounder)
— Amy Grant, The Christmas Collection (Sparrow)
— Faith Hill, Joy to the World (Warner Bros.)
Grateful Dead, Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978 (Rhino)
— Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Hudson (Arista)
— Innerpartysystem, Innerpartysystem (Stolen Transmission)
— Jack's Mannequin, The Glass Passenger (Sire)
The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities (Blanco y Negro/Rhino)
Medeski, Martin and Wood, Radiolatians 1 (Red Ink)
Megadeth, Anthology: Set the World Afire (Capitol)
Mercury Rev, Snowflake Midnight (V2)
— James Morrison, Songs for You, Truths for Me (Universal)
Murs, Murs for President (Warner Bros.)
N.W.A., N.W.A. Family Tree (Priority)
The Nighwatchman, The Fabled City (Epic/Red)
— Roy Orbison, The Soul of Rock and Roll [Box set] (Sony Legacy)
— Kellie Pickler, Kellie Pickler (BNA/19 Recordings)
— Joshua Radin, Simple Times (Mom & Pop)
— Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Minor Cuts and Scrapes in the Bushes Ahead (Willie Anderson)
Pete Seeger, At 89 (Appleseed)
— Robin Thicke, Something Else (Interscope)
— Taj Mahal, Maestro (Heads Up)
— James Taylor, Covers (Hear Music)
— T.I., Paper Trail (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)
— Trivium, Shogun (Roadrunner)
— Tina Turner, Tina! (Capitol)
— Jack White and Alicia Keys, Another Way to Die [7" vinyl only] (J Records)
— Will Young, Let it Go (RCA)