Amazon.co.jp
ベン・フォールズ・ファイヴの解散後約1年で届けられたソロ第1弾。解散を表明した当時はかなりナーバスになっていた彼だが、いろいろな意味で制約から解き放たれたのだろうか、全体の印象はバンド時代初期ののびのびとした作風が戻ってきたという感じだ。
メロディアスな楽曲も、あのパーカッシヴな独特のピアノスタイルも健在だ。また、ほとんどの楽器を彼自身がプレイしており、マルチプレイヤーぶりも発揮。やはり、ベン・フォールズ・ファイヴの真髄は彼だったという事が証明された作品だろう。（末延仁人）
From Amazon.com
On the evidence of
Rockin' the Suburbs, Ben Folds's decision to jettison the two-piece Five that had backed him on four largely excellent albums has not resulted in any significant shift in trajectory. The Ben Folds Five were only getting better, gradually discovering the confidence not to hide their musical uniqueness (there have been too few piano-led power trios) and lyrical intelligence behind undergrad Barenaked Ladies-style gags. Songs like "Mess" and "Brick" signaled an extraordinary new songwriting talent worthy of comparison to Folds's obvious idols, Elvis Costello and Paul Simon. Only this album's title track harkens back to Folds's fondness for comedy, and it is by far the weakest track here. The rest is mournful, reflective, and, at best, quite magnificent. Folds's hymns to his family, "Still Fighting It" and "The Luckiest" are shot through with an honesty that's rare in alternative rock. The acerbic essence of character sketches such as "Carrying Cathy," "Losing Lisa," and "Zak & Sara" are leavened with a generous compassion. Folds's second solo effort is his best album yet. The remainder of his career must be anticipated with equal parts expectation and impatience.
--Andrew Mueller
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