A Working Day

I’m listening to a pre-release of Ben Folds’ new album, Lonely Avenue – a collaboration with writer Nick Hornby – and it’s fantastic, just as you’d expect if you’re a fan of either guy. And then there’s “A Working Day,” the first song on the album, which is probably one of those love letters to how awful it can be to be a writer, which both of these guys totally understand.

The song itself is fantastic. Again.

I can do this/Really I’m good enough
I’m as good as them but don’t take it from me
Ask my friends/Ask my sister
They all think my stuff is great
Up there with any of them
I just need a break

I’m a genius/Really I’m excellent
Better than them I kick their asses
All of them/Even that guy
Who thinks he’s fucking cool
Gets all of the attention/He doesn’t sell shit does he?

Some guy on the ‘Net thinks I suck/And he should know
He’s got his own blog

I’m a loser/I’m a poseur
Yeah, really/It’s over
I mean it, and I quit
Everything I write is shit

I’m a loser and a poseur
It’s over/It’s over
I mean it, and I quit
Everything I write is shit

Hey Hey/It’s a working day. (x3)
Oooooh.

You’re all nodding. You know.

The ‘Net’s going to HATE this album. Predicting a Pitchfork review of 2.5.

(Bonus! Here’s a preview video of a song that’s not on the album, featuring Pomplamoose. Also awesome. If you ignore the cutesy blah blah after the song.)