The Best Imitation of Myself Sony****

This 18-track retrospective, which includes hits, misses, fan favourites, hidden glories and rarities, is a sumptuous career overview of one of the most idiosyncratically gifted figures in modern music. With his arch approach and his old-fashioned purist manner of musical composition, Ben Folds was free to plough his own furrow, and this collection works both as an introduction for new listeners and a reminder to those already committed of just how wide and deep his talent is. Tracks such as Undergroundand Brickare well known, of course, but it's when Folds goes off-road here that you get a real glimpse of his understated brilliance. The more recent material, such as From Above(co-written with Nick Hornby), and the Regina Spektor duet You Don't Know Me, tell of an undiminished ability. See benfolds.com

Download tracks: Brick, From Above, Don't Change Your Plans