The first track on the new Ben Folds EP, Speed Graphic opens with the line "Yesterday I got so old ... " and Folds has done just that. But aging is just a phase he's working through.

The first track on the new Ben Folds EP, Speed Graphic opens with the line "Yesterday I got so old ... " and Folds has done just that. But aging is just a phase he's working through.

Watching his diverse career spanning a decade and a half, devout Folds fans have seen the piano rockstar succumb to every musical influence that seems to pull him, and in the process have seen him mature quite a bit.

Maybe it's the fact Folds lives in the small Australian town of Adelaide; or maybe its the seemingly successful third marriage with wife Frally Hines (complete with twin boys) but Folds seems to have been more content with the mellow side of his diverse style in recent years. But I do believe he's on the verge of snapping out of it.

The first in a probable string of EP releases, Speed Graphic is the product of Folds continuing to bow and sway to those demons in his head who twist his arms (and fingers) in many different ways.

The opening track, "In Between Days" is catchy and reminiscent of his days with the Five, although it seems Folds is purposely softening his voice. Could this be an influence of band mate Ben Kweller from this past summer's tour with The Bens (a side-project)? This track, however catchy and guaranteeing of a lead foot if listening to while driving, is still nothing more than what a seasoned Folds fan can expect these days.

The next track, "Give Judy My Notice," is very Rockin' The Suburbs-esque. It's a classic Folds-style 'character-sketch-in-a-song.' It could very well have been an RTS b-side, and is easily forgettable unless you take pity on a man scorned by a woman who finds him mediocre. Tsk tsk ... as if the line "Judy, I won't be your bitch anymore" measures up to the high standard of biting wit Folds has already been proven to have. Come on, Ben.

Then comes the mighty third track, "Protection." My mouth fell open at the string of major seven chords and the world stood perfectly still for a moment (making driving very difficult.) Here is the song I’ve been waiting for. Folds calculates and adds in every little nuance and subtlety of his style I’ve grown to love, into this song. The piano is strong, the drums stronger, and stronger still is Folds’ voice, proving he hasn’t totally succumbed to the Kweller-like soft vocals (although from what I can see by a recent picture on Folds’ website, he has succumbed to a Kweller-like haircut.) This song can be compared in style to a very old unreleased track “Rocky,” (which Folds has been playing at shows recently … do I smell it coming up on a future EP?) and the quirky “Avery M. Powers Memorial Beltway” from 1998’s solo release Fear of Pop. An album full of songs like this would guarantee success with even the most casual of fans, as well as with Folds’ growing base of rabid followers. But then again, thirty minutes of him burping continuously would please some of them. “Protection” gives me quite a bit of hope for the future.

The fourth cut is an old previously unreleased song “My Dog,” from early early Ben Folds Five days, or perhaps even earlier, from his days with Majosha. It is very catchy and a good listen. Folds added a rather pointless phone conversation with wife Frally at the end, which serves to adds to the ambivalence to any sort of deeper meaning the song seems ready to skirt.

The final track is a spiffed-up version of a song done with the Five for ‘100 Girls’, a Michael Davis movie, a few years back. A bit sentimental, it sounds a little contrived, but aren’t all written-for-soundtrack songs somewhat contrived?

Folds has gotten his second wind. These less-biting, mellow song stylings are sure to be a thing of the past very, very soon. While it clings somewhat to the past, Speed Graphic is a good omen.

Folds’ rabid fan base will be biting the ankles of anyone who says otherwise.