soikatron

The new album from Ben Folds is already done, but fans will have to wait until September to hear some of it — unless they have Bonnaroo tickets!

Folds told Billboard that he has already previewed a lot of the new songs live at this point, but to keep interest for the yet-untitled album, he's held on to a select few. "It's not a bad idea to play one of those new ones at Bonnaroo; that's kind of a special show," Folds explained.

Bonnaroo has become a staple of major summer music festivals, holding its own against events like Coachella and Austin City Limits. Held on a 700-acre farm in Tennessee, Bonnaroo is known for its diverse lineup, featuring everything from indie-rock to blue grass to hip-hop. The festival typically draws serious music fans with a sympathetic ear for new and different sounds, which is why Folds is excited to be playing.

"The last time [at Bonnaroo, in 2006], we played in front of a really large crowd, and we were playing mostly stuff off an album that'd just been released, and it all felt pretty good [and] pretty musical," Folds revealed.

If you've seen Folds play live in the past year, you may have heard some of the songs from the new album (his first since his 2006 compilation, Supersunnyspeedygraphic). The titles have the kind of wry, literary tone fans have come to expect from him: "Hiroshima," "Errant Dog," "Effington," "Free Coffee," and "Kylie From Connecticut." And then there's "The B---h Went Nuts," which seems to suggest a 2008 update of "Song for the Dumped."

The album itself is currently title-less. "I'm not really sure," Folds stated when asked what the name of it might be. "I may have a couple of ideas, but we've got some really good stuff going for the artwork that I'm excited about.  So I kind of want to get that in order and see if that helps me make up my mind."

Maybe he'll draw some inspiration from all the music and people at Bonnaroo. 

Ben Folds U.S. tour dates:

4.26: Pullman, WA @ Beasley Performing Arts Center
4.27: Tacoma, WA @ University of Puget Sound Fieldhouse
4.29: Ellensburg, WA @ Central Washington University
5.02: Memphis, TN @ Beale Street Music Festival
5.09: Danbury, CN @ Feldman Arena
5.10: Philadelphia, PA @ Drexel University
5.30: Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Ampitheatre
6.7: Lawrence, KS @ Wakarusa Festival
6.14: Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music Festival

-Soikatron