Please recommend songs like Ben Folds. In the style of his long rambling piano heavy emotional songs with a good variety of instruments.

rufus wainwright matches your description but doesn't sound anything like ben folds.

Yea I dont want to limit suggestions to 'copycat artists' but the second sentance sums it up:

"In the style of his long rambling piano heavy emotional songs with a good variety of instruments."

I would consider that descriptive of some of Wilco songs too.

Joe Jackson

Ben Folds Five.


Sorry.

Billy Joel

Here's someone you might really like:
http://www.richardswift.us

His name is Richard Swift and he's a pianist/singer/songwriter, does real melancholy stuff. Here are some clips:
http://myspace.com/richardswift
http://myspace.com/instrumentsofscienceandtechnology

Thanks for the input. Keep them coming!

What about the band Travis?

Todd Rundgren

Badly Drawn Boy

Scot Sax's solo album (self titled). I know it's a hard to find album, but you can purchase it though iTunes or Not Lame Recording's website.

Feel's debut album (self titled as well and has Sax as the front man) is also good as well. Easy to find in record stores as I remember paying only $10 for it at Virgin Megastore a few years ago. I haven't heard their second album yet though.

Wanderlust, another Sax fronted band, may also be of some consideration. The only thing one could find from them to purchase would be their "Lost and Found" two disc set (which could be bought only here).

Ben Kweller. He actually made an album with Ben Folds and Ben Harper (called "The Bens") a year or two ago. "Bruised" (the Bens) and "Falling" (Ben Kweller solo) are both pretty good songs.

The third Ben was actually Ben Lee, not Ben Harper. He's another good choice for someone with a similar style.

A few songs from the Scissor Sisters maybe.

Cool. Ill look into those too!