Ben Folds Five (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Ben Folds Five
Type = Album
Artist = Ben Folds Five


Released = August 8, 1995
Recorded = Wave Castle, North Carolina, February 1995
Genre = Alternative Rock, Piano rock
Length = 46:14
Label = Passenger
Producer = Caleb Southern
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:emr9keztkq7n~T1 link]
*"EW" (7/10) July 28, 1995, p. 62
*"Melody Maker" June 8, 1996, p. 48
*"NME" Rating|4.5|5 April 27, 1996, p. 53
*"Option" January, 1996, p. 92
*"Pitchfork Media" (9.6/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15385-ben-folds-five link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/150496/benfolds?pageid=rs.ArtistDiscography&pageregion=triple1 10/5/99, p. 59]
*"Village Voice" February 20, 1996
Last album =
This album = "Ben Folds Five"
(1995)
Next album = "Whatever and Ever Amen"
(1997)

"Ben Folds Five" is the self-titled debut album by Ben Folds Five, released in 1995. A non-traditional rock album by any estimation, it was widely praised as having "genius moments". [ [http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=60041401&loc=109&PageFormat=7 Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five - CD - Buy.com ] ] Despite the band's and the album's name, Ted Ehrhard and Chris Eubank were studio musicians rather than full band members, so Ben Folds Five was, in reality, a trio. The album, released on a small independent label, failed to chart, but sparked an intense bidding war eventually won by Sony Music. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:pgu67uw0o0jw~T1 allmusic ((( Ben Folds Five > Biography ))) ] ] Several of the songs on "Ben Folds Five" have reappeared on live releases.

Track listing

All songs written by Ben Folds except as indicated.
#"Jackson Cannery" – 3:23
#"Philosophy" – 4:36
#"Julianne" – 2:30
#"Where's Summer B.?" (Ben Folds/Darren Jessee) – 4:07
#"Alice Childress" (Ben Folds/Anna Goodman) – 4:34
#"Underground" – 4:11
#"Sports and Wine" – 2:58
#"Uncle Walter" – 3:51
#"Best Imitation of Myself" – 2:38
#"Video" – 4:07
#"The Last Polka" (Ben Folds/Anna Goodman) – 4:34
#"Boxing" – 4:45

Personnel

*Ben Folds – piano, vocals
*Ted Ehrhard – violin, viola
*Chris Eubank – cello
*Darren Jessee – drums
*Robert Sledge – bass

Production

*Producer: Caleb Southern
*Mixing: Marc Becker
*Photography: Alexandria Searls

References