Real Gone Music has just announced another title in its July slate, this one a little more modern than some of their other titles.  Hailing from 1997, Real Gone will release the CD and vinyl debut of The Complete Sessions at West 54th from longtime TSD favorites Ben Folds Five.  It will be released on July 13, just a few weeks after the release of Folds’ career-spanning box from Edsel. (And to be clear, the Real Gone Sessions at West 54th material is not in that box).

Sessions at West 54th was a PBS show which featured musical performances from artists in a wide range of genres.  Its name comes from the location where the performance were recorded: Sony Music Studios on West 54th Street in Manhattan.  Each 30-minute episode normally featured two artists (although some episodes were devoted to just a single musician).  The series ran for three seasons and 79 episodes, premiering on July 5, 1997 and concluding on July 29, 2000.  The first season was hosted by California DJ Chris Douridas.  Hosting duties were taken up by David Byrne in the second season and John Hiatt in the third.

Ben Folds Five was tapped to appear in the first season.  1997 was a big year for the trio of Ben Folds, Robert Sledge, and Darren Jessee.  In March, the group released its second album, Whatever and Ever Amen, which would become their best-selling effort.  They went into Sony Music Studios on June 9 to record a 15-song set.  Nine of the tracks would come from Whatever including the singles “Battle of Who Could Care Less” and “Kate.”  Three songs were taken from the band’s self-titled debut album, “The Last Polka,” “Philosophy” and “Underground.”  The remaining three songs were unreleased by Ben Folds Five at the time: “Emaline,” “Theme from ‘Dr. Pyser'” and a cover of the Flaming Lips’ “She Don’t Use Jelly.”

The band’s episode of Sessions at West 54th aired on November 8, 1997.  Beck was the other artist on the show.  Due to the limited time allotted, only three songs were aired: “Missing,” “Smoke” and “One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces.”  Ironically, a live performance of “Brick” did not make the cut for the broadcast.  Ben Folds Five would release the original studio version of the song as a single a little under two weeks later on November 21 and it would go on to become the group’s biggest hit.

A DVD of Ben Folds Five’s complete 15-song performance was released on November 20, 2001 by Sony.  Real Gone’s new edition will be the first time the concert has made an appearance on CD or vinyl.  It is also the only concert album from the group’s first incarnation, prior to their first break-up in 2000.  This new version contains liner notes from Bill Kopp, featuring quotes from Ben Folds.  The 2-LP edition comes in blue vinyl in a gatefold package, limited to 1,000 copies.

If you would like to give this Ben Folds Five concert a try on CD or vinyl, due on July 13, we’ve got the full tracklisting and preorder links below.

Ben Folds Five, The Complete Sessions at West 54th (Real Gone Music, 2018)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

1. Missing the War
2. Kate
3. Battle of Who Could Care Less
4. The Last Polka
5. Selfless, Cold and Composed
6. Brick
7. Steven’s Last Night in Town
8. Smoke
9. Philosophy
10. Emaline
11. Theme from “Dr. Pyser”
12. One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces
13. Underground
14. She Don’t Use Jelly
15. Song for the Dumped

All tracks previously unreleased on CD

Ben Folds Five, The Complete Sessions at West 54th Limited Blue Vinyl Edition (Real Gone Music, 2018)

Side 1

1. Missing the War
2. Kate
3. Battle of Who Could Care Less
4. The Last Polka

Side 2

1. Selfless, Cold and Composed
2. Brick
3. Steven’s Last Night in Town
4. Smoke

Side 3

1. Philosophy
2. Emaline
3. Theme from “Dr. Pyser”
4. One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces

Side 4

1. Underground
2. She Don’t Use Jelly
3. Song for the Dumped

All tracks previously unreleased on vinyl