Upon its release in August 1995, the eponymous debut of Ben Folds' quirkily-named trio sounded like nothing else you might have found in the racks of your local Tower, HMV, or Sam Goody. Filled with rich melodies, inescapable riffs, the most aggressive piano this side of Jerry Lee Lewis, and a youthful dose of attitude, Ben Folds Five channeled Todd Rundgren, Elton John, and Queen - with a dash of Randy Newman here and George Gershwin there. Now, more than 23 years later, the (sorta) angry
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Ben Folds, Brick: The Songs of Ben Folds 1996-2012 (Edsel) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) The 13-CD box Brick: The Songs of Ben Folds 1996-2012 brings together nearly all of Folds' core studio albums together with a live album and various other odds and ends. It traces his career from the first Ben Five Folds record through his solo recordings to the Five's reunion album in 2012, for a total of 194 tracks! And yes - it's shaped
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Today might be Friday the 13th, but when it comes to catalogue music, it's a lucky day! Bobby Darin, Go Ahead & Back Up: The Lost Motown Masters (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Naturally, we're most excited about this release - our landmark 25th title on Second Disc Records, and certainly the most rarities-packed! Go Ahead & Back Up: The Lost Motown Masters premieres a never-before-heard Bobby Darin album in
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
Edsel has just announced a 13-CD box set looking at the career of alternative music star (and one of our favorite artists here at Second Disc HQ) Ben Folds, both as a solo artist and as a member of Ben Folds Five. Brick: The Songs of Ben Folds 1996-2012, due June 22, contains nearly all of Folds' core studio albums together with a live album and some other odds and ends. It traces his career from the first Ben Five Folds record through his solo recordings to the Five's reunion album in
Legacy’s long-running Playlist series rolls on with another batch of titles to be released tomorrow, April 14. This wave of titles in the budget line range from rock to R&B to rap, and span from the late 1960s right up to the 2000s. As per the standard with this series, each entry is fourteen tracks and generally has some harder-to-find edits and track choices than are generally found on budget compilations. Following a description of each title kindly provided by our friend and founder
With its upcoming roster boasting titles from Kate Bush, Ben Folds Five, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Laura Nyro and Julie Andrews, the new audiophile label Analog Spark is pulling out all the stops for its debut this spring. Yesterday, Razor & Tie announced the launch of Analog Spark, a new imprint which will focus on reissued releases on both 180-gram vinyl and SACD. Razor & Tie co-owners Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam commented, “We’re very excited about the launch of Analog Spark
Leave it to Todd Rundgren to spot The Difference. Hosting a 1995 episode of the late Philadelphia-based radio program of that name, Rundgren interviewed Ben Folds, “fronting his trio, The Ben Folds Five. Go figure,” the pop icon dryly noted. Reflecting on the experience sixteen years later, Folds recalled with typical candor the moment when Rundgren spotted the difference in the young musician. It was “fucking surreal…He said ‘you have a distinct voice.’ And I thought, ‘really? I think I