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| Track list: 1. Jackson Cannery 2. Philosophy 3. Julianne 4. Where's Summer B.? 5. Alice Childress 6. Underground 7. Sports & Wine 8. Uncle Walter 9. Best Imitation of Myself 10. Video 11. The Last Polka 12. Boxing Running time: 46 minutes Released: 1995 |
It was 20 years ago; that's a long time. I still love some of these tracks or at least I think I do. Others I was never that hot on. My entry in to Ben Folds Five was the one album I didn't list from Ben Folds Five Live, Whatever and Ever Amen (and if I remember to link that in 10 years or whatever when I finally reach W, good on me!), and I came to this one probably a few years late. It is rawer and often less interesting than what followed but it still packs that Folds emotional gut-punch in places. I actually have the sheet music for this somewhere - or I did, once upon a time. I tried learning Boxing - I think, it may have been Philosophy - but didn't have the knack.
We open with Jackson Cannery. This recording has immediate energy with the piano chords - an energy diluted by something in the opening of the live album. At the same time this feels stripped back - not sure how it can be though! - more space left for each of the parts, perhaps by smoothing levels. The bass bridge is particularly clear here, not smothered by piano or distortion, and the top end of Ben's keyboard is much clearer. The outro melody is probably the best bit of the song, mind.
Philosophy takes over. This has always been one of my favourites, one where I relate to the narrative - not of the opening verse reference to male genitalia but the sense of having a grounding force that the outside world may not see or comprehend. I think I prefer the version to come on the next album I'll listen to where it is just Ben and his piano but the essence of the song is the same. Nice piano melody, bit around it, identifiable theme to the lyrics and an energetic denouement that can seem like a bit of a mess. Things get messier though; I never liked Julianne - much more boring musically, much less relatable lyrics - yup, less relatable than a song that references a penis; who drags trash up and down roads anyway?! Add in the simulated (or genuine?) crashing sounds behind it and... ugh. The thing is, I think this version might be better than the one on Naked Baby Photos.
Where's Summer B.? I don't know, but I think this and Alice Childress, which follows, are possibly the most under-rated Folds tracks. I like the wistful questioning tone in the former, and the lament of the latter. The harmonied "aa-aa-aaa-aa"s and "ooo-ooo"s over the piano give it depth that scat doesn't normally manage and the slightly syncopated rhythm, clarity of notes from the keys and the simple melody all combine nicely into a whole that works. I am writing on a lazy Sunday afternoon; Easter Sunday back home but where I am that's next week. I am constantly distracted by movement outside a window in my peripheral vision and I keep looking over to catch glances as my step-mother passes, gardening. After a few days with more planned, today is brief respite before heading out on a 4 day road-trip south - hoping for sun. I digress to not get my emotions hooked up on the sadness of Alice but it doesn't work... the melody, lyrics and, crucially, the pauses catch me off guard and the verse about getting mugged and left with nothing is delivered in a way that I have always felt acutely despite that not really being the darkest part of the song.
It isn't this version of Underground with the effective heckle, but this is its pure form. The intro is a bit off in tone on record, but once the piano kicks in and the song falls into its pattern it is simple and effective. It closes the first half of the album; I find myself aware that basically I prefer BFF when they veer closest to Folds' solo performances, strong on the piano, drums creating structure by definitely subservient to the keys and the bass sparse. Its the old piano bias again.
Two less popular tracks now, the first of which is really a nothing song about (I guess) college jocks which, well... it just there and feels pretty devoid of meaning past uni age (and not being American probably doesn't help). The second, about a rambling and rumbustious elder relative - I'm sure we all know the stereotype - is better in this form than the live rendition in the previous post, but it is still not great. I like that you can almost hear Folds' spit some lines, creating the effect - intentionally I guess, but maybe not - of one of the qualities the song rails against, but that is about all I can say for it other than with its passing we're in to a pretty strong final third.
Best Imitation of Myself - like Philosophy - always struck a chord with me. Presenting something other than myself to the outside world is something that I feel I do a lot, though in the opposite way to the character described in the song. There he puts on a gregarious, flamboyant entertainer perspective to cover quietness; me the quietness wins out and as a result I can sometimes simply shy into corners and not present me at all. Though that quietness is a true face, it presents as the whole face incorrectly. Enough self-debasement though, I have a Video to listen to. It is another tune where the piano has a lot of space to do its stuff, and so predictably I like it a lot. Having learned as a boy and fallen out with the keyboard as a teenager, Folds really made me want to play again - hence acquiring the sheet music - presenting the piano in a way I had not heard it before. I will not pick it up again; I lack the perseverance as well as the talent but I think I will always favour piano music as a result. The versatility is one angle of that - moving from sweet melodies to noisy bassy structure in the blink of an eye, equally at home drawn out with space, or ratcheting up the tempo something chronic and cramming notes in like there is no tomorrow.
This disc ends with Boxing, a track with a story behind it. It's a track that had a lot of personal significance to me too back when I was an undergraduate, 4-5 years after it was released. I can't stand the sport of boxing myself, but you don't need to to empathise with the point of view espoused and there are a couple of lines in particular that always stuck with me as someone prone to introversion and blue moods. The song remains a firm favourite now, though the lines do not quite punch with the same weight.
As mentioned above, I did not get into Ben Folds Five with their debut. However had I heard this before Whatever and Ever Amen then I am sure the latter would have been a release-day purchase for me. Whilst Julianne and Sports & Wine are terrible, and Uncle Walter is take-or-leave, these early songs spoke to the younger me a lot. Time has passed, I have changed, but whilst the messages I take from this material have morphed my appreciation of it has not.
We open with Jackson Cannery. This recording has immediate energy with the piano chords - an energy diluted by something in the opening of the live album. At the same time this feels stripped back - not sure how it can be though! - more space left for each of the parts, perhaps by smoothing levels. The bass bridge is particularly clear here, not smothered by piano or distortion, and the top end of Ben's keyboard is much clearer. The outro melody is probably the best bit of the song, mind.
Philosophy takes over. This has always been one of my favourites, one where I relate to the narrative - not of the opening verse reference to male genitalia but the sense of having a grounding force that the outside world may not see or comprehend. I think I prefer the version to come on the next album I'll listen to where it is just Ben and his piano but the essence of the song is the same. Nice piano melody, bit around it, identifiable theme to the lyrics and an energetic denouement that can seem like a bit of a mess. Things get messier though; I never liked Julianne - much more boring musically, much less relatable lyrics - yup, less relatable than a song that references a penis; who drags trash up and down roads anyway?! Add in the simulated (or genuine?) crashing sounds behind it and... ugh. The thing is, I think this version might be better than the one on Naked Baby Photos.
Where's Summer B.? I don't know, but I think this and Alice Childress, which follows, are possibly the most under-rated Folds tracks. I like the wistful questioning tone in the former, and the lament of the latter. The harmonied "aa-aa-aaa-aa"s and "ooo-ooo"s over the piano give it depth that scat doesn't normally manage and the slightly syncopated rhythm, clarity of notes from the keys and the simple melody all combine nicely into a whole that works. I am writing on a lazy Sunday afternoon; Easter Sunday back home but where I am that's next week. I am constantly distracted by movement outside a window in my peripheral vision and I keep looking over to catch glances as my step-mother passes, gardening. After a few days with more planned, today is brief respite before heading out on a 4 day road-trip south - hoping for sun. I digress to not get my emotions hooked up on the sadness of Alice but it doesn't work... the melody, lyrics and, crucially, the pauses catch me off guard and the verse about getting mugged and left with nothing is delivered in a way that I have always felt acutely despite that not really being the darkest part of the song.
It isn't this version of Underground with the effective heckle, but this is its pure form. The intro is a bit off in tone on record, but once the piano kicks in and the song falls into its pattern it is simple and effective. It closes the first half of the album; I find myself aware that basically I prefer BFF when they veer closest to Folds' solo performances, strong on the piano, drums creating structure by definitely subservient to the keys and the bass sparse. Its the old piano bias again.
Two less popular tracks now, the first of which is really a nothing song about (I guess) college jocks which, well... it just there and feels pretty devoid of meaning past uni age (and not being American probably doesn't help). The second, about a rambling and rumbustious elder relative - I'm sure we all know the stereotype - is better in this form than the live rendition in the previous post, but it is still not great. I like that you can almost hear Folds' spit some lines, creating the effect - intentionally I guess, but maybe not - of one of the qualities the song rails against, but that is about all I can say for it other than with its passing we're in to a pretty strong final third.
Best Imitation of Myself - like Philosophy - always struck a chord with me. Presenting something other than myself to the outside world is something that I feel I do a lot, though in the opposite way to the character described in the song. There he puts on a gregarious, flamboyant entertainer perspective to cover quietness; me the quietness wins out and as a result I can sometimes simply shy into corners and not present me at all. Though that quietness is a true face, it presents as the whole face incorrectly. Enough self-debasement though, I have a Video to listen to. It is another tune where the piano has a lot of space to do its stuff, and so predictably I like it a lot. Having learned as a boy and fallen out with the keyboard as a teenager, Folds really made me want to play again - hence acquiring the sheet music - presenting the piano in a way I had not heard it before. I will not pick it up again; I lack the perseverance as well as the talent but I think I will always favour piano music as a result. The versatility is one angle of that - moving from sweet melodies to noisy bassy structure in the blink of an eye, equally at home drawn out with space, or ratcheting up the tempo something chronic and cramming notes in like there is no tomorrow.
This disc ends with Boxing, a track with a story behind it. It's a track that had a lot of personal significance to me too back when I was an undergraduate, 4-5 years after it was released. I can't stand the sport of boxing myself, but you don't need to to empathise with the point of view espoused and there are a couple of lines in particular that always stuck with me as someone prone to introversion and blue moods. The song remains a firm favourite now, though the lines do not quite punch with the same weight.
As mentioned above, I did not get into Ben Folds Five with their debut. However had I heard this before Whatever and Ever Amen then I am sure the latter would have been a release-day purchase for me. Whilst Julianne and Sports & Wine are terrible, and Uncle Walter is take-or-leave, these early songs spoke to the younger me a lot. Time has passed, I have changed, but whilst the messages I take from this material have morphed my appreciation of it has not.
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