Ben Folds Five

Ben Folds Five is perhaps best described as a violently enthusiastic, curse-word keen Billy Joel analogue, representing the snider side of piano-rock. Despite this comparison, Ben Folds Five had little trouble finding their niche in the 90’s alternative scene, carving out a five year, three album career before their break-up in 2000.

The group is actually a trio, made up of lead singer and pianist Ben Folds, bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessee. Ben Folds Five interestingly shunned guitars, a choice that separated them from other mid-90s alternative artists such as Weezer, Radiohead and Nirvana.

The rough, lo-fi sound of their debut, 1995’s Ben Folds Five, combines undeniable musicianship with Folds' biting sarcasm.

Their second effort, Whatever and Ever Amen, offered a refined mix of ballads and bradaggio and achieved further critical success.

Their more complicated third album, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, invited varying responses from critics and listeners alike. The albums underwhelming commercial success foreshadowed the group’s break up less than a year later.

Frontman Ben Folds pursued a successful solo career in the years followed the disbandment, whilst bassist Rob Sledge formed his own group, Hotel Lights. In 2008, a one-off show reignited reunion hopes – hopes that were realised with the announcement of their fourth LP, The Sound of The Life of The Mind, which was well received by fans and critics alike.

The band split once more in 2013, this time calling it an amicable ‘hiatus’. Folds himself continued to release his sanitary solo material, leaving fans anticipating his eventual return to the harsh-talking aggressive piano roots of Ben Folds Five.