Ben Folds Five to release shelved pre-debut recordings for 30th anniversary of self-titled album

Ben Folds Five released their self-titled debut album back in 1995, introducing the trio's distinctive sarcastic/saccharine, raw/technical Gen X piano-rock sound on compact theatrical epics like 'Philosophy' and 'Best Imitation Of Myself.'

Before teaming up with producer Caleb Southern that winter, they'd taken an initial stab at recording with Dave 'Stiff' Johnson for sessions that were never released.

Folds, who resigned in protest from his role as the Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra last year, recently discovered those abandoned recordings on digital audio tape in his...